Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where there are abnormal stops (interruptions) in breathing or abnormally low breathing during sleep. Each stop (or pause) in breathing is called an apnea. This apnea can last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes and can occur repeatedly throughout the night.

Sleep apnea results in excessive daytime tiredness, impaired alertness, slower reaction time, vision problems, and behavioral effects (i.e. moodiness, belligerence, decreased attentiveness).

Increased Risk for Sleep Apnea

Here are a few characteristics that put you at increased risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea:

Excess weight – Excess fat deposits around the upper airway can obstruct breathing.

Large neck circumference – A neck circumference above 17 inches is linked to increased risk because the thicker neck may narrow the airway.
Continue reading ‘Treat Sleep Apnea to Reduce Heart Disease Risk’ »

There are times it is normally for the heart to beat harder, such as if you are out hiking and encounter a bear. Your blood pressure will jump so larger levels of oxygenated, nutrient rich blood is sent through your system and you are able to react. All part of the flight or fight response.

When you are diagnosed for high blood pressure your blood pressure is not just high for limited periods of time. It is consistently elevated. This means the heart is constantly working harder than it should.

Here are 7 reasons your heart may be dealing with this increased workload:

1. Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) – This may be caused by cholesterol deposits along arterial walls resulting in plaque buildup. Fibrosis or endothelial dysfunction may also result in narrower arteries. When arteries narrow the heart has to pump harder (exert more force) to move blood throughout the system.

Continue reading ‘What May Cause High Blood Pressure?’ »

When you think about water and blood pressure the link between dehydration and low blood pressure probably comes to mind. Dehydration is a potential cause of low blood pressure due to resulting decreased blood volume leading to reduced pressure against artery walls.

However, did you know not drinking enough water can lead to high blood pressure?

When you do not drink adequate water the body will compensate by retaining sodium. That should be a red flag. Sodium is directly related to high blood pressure.

While this sodium retention takes place, the persistent dehydration will lead the body to gradually ‘close’ some of the capillary beds. This leads to increased pressure places on arteries and a rise in blood pressure.

Here are three steps you can take to prevent high blood pressure that is caused by dehydration.

Continue reading ‘High Blood Pressure and Dehydration’ »

If you have high blood pressure you need to exercise wisely.

Weight Training & High Blood Pressure

You want to use caution when lifting weights. There is potential for weight lifting to cause a drastic rise in blood pressure. However, there are many benefits linked to strength training, including a lower blood pressure.

I’ll refer you to this article to learn more:

How does strength training affect blood pressure?

Stay Safe

Continue reading ‘Exercise Safety with High Blood Pressure’ »

If your blood pressure stays consistently elevated you may be diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure). High blood pressure is known as the ‘silent killer’ because you may have high blood pressure and not even know it. Usually there are no symptoms. That is why it’s some important you monitor your blood pressure on a fairly regular basis.

If you do not take steps to control high blood pressure you risk long term consequences that can be fatal.

How does high blood pressure impact your body?

Let me give you a brief idea of what’s going on within your body when your blood pressure is elevated.

Continue reading ‘High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease’ »

A large French study examining 7087 participants over the age of 65 years-old with 16% of the study participants living with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is defined as have three of the following risk factors – high blood pressure, excess belly fat, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and/or high blood sugar. Participants with metabolic syndrome were 20% more likely to have cognitive decline.

Continue reading ‘High Blood Pressure Linked to Memory Problems’ »

Arteries are made of muscle and tissues that allow them to be elastic and stretch. As blood pressure rises arteries are required to expand further to accommodate blood flow. High blood pressure leads to many health complications, including damage to blood vessels, the heart, and kidneys. If not treated, high blood pressure may contribute to a heart attack and death.

Continue reading ‘Why is high blood pressure dangerous?’ »

Blood pressure measures the force pushing against your artery walls when your heart beats and when it rests. The systolic pressure (top number) measures the pressure against your artery walls when your heart beats (contracts) and pushes blood throughout circulation. The diastolic pressure (bottom number) is the pressure against your artery walls when your heart relaxes (in between beats). High blood pressure is diagnosed when the pressure against artery walls is higher than normal. Another term for high blood pressure is hypertension.

4 Blood Pressure Categories

Continue reading ‘What is high blood pressure?’ »

With high blood pressure it’s important you follow a diet low in sodium and low in fat (particularly saturated and trans fat).

Here are 7 foods to avoid:

1. Pickles

Pickles are low calorie, which is great. However, they are loaded with sodium. One medium pickle (~5 inches long) can have around 570 mg of sodium. That’s over 1/3 of your sodium limit (1500 mg) for the day.

2. Canned Chicken Noodle Soup

I know, the thought of chicken noodle soup sounds warm and comforting . . . but beware! A one cup serving can contain up to 880 mg.

3. Sauerkraut

It’s a low calorie and a great way to add vegetables to a bratwurst, right? Nope. A half cup may only have ~13 calories, but it also provides you over 460 mg of sodium.

4. Fast Food French Fries

Yes, many fast food chains are now frying their fries up in trans fat free oil (but not all!); French fries still provide a large dose of fat and sodium. A medium serving of fries provides ~19 grams of fat and 270 mg of sodium.

5. Bacon

I don’t really count this as a meat. It’s mostly fat with three slices carrying 4.5 grams of fat and ~270 mg of sodium. Opt for lower sodium varieties and try turkey bacon instead of pork. Even with these switches bacon should remain a “special treat” not an everyday indulgence.

6. Whole Milk

Dairy is a great source of calcium, but high fat dairy sources provide more fat than you need. A one cup serving of whole milk provides 8 grams of fat, 5 of which are saturated.

7. Frozen pot pies

A single pot pie equals a serving of ~1300-1400 mg of sodium PLUS ~35 g of fat. The fat includes trans fat which you want to eliminate from your diet completely and an unhealthy dose of saturated fat. Clear out your freezer.

Be sure to sign up for the free e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure at http://lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
http://lisanelsonrd.com

As you work to lower high blood pressure, it’s important to limit the sodium in your diet. Current recommendations are to limit your sodium intake to 2300 mg per day or less. The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines will be released this year and it looks like sodium recommendations are going to be reduced even further to 1500 mg per day for all Americans (not just those with high blood pressure!).

Many studies repeatedly find significant decreases in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure with a reduction in sodium intake.

Surprising sodium sources

Continue reading ‘Lower High Blood Pressure – 5 Surprising Sodium Sources’ »