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Preksha Dhyanat
called coronaries, are blocked, death of heart cells is inevitable and a heart-attack may follow. If the arteries to the brain become obstructed, strokes may occur. Thus continuous high blood pressure or hypertension is the indirect cause of death viz. heart-attack and stroke.
Emotional stresses, like excitement, agitation or annoyance also cause hypertension. Whenever one encounters a stressful situation, an innate mechanism is automatically put into action, causing an excessive flow of adrenalin and resulting in a marked rise in a blood pressure, acceleration of heart-rate and other physiological changes. If the mechanism is repeatedly activated, e.g. due to stresssful situations built into our daily life, it will ultimately result in hypertension. Fortunately, there is also another innate protective mechanism which produces diametrically oppo. site conditions. Regular practice of relaxation and meditation can activate the protective mechanism which normalizes the blood-pressure.
Unlike the heart-rate, the blood-pressure tends to rise as one grows older. For a new-born baby it is 40 ; it rises quickly to 80 by the end of the first month, and then continues to rise more slowly. By the tenth year, it is about 100. At puberty, the adult level of 100-120 is reached. After 25 years, it creeps up by about .5 per year. It is 140 at 60 and 160 at 80.
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