## Overview For men, low blood pressure is anything under 100/60 mm Hg, and for women — it is anything under 95/60. This is accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, darkening in the eyes when suddenly lifting the body or head, nausea, general weakness, and a feeling of floating. Most often, hypotension is hereditary. You can live with it if you are in good shape and have no health problems. But it is important to exclude other causes of low blood pressure such as diseases of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands, cardiovascular and central nervous systems, as well as duodenal ulcer, hepatitis, and anemia. Low blood also occurs in athletes as a protective reaction of the body to intense training. Low blood pressure affects performance and causes rapid fatigue, anxiety, sensitivity to cold, a tendency to motion sickness in transport, and a risk of fainting. Even a slight spike in blood pressure can cause the body of a hypotensive man to treat it as a hypertensive crisis. It's even harder for men because low blood pressure and reduced sexual function are linked in the same chain. > General rules for hypotensive men include: drink more water, eat more often but in small portions, don't skip meals, and reduce alcohol consumption. ## How can you increase blood pressure? Certain foods can increase vascular wall tone and the volume of blood pumped. These include ===the following: - Caffeinated drinks: coffee, green tea, black strong and sweet tea, and cocoa. Caffeine increases the heart rate, which raises blood pressure. - Salty foods: cheese, salted fish, pickled vegetables, and spices. Sodium retains fluid in the body, so the volume of circulating blood increases, and the figures on the tonometer go up. Remember to eat salt in moderation. - Sweet caloric foods: desserts, sweet vegetables and fruits, chocolate, honey, dried fruits, pastries, meat, and dairy products with high-fat content. All of them provoke an increase in blood sugar levels, and with it, blood pressure. However, you should not eat too many simple carbohydrates, because they are quickly digested and ultimately do not raise blood pressure. - Products containing vitamins C, B12, and E. Deficiency of these vitamins is associated with hypotension. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, pomegranate juice, parsley, and bell peppers. Vitamin B12 is in eggs, meat, and dairy products. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, avocados, and nuts. - Tonic herbal adaptogens: you can take a course of tinctures of eleutherococcus, ginseng, magnolia-vine, or pantocrine.