Healthy Blood Pressure becomes more difficult to maintain as we age. Our diet, stress and the general wear and tear of age all contribute to raising blood pressure. While there are many good drugs on the market today for controlling high blood pressure, most of these come with unacceptable side effects. The ancient Chinese knew of many life-enhancing herbal combinations long ago, most of which were as effective as our modern drugs, but with far fewer side effects.

Blood pressure is measured when the blood presses against the walls of the arteries and blood vessels. When blood pressure is abnormally high the heart must work harder to pump an adequate amount of blood to all parts of the body. Although blood pressure varies from person to person and also by age, in general normal blood pressure should be less than 10 mm Hg systolic and less than 90 mm Hg diastolic. Above these measures the individual is diagnosed with hypertension. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 mm systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic (120 over 80).

The causes of hypertension can include arterial constriction related to an overactive nervous system, blockages caused by plaque which may accumulate from high cholesterol levels, any hardening of the arteries which prevents dilation of the blood vessels, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should. An astounding 77% of people with Hypertension don't even know it, or they choose not to treat it, or treat it unsuccessfully. Among those who do take blood pressure medication, almost 50% still have numbers that aren't low enough.

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