Systolic:
The top number, which is also the higher of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (when the heart muscle contracts).
Diastolic:
The bottom number, which is also the lower of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats (when the heart muscle is resting between beats and refilling with blood).
At what point is blood pressure considered "too high?"
A blood pressure reading of 120 over 80 is considered normal
Diabetes mellitus leads to persistently elevated blood sugar levels. Over time, high sugar levels damage the body and can lead to the multiple health problems associated with diabetes.
Raw olive oil – a popular ingredient in salad dressings – really is a perfect way to flavor your greens. In a new study published in May 2014 in PNAS, the Journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that olive oil combines with nitrite and nitrates in lettuce and other vegetables to form nitro fatty acids, or NFAs. These fatty acids inhibit an enzyme, soluble epoxide hydrolase, which raises blood pressure.
Vitamin D: the "sunshine vitamin" offers blood pressure benefits
Vit D supplementation in wintertime helped lower the blood pressure of hypertensive patients who were low in this essential nutrient
Low blood pressure facts
Low blood pressure, also called hypotension, is blood pressure that is low enough that the flow of blood to the organs of the body is inadequate and symptoms and/or signs of low blood flow develop.
What Is Anemia?
Anemia is a condition that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is a main part of red blood cells and binds oxygen. If you have too few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is abnormal or low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. Symptoms of anemia -- like fatigue -- occur because organs aren't getting what they need to function properly.
Women and people with chronic diseases are at increased risk of anemia. Important factors to remember are:
Certain forms of anemia are hereditary and infants may be affected from the time of birth.
Women in the childbearing years are particularly susceptible to iron-deficiency anemia because of the blood loss from menstruation and the increased blood supply demands during pregnancy.
Older adults also may have a greater risk of developing anemia because of poor diet and other medical conditions.
There are many types of anemia. All are very different in their causes and treatments. Iron-deficiency anemia, the most common type, is very treatable with diet changes and iron supplements. Some forms of anemia -- like the anemia that develops during pregnancy -- are even considered normal. However, some types of anemia may present lifelong health problems.
