As a certified sports nutritionist, I honestly believe in the positive effects that proper nutrition can have over the body and mind. My knowledge and experience has helped me live healthier throughout the years and which I have shared with family and friends. The more you know about eating and drinking healthier, the sooner you will want to change your life and eating habits. What Is High Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. Under normal circumstances blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day. However, when it stays elevated over time, it is called high blood pressure. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. A blood pressure over 140/90 mmHg falls into the category of hypertension, while one between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg refers to prehypertension, which can rapidly turn into hypertension if measures are not taken. There are certain risk factors that cannot be controlled, such as age (55 or older for men and 65 or older for women), and a history of early heart disease. The ones that can be controlled are an elevated blood pressure, diabetes, weight, physical activity, cholesterol levels and tobacco use and these are the risk factors targeted by medication and lifestyle changes.