Women who have just stepped in their 40's pay attention. Developing high blood pressure in early mid-life could put you at the risk of having dementia later in life, suggests a latest study. The increased risk could run as high as 73 percent. Men, on the other hand, exhibited no such risk factor.
The findings, published in the journal Neurology, revealed that high blood pressure could also start playing a role in brain health much earlier than previously estimated.
Lead researcher Paola Gilsanz, a postdoctoral fellow with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research in Oakland noted that prior studies have linked high blood pressure with dementia, but whether hypertension is a risk factor before one hits their 50s wasn't clear until now.
The study did not prove that early high blood pressure caused dementia risk to rise in women, but only pointed at the uncanny association.
A healthy brain is heavily dependent on a healthy circulatory system. The human brain is a very metabolically active organ in the body. A large amount of oxygen and other nutrients are essential for its smooth metabolic activity. To ensure this, there is a very rich blood delivery system in the brain in a normal body. Those with hypertension, run the risk of compromised blood delivery to the brain, which can compromise the overall health and function of the brain. Therefore, long-term exposure to high blood pressure could leave one more vulnerable to dementia later in life.
For the study, the team reviewed the records of more than 5,600 patients of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health care system, tracking them from 1996 onward for an average 15 years to see who developed dementia.
The findings revealed that those with high blood pressure in their 30s did not appear to have any increased risk of dementia. But women who developed high blood pressure in their 40s were found to be on an increased risk of developing dementia in the later stage of their life, even after the researchers adjusted for other factors like smoking, diabetes and excess weight.
The study also mentioned that men suffering from high blood pressure exhibited no such risk, but the possible reason for this could be because they were more likely to die before they grew old enough to suffer from dementia, noted the researchers.
Factors such as genetic differences, lifestyle differences and sex-specific hormones also might separate men and women when it comes to dementia risk, researchers added. The scientists are optimistic that the findings would help future research to look at sex-specific pathways that might be at play, to disentangle the risk factors for men and women.
Hypertension is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high.This hampers the smooth flow of blood in the body. Here are some foods that can help you control high blood pressure.
1. Tulsi Leaves
"A home remedy from our granny's treasure trove. Chew five to six tulsi leaves every morning," suggests Dr. Rupali. Tulsi leaves have high levels of potassium, magnesium and vitamin c which can help in regulating your blood pressure. It is also loaded with an antioxidant called Eugenol which keeps the blood pressure under control and lowers cholesterol levels.
Tulsi leaves have high levels of potassium, magnesium and vitamin c
2. Almond MilkThere is no cholesterol or saturated fat in almond milk. Almonds are also rich in healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Banana
They aren't just sweet and low in sodium but they're also rich in potassium which helps lower blood pressure. Add them to your cereal, cake, bread, smoothies and milkshakes.
Bananas are rich in potassium which helps lower blood pressure
4.Spinach
This green leafy delight is low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with nutrients like potassium, folate, magnesium - key ingredients for lowering and maintaining blood pressure levels.
This green leafy delight is low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with nutrients like potassium
5.Celery
Medicine practitioners have used celery for reducing high blood pressure for ages! Research has shown that eating as few as four celery stalks a day can reduce high blood pressure. It contains phytochemicals known as phthalides that relax the muscle tissue in the artery walls, enabling increased blood flow and, in turn, lowering blood pressure.
Load up on these foods to keep your blood pressure levels in check.