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Does your doctor
cuff you at every appointment? That’s
good! Regular checks with a blood pressure cuff are important
for monitoring your health. Here’s why:
If your blood pressure is too high—the top number of
your reading is 120 or higher and the bottom number is
80 or above—you’re at higher risk for several life-threatening
conditions, including heart failure, kidney damage and stroke.
Sometimes called the silent killer because it usually has
no symptoms, high blood pressure, or hypertension, affects
1 in 3 American adults. So get cuffed regularly. And let
these ups and downs help guide you in keeping your blood
pressure in check.
Salt
Try this: Dine out less often,
and stock fewer processed
foods in your pantry. Why?
Because 75 percent of the salt
in most of our diets comes from
processed foods and restaurant
meals.
Stress
Try this: Identify stress
triggers—then work on avoiding
them. That might mean saying
no to an extra responsibility or
trimming down an overbooked
schedule.
Excess weight
Try this: Set a goal to lose as
few as 10 pounds if you’re
overweight. You don’t have to
lose a lot of weight to see a shift
in your blood pressure.
T
he
ups
&
downs
of
blood pressure
What makes blood
pressure go up?
What brings blood
pressure down?
Eating a healthy diet
Try this: Cook up a rainbow of
fruits and vegetables, especially
the deeply colored ones. Serve
them with fiber-rich grains;
low-fat dairy products; fish with
omega-3 fatty acids; or legumes,
nuts and seeds.
Relaxing
Try this: When stress makes
you feel bad, do something
that feels good. Listen to music
or take a long walk—exercise
by itself helps lower blood
pressure, and it also helps
relieve stress.
Taking medications
Try this: If you have trouble
remembering to take your
blood pressure medicines,
use a pill dispenser and set a
timer. Call your doctor about
any bothersome side effects,
and never quit your medications
without your doctor’s OK.
Sources: American Heart Association;
National Institutes of Health
z
z
Talk to a family medicine
provider to help you bring
down your blood pressure.
Call
888-328-6010
or
417-328-6010
.
BLOOD PRESSURE