May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month

-
Less is better in some things, including in blood pressure. About 1 of 3 US adults—67 million people—have high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard and increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.You can have high blood pressure and not know it. That is why it is called the silent killer. It is also why it is so important to have your blood pressure checked. If you know family or friends who haven't had their blood pressure checked recently, make it a point to ask them to do it in May, National High Blood Pressure Education Month. It is easy to check blood pressure and it is painless. It can be checked by your doctor, and many pharmacies have free screenings.

Caution! Arteries Under Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood on the walls of your blood vessels as blood flows through them. This pressure naturally rises and falls during the day, but when it is consistently too high, it is considered high blood pressure. The medical term is hypertension. Like the pipes in your house, your arteries can fail if they are under too much pressure. The video, "High Blood Pressure Basics," illustrates the concept of high blood pressure. More than 360,000 American deaths in 2010 included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause. That's 1,000 deaths each day.

Blood pressure has two numbers, systolic and diastolic, and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Systolic pressure (the top number) is the force on the blood vessel walls when the heart beats and pumps blood out of the heart. Diastolic pressure (the bottom number) is the force that occurs when the heart relaxes in between beats.

If your blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic, then your blood pressure is normal; between 120 and 139 systolic and 80–89 diastolic, you have prehypertension. Systolic of 140 or greater, or diastolic that is 90 or greater, is hypertension.

Keep It Down in There!

If you have high blood pressure, there are steps you can take to get it under control, including—
  • Ask your doctor what your blood pressure should be. Set a goal to lower your pressure with your doctor and then discuss how you can reach your goal. Work with your health care team to make sure you meet that goal.
  • Take your blood pressure medication as directed. If you are having trouble, ask your doctor what you can do to make it easier. For example, you may want to discuss your medication schedule with your doctor if you are taking multiple drugs at different times of the day. Or you may want to discuss side effects you are feeling, or the cost of your medicine.
  • Quit smoking—and if you don't smoke, don't start. You can find tips and resources at CDC's Smoking and Tobacco Web site or Be Tobacco Free Web site.
  • Reduce sodium. Most Americans consume too much sodium, and it raises blood pressure in most people. Learn about tips to reduce your sodium.
There are other healthy habits, that can help keep your blood pressure under control—
  • Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
  • Participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week.
  • Eat a healthy diet that is high in fruits and vegetables and low in sodium, saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol.
  • Manage stress.
  • Limit the amount of alcohol you drink (no more than one drink each day for women and two for men).
  • If you have high blood pressure and are prescribed medication, take it as directed.
  • If you have a family member who has high blood pressure, you can help by taking many of the steps listed above with them. Go for walks together or cook meals with lower sodium. Make it a family affair!
  • Check your blood pressure regularly.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are You Health Smart Online & On Your Phone?

-
Image
It's hard to deny that more people than ever are turning to the Internet for instant access to information on any topic. From surfing the net to downloading an app, the opportunities are endless when it comes to finding out information about how to manage your health. According to recent research, approximately eighty percent of Americans have, at some point in their life, searched for health information online. This statistic makes it the 3rd most popular web-based activity of Internet users! The problem, however, is that only fifteen percent of those individuals actually check whether or not the information they are reading is from a credible source or if it is current, up-to-date information. Why is checking your source a big deal? Because anyone - even your next door neighbor who knows nothing about health and wellness - could post health information on the Internet. Just because you find health information on the Internet does NOT mean it's factual information. How
Read more

Developing a Workout Routine

-
Image
Developing a routine when working out is important for achieving fitness goals and protecting your body from injury. Below are some tips and tools on developing the perfect workout routine. Use these tips to customize a workout routine that works for you! Tip 1: Consistency Building a strong fitness routine does not happen overnight. You must develop a process and work at it regularly. Decide how many days you are going to work out each week and commit to fitting it into your schedule. Tip 2: Recover Your muscles need time to recover to completely benefit from your physical efforts. When creating your routine, make sure there are days for rest! You do not have to remain completely inactive on recovery days. Long walks, light yoga and casual swimming are all things that get your body moving while still allowing time for your muscles to recoup. Tip 3: Variety Consistency is important when you are thinking about duration and frequency of exercise. Variety is import
Read more

Tips from Mental Health America: Look Around, Look Within: Your surroundings say a lot about your mental health

-
Image
  Take a moment to consider your surroundings. Do you feel safe? Do you have access to health care and grocery stores? Does your home support you, both physically and mentally? This Mental Health Month, challenge yourself to look at your world and how different factors can affect your mental health. Where a person is born, lives, learns, works, plays, and gathers, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what is called “social determinants of health” (SDOH). The more these factors work in your favor means you are more likely to have better mental well-being. However, when it seems like the world is working against you, your mental health can suffer. While many parts of your environment can be out of your control, there are steps you can take to change your space and protect your well-being. • Work toward securing safe and stable housing: This can be challenging due to finances, age, and other reasons, but there are a few things you can try, such as reachi
Read more

How to Build a Low Cost Home Gym

-
Image
So many of us wish we could get more use out of our gym memberships, but with hectic lives and unpredictable schedules, it's not always so easy. If you find it too hard to get out of your house every day for a workout, why not bring the gym to you? Creating a gym in your home can save time and money -- there's no need to own the same heavy, expensive equipment found at a standard gym. You may be surprised at how easy it is to tailor a home gym to fit you personal needs. All you need are a few tangible pieces and a motivational vibe! Below are five necessities to start building your home gym. Atmosphere: Think about what you like most about the gym and figure out how to bring some of that atmosphere to your own space. If natural light is a must have for you, find a space upstairs with great windows to create the look you want. If you like to watch TV while you sweat, set up your gym in a room that has screen access. Need a little visual motivation? Try something simple like
Read more

Welcoa Well Balanced: How to Protect and Maintain Eye Health

-
Image
When it comes to eye health many adults mistakenly believe that as long as nothing is bothering their eyes, there’s no need to get them checked out. However, getting regular eye exams is very important, even if you think your vision is fine. Eye exams allow an eye care professional to monitor your eyes for common vision problems and signs of disease. There aren’t early warning signs for the most common eye diseases, so by identifying diseases early, you have the best treatment options and the best chance of preserving good vision. If you haven’t had an eye exam in more than a year or at all, schedule one now. A comprehensive exam will often include eye dilation. After checking your vision sharpness, your doctor will place drops in your eyes to dilate (widen) the dark center of your eyes, called the pupil. This allows more light into your eyes, just like opening a door lets light into a dark room. The doctor can then examine the inside of your eyes. Your eye doctor will tal
Read more

April is National Stress Awareness Month

-
Image
April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month , bringing attention to the negative impact of stress. Stress management is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Having the skills to manage your stress can improve mental and physical well-being. Knowing how to recognize what stress and anxiety look like, can be an effective step in building resilience and knowing where to go for help. Use Mental Health America’s (MHA) Stress Screener to learn tips on how to recognize and reduce stress. What can supervisors do to help reduce workplace stress ? Approve flexible hours Support telecommuting Encourage the use of paid time off Empower employees to take care of their health Provide resources and support Ask employees what they need Join the BeWell@Work Wellness Webinar: Tuning in to You: Enhancing Mental Wellness Literacy When: May 2 nd , 2024 Time: 11:00 a.m. Register In partnership with Sunshine Silver Lining, join Blue Cross VT fo
Read more

Are you Balanced??

-
Image
Have you ever wondered if you need to improve your balance? There are a variety of simple tests you can do to see how you measure up to National Standards! For the Stork Balance Test: Remove your shoes and place the hands on the hips, then position the non-supporting foot against the inside knee of the supporting leg. Take one minute to practice. Raise your heel to balance on the ball of your foot. The stopwatch is started as the heel is raised from the floor. The stopwatch is stopped if any of the follow occur: the hands come off the hips the supporting foot swivels or moves (hops) in any direction the non-supporting foot loses contact with the knee. the heel of the supporting foot touches the floor. For the Balance Beam Test:  You will have 30 seconds to walk the entire length of the beam/curb (approximately 4 inches wide and 20 feet long) and back. Start at one end, step up onto the beam, walk the length to the other end, make a 180 degree turn and return back to
Read more