Hypertension

In ‘Kaliyuga’ one of the best gifts which humanity is receiving is ‘Speed’.  We are getting things done in fraction of seconds, information and analysis on the click of buttons, quick results, quick decisions, fast productivity, fast delivery and much more. All these demands activities in high speed, time bound targets, fast recovery, less wear and tear and yes long sustainability. With successfully creating these qualities in machineries and electronic devices in order to enjoy this modern life, we humans have also paced our lifestyle accordingly; yes ‘On time’, are our activities and our goals of life. Added to this is the high rise of expectations from life itself as we are in modern age which offers more gifts than before and there is also a tough survival, as life has became more competitive than ever before. In order to design and operate such devices and also to cope up with the fast pace of life, the human body and mind is rushing in speed, every minute of the day.

But  one modest question we humans should ask ourselves is, does the brain, physical body and the mind which is working behind these devices  remains ‘Calm’, ‘Tranquil’ ‘Quite’ ‘Peaceful’ at all in this process ?

The answer is obviously NO.

Such lifestyle will definitely speed up the blood circulation, be it to fulfill the need of the muscles and other tissues of body or to deliver the high requirement of energy to the brain which is working at its highest capacity or be it emotions related as they strongly impact the heart rate and circulation.  And as we all know that there is this small ‘one fist’ sized pumping unit called ‘Heart’ with its circulatory system which does the delivery of blood to each and every cell in the state of rest or in situations of high demand.  It is bound to create stress and strain on the heart and the circulatory system on such sustained high physical and mental activities. Even the definition of relaxing body and mind has changed nowadays. There are many activities which strains the heart and the circulation in the body which are chosen and acclaimed as ideal relaxing methods.

In choosing lifestyle which is ‘fast’ and ‘successful’, as these two terms have become synonyms in ‘Kaliyuga’, we are straining our delicate pumping system within us which is working without rest right from the first breath to the point of detachment of Atman. Additionally such lifestyle leads to clogging in the circulatory channels created by the wrong choices of food.  Food which is eaten without considering one’s strength of digestion and physical activity creates undigested residues in the body channels which lead to obstruction in the blood vessels, deposition of unwanted fats internally and externally in the body channels. This in turn will strain the heart to work hard to pump the blood against resistance. Adding to this strain is the increased requirement of blood because of already stated lifestyle factors and also because of some specific conditions like Obesity, Renal diseases etc. All these leads to mechanism in the circulatory system which causes increased pressure in the blood vessels leading to ‘Hypertension’ and it is definitely on a high rise in this modern life.

Hypertension is classified as essential, l which is because of unknown cause and secondary, with a known direct cause, such as kidney disease, endocrine disease, tumors, or birth control pills. Essential hypertension accounts for about 95% of cases. Essential hypertension is sustained high blood pressure not because of single cause but because of interaction of multiple genetic, lifestyle and environmental influences. Now should we blame it on the genes for giving this hereditary factor which is not in our hands or blame the wrong choices in lifestyle, food and speeding the life pace which makes the body more vulnerable to afflict with ‘hypertension’.

Although the exact causes of hypertension are unknown, there are several factors that have been highly associated with the condition.

•             Smoking

•             Obesity and overweight

•             Diabetes

•             Sedentary lifestyle

•             High levels of salt intake

•             Vitamin D deficiency

•             High alcohol consumption

•             Stress

•             Aging

•             Certain medicines like birth control pills

•             Genetics and a family history of hypertension

•             Chronic kidney disease

•             Adrenal and thyroid disorders or tumors

                                               Hypertension does not present with any specific symptoms and because of this almost 33% of people actually do not know that they have high blood pressure. Hence it is advisable to undergo periodic blood pressure screenings for early detection.  Although some people with high blood pressure report headaches, lightheadedness, vertigo, altered vision etc. but it’s very subjective.

Conventional approach of treating High blood pressure involves antihypertensive medications, diuretics, changing lifestyle, losing weight, quitting smoking, and avoiding other associated factors as stated above, which hold a very important role. Albeit good management, its prevention and curing is still a far milestone to be achieved. Ayurveda can definitely give more insight in understanding the pathogenesis and relationship of lifestyle and other factors in etiology of hypertension.

Ayurveda text has not mentioned any disease condition precisely similar to Hypertension but considering the causes and manifestation of its symptoms following association of dosha, dhatu, srotas, manas and organs will be useful to be explored.

Blood as a whole is a combination of Rasa and Rakta dhatu.

Pancha mahabhuta constitution of

Rasa- Water

Rakta- Agni Pruthvi

Let’s consider the causative factors for Rakta vitiation which are as follows

(Vidhishonit Adhyay Carak Samhita)

•             Excessive intake of Alcohol

•             Excessive intake of Salty, sour, pungent taste

•             Stress, Anxiety, worries, anger

•             Excessive intake of Vidahi food (Which takes more time to digest & creates daha(burning), paka(digestion)

•             Excess intake of oily, heating, fluids, heavy food, sharp quality food.

•             Intake of Visha or toxic substances like tobacco, pesticides, drugs cocaine etc.

•             Excess intake of sesame, vinegar, whey.

•             Viruddhaar (Incompatible combinations)VIRUDHAHAR   (include junk food)

•             Lifestyle factors like day time sleeping, exposure to sun, external injuries, physical exertion.

•             Suppression of vomiting

Let’s consider the causative factors for Rasa vitiation which are as follows,

•             Excess intake of Heavy, cold, oily, heavy meals,

•             Excessive chinta i.e worries as well as thinking

Ashray Ashrayi bhav of dosha and dhatu-

Kapha dosha- stays in Rasa dhatu

Pitta dosha- stays in Rakta dhatu

Also kapha is the mala of rasa while pitta is the mala of rakta dhatu and they circulate together in the body channels. Any excessive kapha dosha in rasa dhatu with its qualities like liquidity, oily, heavy, sluggishness, cold, stability, sticky, will either create excessive resistance to the circulation or increase in quality of rasa dhatu. Excessive pitta in the system by its qualities like oily, sharpness, heating, lightness, flowing, liquidity will also afflict the rakta dhatu possibly creating fast circulation, dilatation of vessels etc.

Heart  and its relationship to doshas

•             Vyana Vayu- responsible for circulation of blood

•             Avalambak kapha- located in heart and nourishes all the the other sites of kapha

•             Sadhak Pitta-located in heart (here also referred as brain) and responsible for intellect, courage, ego,

Heart  and its relationship with dhatus

•             Rasa-  Chief site

•             Rakta-  Deliverd by heart along with rasa

•             Mamsa- structurally heart is made of up of Muscle tissue

As mind is controller of vata dosha, excessive mental activities will increase the vata dosha and which will disturb the functioning of Vyana vayu which is responsible for proper functioning of heart and circulation of rasa and rakta.

Considering these physiological and anatomical relations between dosha dhatu and the srotas we can hypothetically understand the role of following in development of high blood pressure as per Ayurveda-

1.            Qualitative and quantitative increase in rakta and or rasa dhatu, which can exert more pressure on the blood vessels.

2.            Weak mamsa dhatu of heart.

3.            Increased requirement of rasa and rakta supply because of increase in physical activities (exertion or physical nature of work), increase in body mass e.g. in obesity.

4.            Increased resistance in the blood vessels/ Sira & Dhamani due to accumulation of Aam or excess Kapha dosha (in mala form) in circulation similar to that of unutilized metabolic residues like high cholesterol or the Triglycerides in the blood.

5.            Sustained increase in the activities of Mind such as anger, fear, stress, worries, high expectations from self, jealousy, envy etc. which potentially increases the vata dosha as Mind is controller of vata dosha.

6.            The role of Avrutta vata in these is also important as any obstruction or masking of vata dosha activity particularly the vyana vayu will lead to disturbed functioning of heart and rasa rakta circulation.

7.            Kidneys in Ayurveda are explained as organs responsible for excretion of metabolic waste which is in the form of Kleda i.e. waste in liquid form. If the kidneys are not functioning properly there is going to be accumulation of unwanted fluid in the channels and which will affect the overall circulation of blood. 

Taking into consideration of all the above factors we can definitely say that Ayurveda can explain multifactorial involvement in etio-pathogenesis of hypertension and again everything comes to the importance of ‘Santulan’ i.e. balance of lifestyle, food what we eat and what we digest, proper elimination of wastes, state of mind and above all taking responsibility for making such choices.

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