At the risk of sounding sarcastic and being hounded by the feminist lobby High Blood Pressure is what they call an Equal Opportunity Disease" and by that I mean that it does exactly what the description says it can hit anyone of any gender at any one time! I do wish to stress here that I am certainly not misogynistic in any way shape or form in my outlook and wish to stress this former point more as a matter of record than anything else. But, and this is where it gets serious, though both Men and Women can develop high blood pressure, there are a few areas where the gender difference can make a difference. One of the major areas that women have to be wary of and certainly on their guard against is the early onset of High Blood Pressure. It is sad fact that three out of every four women who are sufferers of High Blood Pressure are aware of their condition and situation. Yet, and this would appear to be the stunning reality, studies indicate that fewer than thirty three percent of those same women are doing anything positive to control their hypertension. To try and emphasise this point another way. What would you think was the leading cause of death in Women in the Western World? The obvious answer would be Cancer yet this would also be the incorrect answer. According to Scientists, the leading cause of death amongst women in today's world is Heart Disease which affects nearly 35 percent of all women at some time or other in their lives. One in ten women in the United States between the ages of 45 to 64 suffers from some form or another of Heart Disease. This apparently increases to over 1 in every four in Women over the age of 65. Add to this the fact that approximately 2 million women have suffered from the effects of having a stroke and you begin to get the measure or scale of this situation. High Blood Pressure is one of the biggest single contributory factors to Stroke and Heart Disease. Even slightly elevated blood pressure levels can double a woman's risk and this if left unchecked can further increase the risk of developing congestive heart failure and kidney disease. So what can be done to try and either prevent this condition from developing or to control it once it has occurred? Firstly, it can be controlled once you have been diagnosed and yes there are certain preventative measures that you can take to minimise the risk of High Blood Pressure. Limit your alcohol intake to sensible levels. Secondly, use less Salt and Sodium in cooking. Thirdly, try and remain as physically active as you can and get as much regular exercise as possible. If you suffer from weight problems then try and lose as much as you can and try and achieve this is as nice and controlled manner as possible. Aim to keep the weight off once it has been lost. If necessary take a controlled and measured look at your eating habits and dietary intake. Aim for nutrition and well balanced diet and aim for health first and foremost. If you smoke then stop - this has to be a given. Lastly, measure if possible your levels of iron and other base vitamins / minerals (such as calcium) within your body system. Young women lose large amounts of iron on a monthly basis via menstruation. Where possible keep things like Milk and dairy produce on the agenda as they are vital sources of calcium. So as you can see, far from being selective, High Blood Pressure is well and truly an Equal Opportunity Condition.
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