Simple Ways to Increase Stress

At work we just completed a very stressful stretch of time.  In the Long Term Care industry we are evaluated constantly by a variety of outside agencies regarding our quality of care, documentation, floor practice, etc... Jobs are lost as a result of state surveys, fines are levied, and reputations made or destroyed.  Our annual survey was last week and the stress level went through the ceiling.  This process made me think about all the other thing in life that can cause stress so I thought I would share a few from my life, in hopes that I won't allow them to affect me so greatly the next time I face them.

• Starting a conversation about home finances with your wife, 10 minutes before leaving for work
• Being late to a social engagement
• Paying Bills
• A/R review meetings
• Firing employees
• Presenting to shareholders or owners
• Trying to make everyone happy
• Unannounced visits from your boss
• Announced visits from your boss
• Performance Evaluations
• My Diet
• The growing home repair list
• Kids needs and wants
• Buying gifts for my wife - I want to find the perfect one
• Car repairs
• Being pulled over by the Police
• Subpoenas

This is just a small list of things that cause my blood pressure to go up.  However, I have found that with a plan ahead of time I am able to navigate the issue that causes stress, and minimize the impact.  Stress isn't necessarily bad, it usually is the alarm that tells me I need to get focused and get moving.  It actually is responsible for the success I have in life and at work.  But left uncontrolled it can rob you of living healthy over time.  It is just another battle I am facing, and on worth figuring out how to win.

Reducing Blood Pressure Without Medication

Once again I am seeing the results of living Healthy in a reduction in Blood Pressure. I have just finished my third week of a eating live style change (diet) that is focused on weight loss, and changing my blood chemistry.  As mentioned earlier I have high cholesterol, triglycerides, am pre-diabetic and my blood pressure has crept up beyond acceptable limits.  My goal through a change in my eating habits is to change each of these problem areas and bring them back into control.  In addition I have added mild forms of exercise back into my life.  Walking the dog, hikes in the mountains and along the local rivers.  I have cut way back on alcohol use and after three weeks am seeing the results. 

I take my blood pressure first thing in the morning to keep the time consistent, and also before the stress of the day starts to build.  In three weeks I have seen a drop in 15 points systolic and 10 points diastolic.  I am almost back in the acceptable range in both categories.  This is quicker and beyond what I expected.  I am living proof that eating right and staying active can make a difference.

My goal is to continue with the change in my eating habits indefinitely and to add intensity to my exercise over time.  What I am going for is something that I can sustain the rest of my life and right now working out at the gym 5 days a week is not sustainable, but brisk walks are.  It is worth the changes in diet and lifestyle to know I am becoming healthier day by day.  My 44th birthday is three weeks away.  My plan is that on my 45th birthday I will be 45 pounds lighter, that my blood chemistry will be in line, and that my blood pressure will be controlled naturally.  It is so worth the battle.

Lower Blood Pressure Through Food

Struggling with lowering High Blood Pressure?  The DASH approach might be for you.  DASH is a simple acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  I came across it recently in a Long Term Care Nursing Facility.  This approach has been shown to help prevent, or help reduce, High Blood Pressure.  It is very similar to what is found in the South Beach Diet I am on.  The DASH approach is big on vegetables and fruits, encourages low fat milk and cheeses, watches or limits foods regarding saturated fat and cholesterol, and stresses a reduction in salt and sodium. 

Dash for Health is a Web Site that will create menus and assist you in getting started on this diet.  The creators of the diet claim you will see reductions in your blood pressure in just 14 days.  It is worth taking a look at, if you are looking for natural ways to reduce your blood pressure.

Blood Pressure - What to Do

For years I watched my dad struggle with High Blood Pressure.  Expensive medications, attempts to be physically active, moodiness, where all apart of his life as a result of his elevated Blood Pressure. I remember as a kid vowing to never get it.

Fast forward 30 years.  I am now 43, and have been told by my doctor I have High Blood Pressure. Research would say that those who are over weight or obese, those who are inactive, those who have poor diets, high in salt and cholesterol, are at increased risk for High Blood Pressure.  Experts differ on what is High Blood Pressure.  Some say anything 0ver 120/88, yet others say 140/90.  All I know is that I have it.  So not wanting to go on medications I have been reading on what can reduce Blood Pressure, and while each of us respond differently to these ideas, they are worth trying"

1. Lose that weight - I realized through reading that I fall into the obese range.  My first step to lose weight. Because I also was told I am pre-diabetic my diet needed to consider this as well.  I have landed on the South Beach Diet to get me going.
2. Get Active - Not ready to train for a marathon yet, but I do realize I need to get moving.  I have started to walk and am increasing my pace.  My goal is 30 minutes 5 times a week.  When I get to 200lbs I will go back to running.
3. Limit Alcohol - Everything I read says this can be an issue. A glass of wine each day is ok, but more than that your risking it.
4. Watch the salt and other BP problem foods - Diet is taking care of that one.
5. Monitor your Stress in Life - One reason I take walks is to reduce my stress and get where I can think.  I also have calming music on in my office on most days.
6. Don't completely avoid medications- I would rather take pills than wind up in the hospital.

The reality is the list above is a part of Healthy Living.  I am finding that my Blood Pressure, Weight, Pre-diabetes, and other issues are really the by product of unhealthy choices I have made over the last few years.  Healthy Living is a battle worth fighting.

Effects of Weight Loss on Blood Pressure

Over the last few weeks I have been very interested in finding non pharmaceutical ways to control my blood pressure.  Without to much surprise, weight loss through proper nutrition seems to be the number one thing you can do for yourself.  A 10 pound weight loss is said my some experts to reduce your BP by 8 points.  Eating the right types of food can also have a dramatic impact on your blood pressure.

Most of us resign to the using of medications to control blood pressure because it means we don't have to change our live style.  However, I would rather spend the $50 - $100 a month I would have to pay for medications, on a gym membership, a mountain bike, healthier foods, etc....

This last week I was able to lose 9 pounds following a diet plan. While this is a fast drop in weight my goal is to lose another 45 pounds over the course of this year.  In the first week alone my blood pressure dropped by 5 points systolic and 7 points diastolic.  While that still puts me in the category of Pre-hypertension (Pre-hypertension is 120-139 over 80-89), to me that is significant.  I am not sure if it is a result of the weight or the change in foods.  Next I will be adding a little more exercise, but weight loss does make a difference.  I am proof. For more info on Blood Pressure go to Workings.  They have some great thoughts on this topic.

Picking the South Beach Diet

I have been researching diets for sometime now, looking for one that isn't just hype, but makes sense. There were a number that stated I could lose 20 pounds in 30 days. Others promised I could eat whatever I wanted and lose weight at the same time. I figured that the diet I chose needed to address the health issues that are beginning to creep up on me. Those issues are:

• Obesity - In my research a few weeks back I discovered that my height and weight but my Body Mass Index just into the range of Obesity.
• Diabetes - My last visit to the doctor I was informed that I am pre-diabetic and need to make some changes before I become diabetic.
• Family History of Coronary Heart Disease - May Grandfather died of a Heart Attach, my Dad had open heart surgery.
• High Blood Pressure - My BP has crawled up there and I would love to avoid medication if at all possible. My Dad and Grandfather also had High Blood Pressure.

The South Beach Diet was developed by Cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston. As a result of problems he was seeing with the Heart Healthy Diets, he went to work on something that was simple and addressed the issues he had identified with the growing Obesity issue he was seeing. Through his research he determined that the efficiency in which our bodies break down food into useful energy, makes the difference in wether or not we gain weight and place ourselves at risk for Cardiac Issues, Issues Related to Diabetes, and other problems that affect those who are overweight. At the center of how our bodies breakdown and store food is insulin - the production of, and our bodies acceptance of or resistance to the insulin we produce.

The South Beach Diet appears to be more about changing habits in how we eat and what we eat, then it is about losing weight. It is more about overall health then a fad that everyone is following for a season. The South Beach Diet seems right for me because it addresses some of the specific issues I am facing. I encourage each one who is thinking of dieting to research the diets out there and to chose the one that addresses the medical and genetic issues that you are facing. I don't believe that one diet fits all. I also know that for me to stick with something over a long period of time, it has to make sense to me. I'll keep you posted on how it works for me. Weight will be something that I am expecting to see drop, but I also expect to see my cholesterol and triglycerides come into line, as well as my blood sugars. With those areas being controlled I trust Blood Pressure will be affected in a positive way. My goal is improvement in my overall health and wellness. If that doesn't happen I won't be on the South Beach Diet very long.

Natural Blood Pressure Reduction

In researching ways to reduce blood pressure, stress, and the potential issues that can arise, I have found many articles on mediatation as a way to lower blood pressure, and to cope with the feelings of being overwhelmed. Meditation is simply a way to calm our minds and bodies, to become more intouch with ourselves, to get a handle on the world around us. It is slowing down in a fast paced world. One site that I recently came across was Anxiety 2 Calm, which looks at this idea of meditation. Another program that is being talked about is Breathing Easy. Both take the approach that learning to relax and calm ourselves can be learned, and that rather than having our external enviornment affect us, we can gain control of that enviornment in a positive way. Some of the other writers would state that learning to relax will allow our blood pressure and stress to reduce naturally, and this makes good sense. While all blood pressure is not the result of our external enviornment, reducing your blood pressure and stress in even a small way would be worth learning how to apply these techniques. For other ideas I ran a search on Natural Remedies to Reduce Blood Pressure on Google. There are many ideas regarding natural ways to reduce your blood pressure, but make sure you are trying these techniques while communicating with your doctor what you are attempting to do.

Benefits of Exercise on Health

Thirty years ago I didn't think about needing exercise, or the benefits of being active. As a kid I just was. From the moment the sun came up until it went down I would be out running, swimming, playing basketball, you name it I was doing it. It was apart of my life and routine.

Fast forward 30 years and now it takes a little work to get myself motivated to start moving. I come home from work, a little worn out from the day, looking for dinner and something relaxing to do (usually the TV). The word exercise is equal to the word work. It is something I have to schedule, prepare for, dress for, and sometimes even travel to do. That just doesn't sound like something I want to focus on until I start thinking of how it helps me.

In earlier articles I have written about obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stress. In each of those articles a common theme has emerged, that of exercise. The Mayo Clinic has an excellent list of the benefits of exercise on their web site. A few of these benefits are worth mentioning here.

1. Helps manage stress - as I have exercised I have noticed a marked difference in my ability to handle and deal with stress. Exercise promotes the production of endorphins. Endorphins in your body help create a feeling of relaxation or well being. A short run after a tough day can help relieve some of the pressure you feel and free you from the tension you may be experiencing.
   
2. Helps you control weight - We all know that the right type of exercise, three or more times a week can help you control your weight. And being at a healthy weight comes with all kinds of benefits, not to mention feeling good about yourself. Simply burning more calories, by exercising, then you take in by eating, will result in weight loss.
   
3. Helps you prevent or manage diabetes - Exercise is said to help with the body's sensitivity to insulin. Simply put it allows the body to better use the sugar it is producing by making the cells more receptive to receiving it.
   
4. Helps manage blood pressure - Exercise has the benefit of lowering your overall blood pressure when consistent. This is the result of your entire cardiovascular system, heart, lungs, circulatory system, being strengthened.

There are many more benefits to exercising, and if you want to live a healthy life, it requires that we give our bodies the benefits that come with exercise on a consistent basis.

Foolish Things to Do, Think or Say, if You Have High Blood Pressure

10. Pretend it is controlled and not check it regularly.

9. Don't worry about your weight, its only a few pounds.

8. Enjoy the Salt, after all everything tastes better with Salt.

7. Heart Healthy Diet? Only if it allows all the greasy food my heart desires.

6. Have a drink on me, or three or four.

5. Stretch your pills - take them every other day and save a few $$$.

4. The doctor can wait, I have a beer and some greasy fries waiting.

3. Exercise is for the professional athletes

2. Oh, I'm sure it skips every few generations, right.

1. Blood Pressure is a disease. I better just lay on the couch and watch TV

High Blood Pressure must be taken seriously. Because it usually affects you without symptoms the most important thing you can do is to check your blood pressure on a regular basis. This is the only way you can know if you are suffering from high blood pressure or not. In addition, losing weight, eating smart, exercising, and cutting back on drinking and smoking, might not only prevent you from getting high blood pressure, but could actually reverse it. It is worth taking the extra steps to keep your blood pressure in check.

High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure is known as the silent killer. Many people have this disease, but because there are no apparent signs or symptoms many don't know that left uncontrolled it is leading them towards a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, or even heart failure. The only way to really determine if you have it is to have your blood pressure checked.

In most cases the cause of high blood pressure is unknown, but if you have a family history, are obese or overweight, have a stressful job, like to smoke, or are getting older, your risk gets higher and higher. Many of us can identify with two or more of the items above, increasing your risk. If your blood pressure is 140/90 or less you are ok. Any thing more than that and you have high blood pressure.

So if you have high blood pressure, or want to avoid high blood pressure, what can you do? Some suggestions would be:

• Exercise Regularly
• Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies
• Limit Salt intake
• If overweight lose it
• Don't smoke
• Find ways to relax

The list above makes great sense with or without high blood pressure. I for one want to try and incorporate it into my everyday life. It is worth it, to add a few more years of Healthy Living to my life.