High Blood Pressure Is Linked To Brain Death And Shrinkage, And Dementia
High Blood Pressure Raises Risk of Dementia and Cognitive Decline
Elevated blood pressure in people over 40 increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia later in life.[1] This doesn’t mean you should wait until you are 40 to address reversing high blood pressure.
High blood pressure develops through the hardening of the arteries throughout the body as a result of poor diet. The hardening of arteries develops over time and high blood pressure is just a sign that the health of the arteries has been compromised.
Hardening of arteries and high blood pressure develops as a result of the consumption of meat, dairy, and processed foods. These foods introduce harmful fats, excess cholesterol, and substances that cause oxidative stress in the body.
The combination of these substances promotes the development of atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of arteries due to the buildup of a harmful cholesterol plaque in artery walls.
High blood pressure develops because the arteries lose their elasticity, and results in pressure buildup as the heart pumps blood through arteries.
High Blood Pressure Destroys Brain Tissue and Leads to Brain Shrinkage and Dementia
Hardened arteries in the brain strongly increases the risk of cognitive decline.[2] When the heart pumps bloods into hardened arteries in the brain the pressure can burst small vessels and cause micro bleeds in the brain.
People with high blood pressure frequently have micro bleeds in the brain, which results in brain tissue death.[3]
Micro bleeds clog surrounding tissue and cuts off blood supply to brain tissue. This results in the development of lacunar infarctions, or the death of brain cells in the form of little holes of the brain.
These holes cause reduced physical and cognitive function and double the risk of developing dementia.[4]
Sustained high blood pressure over time can cause so many holes in the brain and reduce of the size of brain.
Please protect your brain and Learn How to Reduce High Blood Pressure »
Eat foods that protect against cholesterol plaque buildup and high blood pressure in the Dr. Sebi Nutritional Guide »
Sources:
[1] Launer LJ. The epidemiologic study of dementia: a life-long quest? Neurobiol Aging. 2005 Mar;26(3):335-40.
[2]Intracranial atherosclerosis as a contributing factor to Alzheimer’s disease dementia. Alzheimers Dement. 2011 Jul;7(4):436-44.
[3] Seo SW, Hwa Lee B, Kim EJ, Chin J, Sun Cho Y, Yoon U, Na DL. Clinical significance of microbleeds in subcortical vascular dementia. Stroke. 2007 Jun;38(6):1949-51.
[4] Silent brain infarcts and the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. N Engl J Med. 2003 Mar 27;348(13):1215-22.
