High blood pressure or hypertension is often discussed at doctor’s visits and frequently triggers a prescription. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute warns that half of all Americans have high blood pressure, some without even knowing it.
Our blood pressure changes throughout the day. The problem is, if it stays high for too long, it can damage other parts of the body, thus prompting concerns from our physicians.
When we measure our blood pressure, there are two numbers you will hear. The first number is the systolic pressure. This is when the heart is pushing blood through our vessels. We want to keep systolic blood pressure at around 120. The second number is for the diastolic pressure, the pause between heartbeats when the heart is filling with blood. We want diastolic pressure at or below 80….