In most cases, erectile dysfunction is a warning for impending heart disease.

According to a research done by May Clinic, men with erectile dysfunction have 80% more chances of developing a heart disease. The figures may appear ominous, but they are not at all surprising.

Erectile dysfunction and heart diseases are result of same problem – inability of arteries to deliver blood smoothly to different parts of the body. While in erectile dysfunction, enough blood does not reach the penis, heart diseases occur because blood flow to a section of heart is blocked. The buildup of plaque in arteries is the main reason why arteries fail to transfer blood normally.

Did you know that 11.1 million cases of high blood pressure can be prevented every year if Americans adhere to normal levels of sodium intake?

High sodium intake is one of the most common causes of high blood pressure. While maximum daily sodium intake is 2,300 milligrams, on average an American daily eats 3,400 milligrams of sodium. By cutting the sodium intake to permissible limits, Americans can reduce their total health care expenditure by $18 billion.

Excessive sodium intake and high blood pressure

According to The American Heart Association, one in every three American adults suffers from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Hypertension is the modern epidemic from which even young adults are not safe. It is estimated that nearly two million American teenagers and children have high blood pressure. Though genes play a role in this disease, largely hypertension occurs due to poor lifestyle and eating habits.

Hypertension along with itself brings other fatal diseases. Hypertension patients are more likely to develop stroke, aneurysm, and stroke. If that was not enough, new studies show that hypertension puts people at an increased risk to Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Cyrus Raji, who is a co-author of a study done to better understand the link between hypertension and Alzheimer’s, points that hypertension patients are more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s occurs when the blood flow to certain parts of the brain is blocked. As in hypertension the blood carrying capacity of arteries is badly hit, the high blood pressure patients have more chances of developing Alzheimer’s.

If there is a family history of Alzheimer’s then your chances of developing this fatal disease in old age increases. However, it doesn’t always have to be this way.

By making positive changes in your lifestyle and adopting a healthy diet you can keep yourself safe from this grim disease.

Food that you need to avoid

Studies show that obese, hypertension patients, and high cholesterol patients are at increased risk to Alzheimer’s. Researchers in Stockholm have proved that pre-diabetes increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. That is why it is necessary for you to avoid foods that are rich in fat and sweet.

Did you know that vitamin D deficiency in early years may increase your chances of developing hypertension, or high blood pressure?

Yes… this is exactly what a research reported at the American Heart Association’s 63^rd High Blood Pressure Research Conference suggests.

Researchers have found that women who reported deficiency of Vitamin D in the year 1993 were thrice more likely to acquire hypertension within fifteen years. According to research’s co-author, Flojaune Griffin, this separate study is different from previous studies done on this subject on the count of the length of time taken into consideration. In this study the effect of Vitamin D is looked over the period of fifteen years, which is a considerable longer follow-up than previous studies done on this subject.

The deficiency of Vitamin D not only increases the risk of hypertension, but also puts you at a greater risk to certain inflammatory diseases and cancers.

Research shows that insomnia over a period of time can lead to high blood pressure. Findings of a research that studied the relation between insomnia and hypertension were published in Sleep, a medical journal. The findings showed that blood pressure of insomniacs is higher than of those who sleep soundly at night.

Professor Paola Lanfranchi, the lead author has said that sleeping well at night gives our heart the much needed rest. When we are awake at night, as is the case in insomniacs, the heart doesn’t get the rest it requires. The result is higher than normal blood pressure at night. If the condition of insomnia continues for long, then chances of higher nighttime blood pressure leading to long-term damage of the heart increases.

Professor Jacque Montplaisir, who is the co-author of the study published in Sleep, also share the same opinion as Professor Lanfranchi. Professor Montplaisir has said that the blood pressure cycles are linked to sleep-wake cycle, and as insomniacs have higher than normal blood pressure at night they are at increased risk to cardiovascular diseases.