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Plant-based for High Blood Pressure
Would going plant-based help high blood pressure?
In a recent blog I talked about dementia, and I guess if you’re getting a bit older or someone in your family has suffered from Alzheimer’s/dementia, this is something that perhaps is on your, currently fully cognitive, mind.
So how does it tie into high blood pressure? Most people associate hypertension with increased risks of heart attack and stroke. However, it can also damage organs like eyes, kidneys and also the brain.
That’s right. Elevated blood pressure increases the risk of cognitive impairment and brain shrinkage.
Previously it was thought to be high cholesterol causing the hardening of the vascular system that led to brain impairment. Now, the independent association of Alzheimer’s disease found that high blood pressure, especially those from ages 40 to 60, is a major contributor as well.
The problem arises when every time our heart pumps blood up to the brain when the artery walls are stiffened, the pulse can damage the small blood vessels. These are called ‘microbleeds’ and, even if a person has not had a stroke, they are often found in people with high blood pressure.
