Studies show that one out of every three American adults suffers from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Hypertension is a health condition which does not develop overnight, but develops slowly over a period time. Factors that contribute to the development of hypertension are: stress, depression, bad eating habits, and sedentary lifestyle.

Findings of studies conducted to determine how healthy American students mentally are, shows that presence of hypertension in so many American adults is not surprising – 18 million college students in America are believed to have mental health issues. Statistics point that in comparison to the previous decade, in this decade 50% more college students have been diagnosed with depression. Also, in this decade there has been 100% rise in use of psychiatric medications among American college students.

Stress and mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety contribute immensely to the development of hypertension. In fact, researches show that college students who have higher blood pressure than normal are thrice more likely to acquire hypertension as they grow old.

Strong and healthy teeth not only keeps your dental’s bill to minimum, but they also significantly reduce the risk of Dementia.

A new study conducted by Columbia University shows that poor oral health may contribute to the development of Dementia.

The Study

The researchers at Columbia University tested the memory capabilities of nearly 2,300 individuals of 60 and above. Tests were also conducted on these volunteers to diagnose periodontitis – an inflammatory disease that affects the periodontium, which are tissues that support and surround the teeth. Some of the volunteers were found to have periodontitis.

Those who are fan of high-protein weight loss diets, beware! You may be putting yourself at a greater risk to Alzheimer’s disease. New studies points that high-protein diet may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s.

The Study

Researchers studied the link between the progression of Alzheimer’s in mice and different diets. In this research, mice were given four different diets:

-        low fat diet / high carb

-        low carb diet / high fat

-        low carb diet / high protein

-        regular diet

What looked seemingly impossible a decade back is now a reality – blood pressure can be controlled without using medications. Well… this feat was achieved in the year 2005 with the development of a cell phone size implantation. This implant device is nothing short of a boon for hypertension patients who are unable to tolerate convention medications and for those patients who didn’t receive much success using conventional medical approaches for hypertension.

Implant surgery and its working

The implant which is of same size as a cell phone is surgically inserted under the skin near the collarbone. This surgery normally takes about 2 to 3 hours. Two wires run from the implant device to the right and left carotid arteries in the neck.

The implant device works like a pacemaker and sends electrical signals to the human brain whenever the device records elevated blood pressure and the brain, in turn, instructs the body to reduce the heart rate, release fluids from the kidney, and open blood vessels to lower the blood pressure naturally.

If you are fond of soft drinks, beware! A new study shows that intake of high fructose corn syrup – a component found in soft drink, candy, and fruit juices – can put even an otherwise healthy individual at a greater risk to high blood pressure.

The Study

Recently, a study was conducted to understand the link between high fructose intake and hypertension. In this study, 4,528 adults who had no previous history of hypertension were examined. The volunteers were asked detailed questions about their diet.

The average fruit fructose consumption of each individual was calculated on the basis of their consumptions of fruit juices, candy, soft drinks, and other types of food. The consumption of natural fruits was ignored while calculating the daily fructose intake of each individual.

Did you know that in 2009, 5.3 million Americans had Alzheimer’s?

Not only this, in the next 2 decades the figure is expected to reach 8 million. As of today, Alzheimer’s has no cure, but studies show that healthy lifestyle and diet choices can help immensely in preventing and delaying this fatal disease.

Link between high cholesterol and Alzheimer’s

According to a study that appeared in the medical journal, Dementia and Geriatric Disorders, people who are above 40 and have high cholesterol are two times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s when they cross 60.

Eat garlic to maintain blood pressure. Is this just a home-grown remedy or a fact? Well… studies show that garlic helps high blood pressure patients to lower blood pressure naturally.

Study done at University of Alabama

Research shows that garlic contains a high amount of polysulfides (also known as garlic compounds), which are responsible for the positive effect garlic has in lowering blood pressure. Interaction between polysulfides and red blood cells leads to the production of hydrogen sulphide. Hydrogen sulphide relaxes blood cells, which subsequently leads to lowering of blood pressure.

Researchers at University of Alabama noted that when rats were fed garlic then their blood vessel relaxation upped by 72% due to the production of hydrogen sulphide.

If you have high blood pressure and are generally stressed, adopting a pet can help you in lowering blood pressure naturally.

The latest researches show that along with unconditional love, pets also play a significant role in lowering blood pressure of their owners.

While experts are yet to provide definite answers on how owning a pet can help in controlling high blood pressure, all studies done on this subject proclaim univocally that pets do actually help in improving the condition of hypertension patients. Research also suggests that pets besides lowering blood pressure, may also boost the function of immune system, and lower the risk of depression and anxiety.

Did you know that stroke is the third largest cause of death in America and second worldwide, accounting for approximately 6 million deaths a year?

These figures are startling, to say the least. Hope comes from the fact that nearly 80% of strokes are preventable with active and healthy lifestyle choices.

According to Professor Lars Ryden of the Karolinska Institute in Stockhom, stroke is an inevitable consequence of aging. He further adds that to prevent stroke, it is necessary to identify the risk factors associated with it and modify our lifestyle to negate the factors that put us at increased risk to stroke.