But it is National Blood Pressure Awareness Month, so I thought I'd reach out to let everyone know how important it is to monitor your blood pressure and to take ACTION if you have a problem.
First, a little background.....High blood pressure affects 1 in 3 adults in the US. One out of every three! Of course, those numbers are for all adults. For adults over the age of fifty, over half have high blood pressure! Yikes!
High blood pressure is an especially dangerous condition because you can have it and yet be completely unaware of it! But that doesn’t stop it from having very real consequences.
Blood pressure is a measurement of the amount of force your blood exerts on the walls of your blood vessels as it flows through them. Too much force and those walls can fail, just like the pipes in your house. High blood pressure forces your heart to work overtime to pump blood through your veins. It also greatly increases your risks for heart disease and strokes.
In 2010, it is estimated that blood pressure was a direct or contributing factor in over 360,000 American deaths. That is 1,000 deaths per day.
Okay doc, I’m convinced! High blood pressure sounds pretty bad! What can I do about it?
The first step is prevention. When is the last time you, or your close friends and family members, had a blood pressure screening? If it has been a while, don’t wait! In addition to your doctor’s office, most pharmacies now offer free blood pressure screenings.
Blood pressure is measured by two numbers, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure, the top number, is the force exerted when your heart beats and pumps blood out. Diastolic pressure (the bottom number) is the force exerted between heartbeats, when the heart is relaxed.
Generally speaking, systolic blood pressure of less than 120 and diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 is considered normal. If your systolic blood pressure is between 120 and 139 and your diastolic pressure is between 80 and 89, you have pre-hypertension. If your blood pressure exceeds those numbers, you have hypertension, or high blood pressure. If you blood pressure is within pre-hypertension or hypertension levels, you should definitely see a doctor.
If you do have high blood pressure, don’t panic! There are steps you can take to reduce it. First of all, talk to your doctor! He or she may want to prescribe medication to help reduce your blood pressure. It is important to take this medication regularly as instructed.
Here are some other tips to reduce your blood pressure:
- If you smoke, quit! If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
- Reduce the sodium in your diet. Sodium raises blood pressure.
- Reduce your body weight.
- Exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes per day.
- Eat healthy! Make sure you get lots of fruits and vegetables and avoid saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and, of course, sodium.
- Limit your alcohol intake. No more than one drink per day for women and two per day for men.
- Keep checking your blood pressure regularly!
Remember, you don’t have to go it alone! I find that patients who have support for their exercise and dieting routines are almost always more successful. Find a friend or family member who is also working on their low blood pressure. Take regular walks together. Plan low sodium meals together. Ask each other when the last time you checked your blood pressure was! With the right care, you’ll start to see those numbers come down.
For more information on high blood pressure, check out the CDC’s article on National High Blood Pressure Education Month.
In honor of National High Blood Pressure Education Month, Active Medical & Chiropractic is offering a free blood pressure screening along with fifteen minutes on our hydromassage table. No appointment is necessary. Just mention this blog post when you arrive. We are conveniently located at 4111 Atlantic Boulevard here in Jacksonville, Florida across the street from the world Famous Beach Road Chicken Dinner Restaurant.
Come in and see us today!
Yours in health,
Christopher B. Renne, D.C.
Chiropractic Physician
No comments:
Post a Comment