Worryingly even those teenagers as young as 12 were affected by the abnormal lipid profile, and those of normal body weight also had an abnormality on one or more lipid parameters. However the percentage increased from 14% to over 22% in those who were overweight and as high as 42% in those who were in obese. Such obesity in the young has been associated with disorders such as diabetes and high blood pressure which were normally more common in middle aged.

Obesity management and prevention is the number one way to ensure high cholesterol levels do not occur. However when obesity is present the two best ways to reduce high cholesterol levels are through a balanced healthy diet and at least 5 periods of aerobic exercise a week. Statin use in teenagers is not encouraged due to the large range of side effects associated with long term statin use. Without weight loss and reducing cholesterol levels the chances of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are greatly increased.

Are you addicted to caffeine and do you suffer from high blood pressure. Is there a link between caffeine high blood pressure? There certainly seems to be in some people. Caffeine is thought to even increase high blood pressure in those who have normal blood pressure when they dont consume any caffeine. All it takes is three or even as little as two cups of coffee daily to increase systolic blood pressure by as much as 14, and diastolic blood pressure by as much as 13. In otherwise normal individuals this can send your blood pressure above the 120/80 normal range.  This increase in blood pressure caused by caffeine is said to be short lived but could present a problem for those that already suffer from high blood pressure. If you think caffeine is giving you high blood pressure why not measure your blood pressure around half an hour after consuming a cup of coffee, and see if your systolic and diastolic blood pressure have increased.

 Caffeine high blood pressure, what is making caffeine increase your blood pressure? The actual mechanism is unknown but it is thought that caffeine increases the release of adrenaline which in turn raises your blood pressure.  If you are a caffeine addict and suffer from high blood pressure which is made worse by caffeine ingestion then it is time to limit your caffeine consumption if not avoid drinking it for good. However be wary when weaning yourself off caffeine as caffeine withdrawal is associated with headaches

Here is a daily sample menu of high blood pressure diets

Breakfast

Half a cup of orange juice, I cup of skimmed milk, 1 medium sized banana, 2 slices of whole-wheat toast, 1 small scoop of margarine

Lunch

Medium portion of spaghetti with a low sodium sauce, 1 apple, 1 small portion of green salad with low salt additive, 1 slice of wholemeal bread, or other bread which contains fibre. You can also drink water, orange juice, apple juice or grape juice.

Dinner

The best high blood pressure food is fish such as salmon. However if you are not a fish lover then you can eat white meat such as chicken. Try and limit yourself to 3oz of chicken breast, and grill it instead of frying it. You can eat a pasta salad with a garlic sauce to accompany it.  Here again for the bread content make sure you stick to wholemeal.

If you feel like snacking why you are following high blood pressure diets make sure you stick to a food which is not high in salt. Good foods to snack on include oranges, strawberries, blueberries and tuna. If you are unsure about the salt content of foods make sure you check the food packaging. By following high blood pressure diets you are one step away from having normal blood pressure again, and this will perhaps mean you do not require high blood pressure medication.

Here are some smoking facts which may help you quit smoking cigarette for good

1. It raises your heart rate and blood pressure. Therefore your heart has to work much harder due to the presence of carbon monoxide on the haemoglobin molecule decreasing the oxygen content and oxygen carrying ability.
2. Stained fingers and teeth. Who wants to have to pay a fortune at the dentist to get their teeth whitened? Smoking has more costs than some people realise.
3. Bad breath- What a turn off. You will constantly have to chew mints and use breath freshener to cover up the dreadful taste of cigarettes.
4. Breathing problems such as wheezing, smoker’s cough. Not very ncie when you get into bed at night and are struggling to breath. Is it worth it just for a cigarette?

I am hoping now you will want to quit smoking cigarette for good but if not keep reading.

The biggest reason to stop is your health. Smoking leads to and is the main cause of a number of cancers, including lung cancer, throat cancer, bladder and kidney cancer amongst others. Combine this with the clogging of the arteries with tar and increased risk of heart disease and stroke and you have the ultimate reason to quit smoking cigarette for good.  Additionally your house will smell bad, and your blinds and walls will take on the yellow colour of the smoke, not very good for those that are house proud.  Go and try and get life insurance, you will pay alot more than a non smoker, so what ever way you look at it smokers are the losers here.