Pampering Plus Inc. Blog
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month
Reduce the Health Risks of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can have a huge impact on a person’s life. Last year, more than half a million deaths in the United States had hypertension as a primary or contributing cause. According to the CDC, nearly half of adults in the United States (116 million) have hypertension or are taking medication for hypertension. Only about 1 in 4 adults (24%) with hypertension have their condition under control.
Overall, the incidence of high blood pressure is about the same in men and women. However, there are gender differences between age groups. In people under the age of 45, the incidence of high blood pressure is higher in men whilst in individuals over the age of 65 it is higher in women. There are also race differences; it is more common among African Americans than Caucasians and less likely to occur in Mexican Americans.
High Blood Pressure Can Impact Your Life
High Blood pressure or hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mmHg. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure increases the risk of serious diseases and conditions such as heart disease and stroke. In the US, heart disease is the most common form of death and stroke is the third leading cause. Other risk factors of high blood pressure include congestive heart failure & kidney disease.
Learning to Control Your Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure Education Month encourages people to look at various lifestyle factors which may be contributing to high blood pressure. It is well documented that high levels of sodium (salt) is linked to high blood pressure. In the US, the majority of people consume more than twice the level of recommended sodium intake. Guidelines recommend up to 2,300mg of sodium per day for an adult. Those at higher risk should consume even less (up to 1,500mg of sodium a day).
Higher risk groups include those who have diabetes, kidney disease, existing high blood pressure and African American people. It is also recommended that eating potassium rich foods will help lower blood pressure. Potassium rich foods include fish, green leafy vegetables, bananas, citrus fruits, and potatoes. Lifestyle changes which can help reduce blood pressure, include maintaining a healthy body weight, regular exercise, quitting smoking and following a healthy low sodium diet rich in fruit and vegetables.
Reduce the Health Risks of High Blood Pressure
Pampering Plus Inc. provides high-quality, experienced in-home caregivers for you or your loved ones. Our
home care aides can prepare appropriate, nutritious meals as directed by a physician, nurse or nutritionist. We can also keep you moving with a daily walk in the lovely spring weather. Our staff is happy to discuss your elder’s needs or your own and inform you of our
range of services.
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