The amont of fructose in the diet has increased dramatically in industrialized countries. High fructose corn syrup is a common source and is extensively used as a sweetener in soft drinks.

A nationwide survey of adults in the United States has found a strong association between increased intake of fructose and high blood pressure.

This blog is the third of a series on forgiveness and its' health benefits. 

A recent study (April 2010), conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, investigated the relationship between forgiveness and apology based on the heart's ability to return to normal rate following a laboratory mental exercise.

Can reduced sleep time or poor quality sleep increase blood pressure? Researchers have analyzed the associations between sleep behavior and BP in more than 500 adults in mid-life. After adjusting for confounders, short sleep hours predicted significantly increased odds of hypertension over 5 years. Lower sleep duration predicted higher systolic and diastolic BP.

PositiveTip: Getting adequate sleep every night may help lower your blood pressure. Remember: sleep is even easier than exercise!

Observational studies have reported an association between short sleep patterns and hypertension. Now a report comes from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study finding shorter sleep duration and lower sleep maintenance (an indicator of the quality of sleep) predicted significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Those taking hypertensive medications were excluded, and results were adjusted for age, race, and sex. Research is needed to determine if more sleep would effectively treat hypertension.