LIFE EXTENSION – My 40-year quest to persuade supporters to keep their blood pressure in lower ranges continues to fail!
I’ll never forget a call I received from a dedicated Life Extension® supporter in the 1980s who had suffered an ischemic stroke.
He was fortunate to fully recover.
My first question was about his blood pressure. It was elevated.
This supporter recalled our warning to keep blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg. He nonetheless thought that his healthy diet and supplements protected against the effects of hypertension.
I instantly responded that we never implied that anything could protect the brain against the destructive impact of high blood pressure.
Despite my many articles and live presentations, I continue to interact with readers of this magazine who don’t optimize their blood pressure.
One study shows total life expectancy is five years longer in people with blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg compared to people at 140/90 mmHg and above.1
More recent data confirm the magnitude of heart attacks and strokes occurring in those who fail to target systolic blood pressure below 120-130 mmHg.
This editorial describes the lost life years that have occurred because of this single health issue and discusses how easy it is to take corrective actions.
Each time your heart beats, it generates systolic pressure that enables oxygenated blood to circulate throughout your body.
Normal aging usually results in elevation of systolic blood pressure that damages arteries and delicate capillary beds.
Excess systolic blood pressure causes or contributes to:2-5
- Coronary artery disease
- Aortic valve stenosis
- Cerebral vascular disease
- Kidney failure
- Retinopathy and other eye disorders
- Dementia
Blood pressure is increasing worldwide due to ever-growing numbers of overweight and obese individuals.
If effective medications were not available, I would not be as adamant in urging everyone to achieve optimal blood pressure readings …
