Maybe you can cut back on sodium a little bit.

More from MayoClinic.com about sodium.

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These are seven things you CAN control to reduce your risk for developing heart disease. The Simple 7 is brought to you by the American Heart Association.

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Source: CDC: Americans Consume Too Much Sodium (Salt)

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“Our findings suggest that reducing sugar-sweetened beverages and sugar consumption may be an important dietary strategy to lower blood pressure and further reduce other blood pressure-related diseases.”

— Liwei Chen, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Public Health

[Source: Science Daily: Drinking Fewer Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Lower Blood Pressure].

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High blood pressure is a big deal.  You need to keep track of it and lower it if it’s an issue.  If it’s not, you need to prevent it.  Reducing sodium intake is one way.  Just wanted to remind you. 

Quote via American Heart Association.

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“Lifestyle changes can help you control and prevent high blood pressure – even if you’re taking blood pressure medication.”

– via Mayoclinic.com

I know I’ve talked about this before about a thousand times, but it’s still important.  You can do something about high blood pressure.   You can start right here and right now (don’t have high BP?  Send this to those you know with high BP):

1.  Eat healthier foods.  Try the DASH eating plan.

2.  Decrease salt intake.  Here’s a thought… vegetables (and everything else) don’t need tons of salt and butter to taste good. 

3.  Maintain a healthy weight.

4.  Physical activity.  More of it.  Find something you enjoy doing.

5.  Manage stress in your life.  I don’t know how you want to do this one, but you’ve gotta do it.  Read a book, put cucumbers on your eyes and relax, deep breathing, etc.

These tips and more found at Mayoclinic.com Lifestyle and Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure.

Pass this on. 

High blood pressure or not, we could all probably do better with these things. 

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The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked.

Research shows that lowering blood pressure by just 2 mm Hg reduces deaths from stroke by 6% and heart disease by 4%. Lowering high blood pressure also can reduce the progression of dementia and cognitive impairment, which are more common in people with high blood pressure.¹

Here are some things you can do to prevent/reduce high blood pressure:

“Effective prevention strategies include lifestyle changes.”²

–Get Regular Physical Activity

–Acheive Modest Weight Loss (for overweight or obese)

–Manage Stress

–Quit Smoking

–Reduce Sodium and Alcohol Consumption

Living a healthier lifestyle will help prevent high blood pressure and other chronic diseases.  

Get your blood pressure checked.  It’s a good thing to know.  

More info from the American Heart Association here.  

1. William D. McArdle et al., Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance, 6th ed (Baltimore: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2007): 326.
2. Ibid., 327.

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Tim Russert passed away last Friday because plaque from a clogged artery ruptured, traveled to his heart and blocked it. He was only 58. According to his doctor, Russert had heart disease, diabetes, and was overweight.¹

I never watched Tim Russert’s show “Meet The Press” and I don’t assume or pretend to know how or if he took care of himself. It is just still sad to me when I hear of yet another person dying from something that could have possibly been avoided by the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits.

Again, I don’t know much about Tim Russert, but what I have seen is that he was loved and respected by many people. It seems he will be missed greatly. Hopefully his death will serve as a reminder that no one is immune from the jaws of heart disease. Hopefully his death will also remind us that there are many things we can do to keep chronic diseases at bay.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the US each year. That is 29% of all US deaths. Go here to read more about heart disease from the CDC.

Even though no outward signs of heart disease (or any other chronic condition) are yet evident, don’t assume that an unhealthy lifestyle isn’t hurting your body. Usually we don’t know something is wrong until something serious happens. I understand that most Americans, like Tim Russert, are very busy with their jobs, families, and other activities. What we need to remember is that if we don’t take the time to take care of ourselves, we might not be around very long to enjoy the activities and people we love.

By addressing certain risk factors we can reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Here are some risk factors for heart disease that we can control:²

Physical Inactivity – By being active you can help control other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and even diabetes.

Obesity- Excess body fat can impact blood pressure, cholesterol levels and diabetes.

Unhealthy Diet – Diets high in saturated fats and cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis. Diets high in sodium can lead to high blood pressure.

High blood pressure – Sometimes no symptoms are seen with raising blood pressure. It can be lowered by exercise, better diet, and sometimes medication.

Cholesterol levels – HDL, or “good cholesterol,” can help prevent heart disease. LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, can lead to heart disease. Improve HDL levels by exercising regularly.

Tobacco Use – Cigarette smoking promotes atherosclerosis. Nicotine raises blood pressure and carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen that blood can carry. Even other people’s smoke can increase the risk of heart disease for nonsmokers.

Alcohol Use – Excessive alcohol use leads to increased blood pressure and can lead to atherosclerosis.

All of us can do a little more to reduce our risk of heart disease. We can’t ever be immune to heart disease, but we can do a lot to reduce our risk of ever getting it. Decide to make the changes today or tomorrow might not come.

1. From ABC News website here.
2. From CDC website here

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Normal blood pressure should be around 120/80. High blood pressure (140/90 or higher) can be very dangerous. It can lead to damaged arteries, which in turn can lead to a heart attack or other heart problems. For example, when your heart is doing more work to get enough blood to the body it becomes stronger and thicker. This increase in heart size can create problems because the thicker heart muscle can’t pump enough blood. High blood pressure can also lead to blocked arteries in the brain which can cause a stroke.

High blood pressure is also likely to be accompanied by other dangerous health issues. Some of these include inactivity, obesity, increased insulin levels, increased bad cholesterol and decreased good cholesterol. All of these can lead to heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Research shows that lowering blood pressure by just 2 mm Hg reduces deaths from stroke by 6% and heart disease by 4%. Lowering high blood pressure also can reduce the progression of dementia and cognitive impairment, which are more common in people with high blood pressure.²

Although some risk factors for high blood pressure such as age, race and family history can’t be controlled, there are many things you can do to control and prevent high blood pressure:

1. Weight control. When your body has more mass it has more tissues that need to be fed oxygen via the blood. Losing a few pounds through a healthy diet and exercise can really help decrease high blood pressure.

2. Get moving. Being more active will not only help you control your weight, but it will also help you feel better. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. Go for more if you can! When we are more fit, our heart rate at rest is lower and our heart doesn’t have to work as hard to get enough blood to our bodies.

3. Watch the salt. A high amount of sodium can increase fluid retention and increase blood pressure. Aim for about 2300 mg of sodium if you are healthy and no more than 1500 mg if you may have high blood pressure.

4. Don’t smoke.

5. Consume alcohol in moderation, if at all.

6. Stress can be a cause for high blood pressure. If you respond to stress by eating more or drinking alcohol or smoking you may be doing more damage. Try different relaxation techniques to avoid stress -one of which may be getting outside and exercising.

If your blood pressure can’t be controlled with these suggestions, talk to your doctor about other treatment options. Do what you can to improve your blood pressure without medication if possible.

Here is the bottom line: If you don’t know what your blood pressure is you should get it checked. If you do know, do what you can to control it, lower it, and/or keep it at a healthy level.

1. from mayoclinic.com – introduction to high blood pressure.
2. William D. McArdle et al., Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance, 6th ed (Baltimore: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2007): 326.

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