The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants:

So, the doctor tells you that you have high blood pressure and hands you an ACE inhibitor, a water pill, or Amlodipine (a calcium channel blocker). But do you really know what hypertension is and how it happens in your body? Do you even know why you have it?

Here’s a hint: it’s NOT just hereditary. Over 70% of hypertension cases are due to poor diet, while the remaining 30% is linked to stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption. A less than 1% of cases are solely due to genetics. So now that we’ve shut down the blame game, let’s get into it:

• What exactly is high blood pressure?

• What foods trigger your hypertension?

• How do you fix it?

How High Blood Pressure Works (In Real Life Terms)

Your heart pumps blood and oxygen to keep your body functioning. When you eat table salt, processed foods, and other harmful substances, they cause inflammation and swelling inside your blood vessels. Imagine a water hose—when it gets kinked or clogged, the water struggles to flow through. Your heart, sensing that your organs aren’t getting enough oxygen, pumps even harder, increasing pressure inside the vessels.

Now, if there’s a blockage, this excessive force damages and hardens your blood vessels over time, making them stiff and less flexible. This means your blood isn’t flowing freely, putting massive strain on your heart and eventually leading to strokes, heart attacks, or even death.

Stress does the same thing. When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol and adrenaline, which cause your blood vessels to tighten and constrict—again, increasing pressure. So, whether it’s a bad diet or stress, the result is the same: your heart is overworked, your blood isn’t flowing right, and your life is on the line.

The 4 Worst Things You Could Be Doing Right Now

Now, let’s talk about the worst habits that worsen hypertension and put you at high risk for a stroke. This isn’t just talk—if one of your parents died from heart disease and you currently have high blood pressure, statistically, you will die approximately10 years earlier than they did if you don’t change your habits.

This is not a game.

1. Processed Meat = A Kill Switch

If it’s bacon, turkey bacon, lunch meat, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, or canned meat—it’s killing you. If the meat has skin, it’s putting you at risk.

I’ve been a witness to people dying of a heart attack with a sandwich in their hand—no exaggeration. Processed meats are LOADED with sodium and harmful preservatives that increase blood pressure, damage arteries, and set you up for a stroke. It’s a slow death with every bite.

2. Hidden Sugars (Not Just in Desserts)

Think sugar is just in cakes and cookies? Think again. Here’s where it’s hiding:

• Ketchup, BBQ sauce, and pasta sauce

• White & wheat bread

• Breakfast cereal

• “Healthy” fruit juices (even 100% juice)

• Flavored yogurt

• Salad dressings (especially “fat-free”)

• Gatorade & sports drinks

If you show me someone with high cholesterol, I’ll show you someone with a sugar addiction. High cholesterol = plaque buildup in arteries = stiff blood vessels = a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen.

Sugar also tricks your kidneys into holding onto sodium, making high blood pressure even worse. And let’s be clear: excess sugar = weight gain, and excess weight = higher blood pressure.

Pro tip: If your fruit lasts longer than a week in the fridge, it’s probably packed with preservatives and artificial sugar. Stick to real, whole foods.

3. Alcohol: A Silent Blood Pressure Killer

The second alcohol hits your bloodstream, your blood pressure spikes. Why? Because your body sees it as poison and goes into stress mode. Your heart beats faster, blood vessels tighten, and your hormones go out of whack.

It’s not just the alcohol itself, but the effect it has on your body’s natural blood pressure regulation. Drinking regularly, even in “moderation,” keeps your body in a constant state of damage and repair.

4. Chicken

Most people don’t realize this, but chicken is LOADED with sodium before it even hits the shelf.

• Commercially raised & processed chicken (like frozen chicken, rotisserie chicken, and fast-food chicken) is injected with 400-800mg of sodium per serving to make it bigger and retain water.

• Once seasoned and cooked, that number skyrockets, flooding your bloodstream with sodium—the #1 enemy of high blood pressure.

So, while you might think chicken is a “healthier” choice, the way it’s raised, processed, and prepared is what’s killing you.

So, What’s the Next Move?

Listen, this isn’t about scaring you—it’s about waking you up. If you already have high blood pressure, you cannot afford to keep playing with your life. Hypertension is called the silent killer for a reason.

Which one of these 4 habits are YOU guilty of? And what’s the first step you’re taking to fix it? Send us your commitments at [email protected]

Share this message with one person in your family and one friend. Follow me @iamholisticnik and stop by and get some delicious vegan food 7 days a week @rootedaf. Let’s get this conversation going—your life depends on it.

Below is a link to blood pressure tea. As you are making strides to make better choices, here is a great start