Did you know that nearly half of adults (about 120 million people) in the United States have high blood pressure, which is also ominously known as the “silent killer?”
Dr. Scott Lafferty and our team at Lafferty Family Care are keenly aware of the alarming numbers surrounding high blood pressure, as well as the serious complications that stem from this condition, including heart attack and stroke.
While heart health is something we feel you should focus on every month of the year, since May is High Blood Pressure Education Month, we’re focusing on the best ways to keep your blood pressure within healthy ranges.
Every time you come to our office, or any medical office, one of the first things we do is take your blood pressure. This measurement provides us with two numbers — the systolic pressure, which is the pressure of your blood on the walls of your arteries during a heartbeat, and the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure in between heartbeats.
While we log your numbers into your records, you can take note of them, too, and understand their significance. For starters, familiarize yourself with healthy blood pressure, which is less than 120 over less than 80. For a complete chart of blood pressure numbers, click here.
One of the most effective ways to lower or prevent high blood pressure is through exercise. So, if there’s one step you take to manage your blood pressure, make it a literal one and get moving. Whether you add a daily 30-minute walk or join a yoga class, any exercise is great for your cardiovascular health.
Your diet plays a big role in your cardiovascular health, and you want to avoid having plaque buildup in your blood vessels, as well as system-wide inflammation. The key culprits behind these issues include sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods with unhealthy fats.
So, one meal at a time, find ways to replace these foods with healthier fare. Ultimately, we want your diet to favor fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, whole grains, lean proteins, and nuts and seeds.
The two steps we just mentioned — exercise and diet — will go a long way toward weight loss. If you’re carrying extra pounds, this can contribute to high blood pressure.
We understand that weight loss is easier said than done, but we have new weight loss tools that are helping people who struggled with weight for years to finally shed the pounds. And we can do the same for you.
Anxiety levels are on the rise in the US, which is leading to a lot of stress. And stress is a big contributor to cardiovascular disease. So, find ways to remove stress from your life, such as spending time with friends, meditating, listening to music, and turning off the news.
Drinking too much alcohol can contribute to high blood pressure, so watch how much you drink. Keep it down to one drink per day or, better yet, think about cutting out booze entirely.
This last point is incredibly important — if you smoke, vape, or chew tobacco, you’re on a fast track to poor heart health. So, if you’re a tobacco and/or nicotine user, make this the year you quit. And we’re happy to help you in this important endeavor.
In fact, we can help you on most every front when it comes to lowering and managing your blood pressure. To learn more, simply contact our office in Rogers, Arkansas, to schedule an appointment today.
