High blood pressure is a common problem
One of the most common chronic health problems is high blood pressure or hypertension. 47% of adults in the United States have high blood pressure. Hypertension is called the silent killer because many people are unaware that they have hypertension. Once people are aware of their blood pressure, they need to be informed on how to control it. Controlling your blood pressure is essential to prevent life altering complications. In this article, we will be using the term high blood pressure for clarification. Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure.
I discovered how important this was in my own life. 1 out of 2 people have high blood pressure. I was 1 of those 2.
I went for a preemployment physical and they checked my blood pressure. It was 180/110. I was shocked. I was not having any symptoms, didn’t feel bad or anything. I was sleeping well and walking for exercise. That was an eye opener for me. Even though I was doing the right things, my blood pressure was high. The main point is, I did not feel any different. That is why I stress to check your blood pressure. Don’t go by how you feel.
What exactly is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of the blood flowing through the arteries. This force is measured with two numbers. The first number is called the systolic. It is the force of the blood flow when the heart contracts or beats. The second number is the diastolic which is the force of the blood flow when the heart is relaxed.
Check your blood pressure regularly at home
Checking your blood pressure regularly at home will help you stay on top of the problem. Like I experienced, you can have high blood pressure and be unaware of it.
Here’s how you can get started.
- Get a reliable blood pressure cuff – one that you use on your arm.
- Make sure the cuff is large enough to fit around your arm. A too small cuff will give false high readings and too large of a cuff can give false low readings
- Do not put the cuff over clothing – take your arm out of the sleeve. Don’t push the sleeve up. That can cause false high readings. (the above image is the incorrect way to check the blood pressure.)
- Don’t smoke 30 minutes before checking
- Have both feet flat on the ground – do not cross your legs or ankles
- Check you blood pressure after taking your medicines.
- Support your arm on table or other stable surface
- Sit quietly for a few minutes before checking your pressure
What is the best type of blood pressure cuff to use?
In my practice, the arm cuff is recommended. The readings are consistent. A lot of patients prefer the wrist cuff but there are so many variables that the readings are not consistent or reliable. The arm cuff does give a digital reading at the push of a button.
Experts say that wrist cuff readings are generally higher than upper arm readings because of the vessels in the wrist are smaller.
Writing the number down will help with tracking
I’ve seen Midlife people who are unaware of their blood pressure readings. Our goal is to prevent complications from high blood pressure. Don’t try to rely on your memory for your past readings.
Here’s how you can get started with checking your blood pressure. You should take your blood pressure after taking medication.
We have a blood pressure log for you to record reading, date and time. This log can be on your phone, so it will be available at any time. This is useful to compare home readings with office readings. Another option is to write your readings on a calendar. That keeps your readings organized. You are able to see how your readings are trending.
Here is how you can control your blood pressure
Most people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive. The first step is to limit use of salt in the diet. Increased salt in diet can raise blood pressure. The recommended amount is no more that 2000 mg a day.
Here’s how you can get started with lowering salt in your diet by limiting highly processed foods. Those are usually packaged meals. They contain large amount of salt as preservative and flavor enhancer.
When grocery shopping, stick to shopping the perimeter of the store. That’s where the fresh and the less processed food is kept.
Read ingredient labels – salt = sodium
Beware of home remedies using baking soda. Sodium is the major ingredient.
Restaurant meals may contain large amounts of sodium in foods and sauces. Focus on steamed, baked, grilled, poached or roasted foods
Summary
- Do check your blood pressure regularly at home
- Use the right size blood pressure cuff
- Be relaxed but sit straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor
- Write the number down
- Limit use of salt in diet
These steps will help you to have increased awareness of your blood pressure and Improve your overall health.
Sign up below to get your refillable blood pressure log.
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