Relationship between diet, Bp, cholesterol and circulatory disease

How we live our life in respect to what we eat, drink, exercise and smoke depicts how our bodies deal with it. It is widely known that physical activity serves as a regulator to assist with weight management, high blood pressure and stress. Regular physical activity even on a moderate level produces a balance within the body between exertion and relaxation that is important for the body's equilibrium. Lifestyle and cardiovascular disease have been constantly linked through poor diet, smoking, being overweight, drinking to much and being inactive.



Being overweight together with poor diet which is high in salt and saturated fat causes high blood cholesterol. Cholesterol is one of the main components of the fatty deposits that produce atheromas. Atheromas is where damage has occured to the artery by fibrous plaque which partially blocks the lumen of the artery. This happens when white blood cells and lipids start clumping together under the lining in the artery to form fatty streaks which gives increased blood pressure due to the restrictive blood flow from the artery.



Atheromas also increase the risk of:

• Anerysm - which is where the increased level of blood flowing through the weakened artery pushes through the outer elastic layer to produce a balloon like swelling, which is prone to burst and haemorrhage.


• Thrombosis - is a blood clot that is caused by the atheroma rupturing through the inner lining of the artery (endothelium) which leaves a rough surface within the artery wall. Platelets and fibrin accumulate around the site of the damage to form a thrombus (blood clot) that can completely block the artery or move to block a blood vessel eleswhere in the body. The main danger of this is if the clot blocks an artery that supplies blood to the brain causing a stroke, which is where the tissue within the brain gets damaged due to lack of oxygen.


• Angina - is where you feel severe chest pain due to the lack of oxygen to the heart due to the coronary arteries becoming narrowed due to atheromas.

Peripheral vascular disease is another inherent sympton of poor lifestyle choices. It covers a group of problems that is associated with poor circulation to the feet and legs caused by a progressive blocking of the arteries in the leg. Diabetics are more likely to develop poor circulation to the foot however other risk factors are smokers and the physical inactive which are all contributors to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The biggest problem associated with poor circulation is the development of sores and infections that can develop on the foot which cannot heal as well as they should due to the lack of oxygen to the body tissues essential for healing.

Lifestyle really does play a major part in keeping us healthy, however it doesn't have to be boring. I find the best way is to follow the 90/10 balance. 90 percent of the time you are active, eat healthy and drink in moderation however there are times when it is okay to have a little of what you fancy and do nothing. So as I referred to in the beginning of this blog creating this balance between exertion and relaxation is paramount to the body's equilibrium essential for sustaining of life.