Lower Blood PressureYou Don’t Need Free Time to Move Enough for Your Heart
You know you should get 30 minutes of activity most days. Your doctor has said it, I’ve said it, and the American Heart Association says it. And then Tuesday happens. Work runs late, your mom needs a ride to her appointment, dinner has to get on the table, and by 8 p.m. the only walking you’re doing is to the couch.
That isn’t a willpower problem. A workout has to come out of free time, and plenty of adults don’t have much of it. The good news is your blood vessels don’t care whether the movement happens in a gym. I’ll walk you through what the research shows about short bursts of movement and less sitting for blood pressure, plus 12 ways to fit them into the day you already have.
Continue readingLower Cholesterol8 Lifestyle Habits That Actually Lower Blood Pressure and LDL Cholesterol
If you’re trying to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, you’ve probably encountered a long list of advice. Some helpful, some overhyped, and some confusing. Superfoods, detox programs, supplements that promise dramatic results overnight. How do you decide what is actually worth your time and energy?
Continue readingLower Blood Pressure5 Step Plan for Blood Pressure Management
High blood pressure is fairly common, especially with an increase in age. Based on new blood pressure guidelines almost 50% of American adults have high blood pressure. Your blood pressure depends on how much blood your heart is pumping, and the resistance in your arteries which allows the blood to flow. The narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.
High blood pressure puts more strain on your heart because it has to work harder, and can cause damage to your arteries. Risk factors include obesity, smoking, family history, and drinking too much alcohol. In some cases, the cause is unknown. This condition is known as the “silent killer” because there are not usually noticeable symptoms. You may live with high blood pressure for years and not know. Uncontrolled high blood pressure over time can damage your heart, lungs, blood vessels, brain, and kidneys putting you at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Up to age 45, men are more likely to have high blood pressure than women, and by age 65, it’s more common in women.
Here is a 5 Step Plan for Managing Blood Pressure through lifestyle choices:
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. According to the American Heart Association, a healthy BMI between 18.5-24.9 is the goal. Losing just 10 pounds can help reduce or prevent high blood pressure. Your caloric intake to lose weight safely should be discussed with your dietitian and each case should be individualized. Increasing the amount of exercise with the appropriate daily caloric intake can help promote a healthy weight. Weight loss in overweight and obese patients lowers diastolic and systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg.
Keep in mind more weight around the waistline puts you at a greater risk of high blood pressure. In general, men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches and women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches. These numbers can vary and should be monitored.
2. Monitor Blood Pressure at Home
Your blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). A normal blood pressure is around 120/80 mmHg or less. Normal levels can fall below this, yet consistent readings above this can lead to a high blood pressure diagnosis. The top number of the reading is called the systolic and shows the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. The lower number is called the diastolic and it measures the pressure at rest between heartbeats when the heart refills with blood.
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure discuss your personal blood pressure goal with your doctor. Blood pressure readings above 120/80 mm Hg are considered elevated and above 130/80 mmHg is Stage I Hypertension.
By monitoring your blood pressure at home, you will monitor trends more consistently and be able to supplement the readings taken by your doctor for a more accurate picture of your blood pressure.
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Lower Blood PressureIs coffee safe to drink with high blood pressure?
According to the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, most people over the age of 35 consume at least 200 mg of caffeine daily.
Caffeine is like any other drug and comes with side effects.
Potential side effects include:
- Migraine headaches
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Frequent urination or inability to control urination
- Stomach upset
- Fast heartbeat
- Muscle tremors
One 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains 91 mg of caffeine.
Lower Blood PressureBlood pressure benefits of avocado seeds
Avocados provide monounsaturated fats, the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linoleic acid, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, beta-sitosterols, and vitamin E… all of which add up to equal a heart healthy addition to your diet rich in antioxidants to reduce inflammation.
However, all the above refers to the flesh of the avocado. What about the large seed, which most of us tend to scoop out and throw away?
An avocado seed can be consumed by removing the fine layer of brown skin and then grating it or using a coffee bean grinder to grind it into a powder.
This powder can then be added to soups, salads, stews, pasta/rice dishes, smoothies and baked goods.
A viral Facebook video showed how to peel, chop, and pulverize the seed adding fuel to the idea of the avocado seed being a type of “super food”.
There is some argument regarding the positive health benefits of avocado seeds.
Avocado seeds contain protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, flavonoids, and phenols.
Potassium to lower blood pressure
Lower Blood PressureWhat is the best time to take blood pressure medication?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75 million Americans have high blood pressure (32% of Americans).
Antihypertensive medication is a commonly prescribed treatment plan to control high blood pressure. There are many blood pressure medication types and each works in a different way to lower blood pressure.
Approximately 50% of patients do not take their medications as prescribed, which reduces treatment effectiveness. It is important to take your blood pressure medication exactly as it is prescribed.
Over the years, research has investigated the effect of taking blood pressure medication in the morning versus before bed.