For the average person there is about five liters of blood flowing through out their cardiovascular system via a network of blood vessels called arteries, veins and capillaries. Blood also delivers life-giving oxygen to the body tissues and muscles and it carries harmful waste to the kidneys where they are removed.

If our blood vessels and arteries become clogged with plaque, cholesterol, and fat, the heart must work harder to do its job of pumping the blood through our system to reach our vital organs. This is one of the factors that cause high blood pressure.

As the blood pressure increases the heart becomes stressed due to the increased work it must do. To compensate for this the heart grows larger and eventually becomes weaker.

If you have high blood pressure and in addition include obesity, smoking, or diabetes
the risk of heart attack, stroke or kidney disease increases dramatically. This is why it is important to know what your blood pressure is.

It's recommended by medical caregivers that you maintain a blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg at rest. The higher number is the maximum pressure exerted when the heart contracts (systole). It reflects the stiffness of the large arteries near the heart, and the volume of blood pumped into them. The lower number is the pressure exerted when the heart begins to relax between beats (diastole), just before the next contraction. It measures the amount of constriction of the body's smaller arteries or arterioles.

When our blood vessels become clogged due to a buildup of plaque, cholesterol and fat, our hearts must work twice as hard to pump enough blood to our vital organs. This is what causes our blood pressure to surge.
Good Reasons to Exercise
One of the best ways to lower blood pressure naturally and fight the corrosive effects of plaque buildup is to exercise. Numerous studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle tends to elevate blood pressure, while regular exercise can reduce it.

The reason that exercise is so effective in controlling blood pressure is because it stimulates the production of a molecule within our bodies called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is produced by our endothelial cells, which live on the inside layer of our blood vessels.

Nitric oxide helps to dilate our blood vessels and lowers blood pressure naturally, however, as plaque starts building up in our blood vessels and arteries the production of nitric oxide is reduced. When you exercise the heart pumps more blood through the vessels and as it flows along the lining of the vessels, the endothelial cells release more nitric oxide.

It's not necessary to spend hours at the gym in order to benefit from the effects of exercise. In fact you don't need to go to the gym at all. Taking a brisk walk, using the stairs or raking the leaves can all help to increase the blood flow through your vessels.

At the same time don't forget that your diet can make a big difference in your blood pressure. Avoid fried foods as much as possible and trim the fat and skin off meat. All this will help to reduce the build up of plaque and cholesterol in your arteries.