The Silent Killer: Hypertension

Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, is defined as an arterial blood pressure of greater than or equal to 140/90mm Hg, or a condition required control of blood pressure with medication. Hypertension is not only highly associated with Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, it can also damage our body in many way. Persistent high blood pressure will bring harm to other major organs such heart, kidney as well as blood vessels.

Hypertension is best described as ‘SILENT KILLER’ as it usually does not have any symptoms and one may have it for years without knowing it. Some people only learn that they have hypertension after the damage has caused problems, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, or kidney failure. This is why always kept your blood pressure in check or closely watch is important!

What is BLOOD PRESSURE?
BLOOD PRESSURE is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps the blood through a network of arteries, veins, and capillaries.

Blood Pressure Numbers
You should know how to read the blood pressure number before you can manage your blood pressure well. Blood pressure number always comes in two readings, the SYSTOLIC and DIASTOLIC pressures. SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. Blood pressure numbers usually write with the systolic number above or before the diastolic, such as 120/80 mmHg.

How high is high?
Categories for Blood Pressure Levels in Adults (in mmHg, or millimeters of mercury)
Normal : Systolic Less than 120 And Diastolic Less than 80
Prehypertension: Systolic between 120–139 Or Diastolic between 80–89
High blood pressure
Stage 1: Systolic between140–159 Or Diastolic between 90–99
Stage 2: Systolic between 160 or higher Or Diastolic between 100 or higher
The classification chart is based on adults, aged 18 and older, who are not taking high blood pressure medicines and who are not acutely ill.
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

What do you know about your Gut?

Our gut not only responsible for breaking down food and nutrients absorption. It is also home for trillions bacteria that made up a delicate balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria (gut flora). A good one must always outnumber bad one and keep it in control in order to perform a number of useful functions in the body which is important for good health. Disruption to the balance of this fragile microbial ecosystem at any point of time may lead to a lot of gut health problems such as bloating, intestinal pains, nutritional deficiencies and constipation and also seem to precede some diseases. The maintenance of healthy balanced gut flora becomes more challenging due to our modern day lifestyle. Factors such as stressful lifestyle, changing food habits (preferences for processed and sterile food), medications (especially highly dependence on antibiotic therapy) and increased aging population are contributing to the alteration of microbial population.

A healthy balanced gut flora plays a significant role in defending the invaders such as pathogenic bacteria, toxins, allergens, chemicals and pollutants from penetrating our body where they will cause health problems. This is also called gut barrier effect or gut barrier function. Beside the barrier function, there are increasing evidences that exhibit an intimate interaction between gut flora and immune defenses. In fact, our gut is also the largest immune organ in the body that approximately 70 -80% of immune cells resides in within. Thus, any alterations in the balance of gut flora especially during infancy can result in a skewed development of immune system.

FUNCTIONS OF THE GUT FLORA
1. Assist in the digestion and absorption of nutrients
2. Synthesize vitamins: folic acids, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B1 & B12
3. Assist in the absorption of minerals
4. Break down dietary carcinogens
5. Influence the development and function of the immune system
6. Form a natural defense barrier against bacteria, toxins and antigens
7. Protect body against infection