How's your blood pressure?

I am struck by how many ailments can be resolved and avoided simply by following through with positive lifestyle changes. I created a new index for a wellness book several years ago. While doing so, I learned that proper nutrition is crucial to avoiding all sorts of health issues.

And now, I'm editing a research report on blood pressure. Here's what I learned that I found fascinating.

There are no symptoms associated with having high blood pressure. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure check. However, there are lifestyle choices that negatively affect your blood pressure. Smoking, drinking alcohol, being obese, and having unresolved stress all can induce high blood pressure.

I also learned that potassium and sodium levels can affect blood pressure. Most American diets are high in salt and low in potassium, which inverses the natural ratio of these electrolytes in the blood.

When blood pressure is above 120/80, your risk of heart attack and stroke is greater. Stroke is the number three killer in the United States. My mother had a stroke right in front of me and I didn't know it. One side of her face went numb and we didn't do anything right then because we didn't know the warning signs for stroke. She later needed surgery for her brain aneurysm. And now, she's lost a lot of brain function. It all started with her depression, unresolved stress, leading to hypertension, then to type two diabetes.

So, please, do what you have to do to resolve your "issues"! Your health and your family's health depend on it. Step up to the challenge to keep yourself not only physically healthy, but mentally healthy, too.