The number one modifiable risk factor for heart disease and premature death is high blood pressure. That means if you can control it, you can greatly lower that risk. Maybe you’ve cut back on salt, started exercising and eating right. But what about your zinc levels?

What’s defined as high blood pressure varies depending upon who you listen to… the American Heart Association or the International Society of Hypertension. In my own practice, I typically favor the more lenient definition. But regardless of which scale you follow, getting correct readings is what really matters…

Traditionally, women start out with much lower blood pressure than men. But when we get into our 40s, things start to change. That’s why women are being urged to diligently check it. Turns out even a mild elevation in BP for middle-aged women can double the risk for heart attack.

Your gut or GI tract is home to a huge and diverse community of microorganism that makes up your gut microbiome. And more and more evidence is proving that much of your health — even your blood pressure levels — starts right here…

People with high blood pressure are usually taking some action to bring it under control, including diet, exercise and medication. But what they don’t know is that they could be sabotaging their efforts simply by taking care of other health issues, especially with medication…

Three decades of research have further validated the role of exercise for healthy blood pressure. But it’s also shown that the “long game” matters. But if you haven’t stuck to your exercise routine, it’s not too late…

High blood pressure is extremely common. What’s worse is that only about 1 in 4 adults with hypertension have it under control. That’s because there are many causes. Put too many straws on the camel’s back and it falls over. Take a few straws away, the camel can stand back up. You can bring your numbers down the same way.

Keeping your teeth and gums clean can go a long way toward protecting the health of your whole body, including your heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. In fact, good oral health has been linked with an important measure of heart health: your blood pressure…

Things change with age. But you don’t have to settle for poor blood vessel health, high blood pressure, and senior moments just because a few extra years have passed — not when you know how to kick up production of an important compound that can get things going in the right direction in as little as 10 days.

If you’ve been discouraged with results after dieting, the problem could be your gut bacteria. Researchers identified a pre-diet step that boosts the benefits of
a healthy diet and helped participants lose weight, get control of their blood pressure and even cut down or eliminate BP medication.

Normally, blood pressure follows a daily rhythm. It rises higher during the day and falls at night when we sleep. But what does it mean if you consistently have higher blood pressure at night than during the day? You could suffer from reverse dipping and face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

Not only are hibiscus flowers beautiful, but they are also very good for your health. Loaded with more antioxidants than even green tea, hibiscus can help attack the inflammation that’s the root cause of many diseases. In fact, researchers are exploring its use in the group of conditions known as metabolic syndrome…