This is when the pressure of the blood in your arteries is greater than 140mmHg systolic (top number) or more than 90mmHg diastolic (bottom number) over a period of time. It usually shows no symptoms, but if left untreated, can leat to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney disease.
Reducing Blood Pressure
It's our friends diet and exercise again, but here's some more help:
cut down on salt and fat (especially saturated fats)
eat lots of fruit and vegetables
keep alcohol limits to no more than 4 units a day (for men) or 3 units (for women)
make sure you are within your BMI
be active
Smoking
Smoking alone doesn't cause hypertension, but it does damage your arteries and therefore increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke (as well as other problems, such as lung cancer - which is terminal in 90% of patients).
Medication
Tablets can help to lower blood pressure and thus help reduce the risks for heart attacks and strokes. You are aiming to lower your BP to less than 140/85. If you are diabetic, this is set even lower, at 130/80. Try to take the medication at the same time each day, so that they become part of your routine. It is a long-term treatment, so do not stop taking them unless your GP advises you to do so, and ensure that your BP is checked regularly (ideally, monthly). If you believe you are suffering from side effects, let your GP know, as there are different types of BP tablet and they can therefore be changed.
This information was taken from the Blood Pressure Association in London, published 2005.
Tuesday 31 May 2011
About Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy fat that gets into the blood, and is known as a lipid. Your liver produces most of the cholesterol your body needs, but it also comes from fatty foods like butter, cheese and animal fats.
The body needs cholesterol for a multiple of functions, including making hormones. Your body produces two types of cholesterol:
"BAD"
The proper name for this is LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) - if there is too much of this, it will stick to your arteries. When this happens, the blood cannot flow through properly and less will get through to your brain and other vital organs. This leads to heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and other signs of heart disease.
"GOOD"
The proper name for this is HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) - this flows through the blood and tries to mop up excess LDLs. What it doesn't mop up is what sticks to your arteries, so the object is to limit your LDLs and encourage more HDL.
Naturally a blood test can determine your levels (measure in millimoles per litre, or, mmol/l). You can get them done in some pharmacies, but one done through your GP will be more thorough.
The British Heart Foundation recommends a target of 5mmol/l or less, and keeping your LDL level under 3mmol/l. HDL should be more than 1mmol/l. So:
Below 5.0mmol/l = Target (for most people)
5.0 - 6.4mmol/l = Mildly high
6.5 - 7.8mmol/l = Moderately high
7.9mmol/l or more = Very high
Other negative factors to that may raise your risk level:
Weight
Smoking
Stress
Genetics
Exercise
Hypertension
Diabetes
What Can You Do?
Diet and exercise, obviously, as they can help to lower cholesterol. You already know the bad guys - butter, red meat, pastry, cakes, biscuits, sweets, crisps, cream, ghee, full-fat cheese, lard, suet, dripping, coconut cream, palm oil, chips, etc.
Some food manufacturers now make foods that help to lower your LDL. But you could also avoid fried foods, trim the skin and visible fat from meat, drink alternatives to full-fat milk, choose low-fat foods where possible (but check the ingredients), choose foods high in fibre (like oatmeal, wheatmeal and wholegrains) - when choosing cereals, pasta or bread, choose oily fish (like tuna, herring, kippers, mackerel, pilchards, salmon, sardines, trout) twice a week. Try to eat at least 2 servings or fruit and 3 of vegetables daily.
Think about cooking differently, and consider grilling, microwaving, steaming or boiling before frying. If you need to fry something, try using non-stick as much as possible. try not to use fry sprays on these as they burn at a lower heat - but you can buy a spray bottle and fill that with unsaturated oils (such as olive oil).
As far as exercise, try to increase what you are doing, and aim for at least 30 minutes a day. This can be broken up into manageable chunks. Maybe walk a bit more, cycle, walk for one bus stop, get off the lift one floor earlier, etc.
It is important to say that if you are unfit to start with, to gradually build the exercise up - anything is better than nothing. Too vigorously or too much can be dangerous. All responsible people will tell you to seek advice from your GP first, and I'm not going to say any different.
If your GP thinks you are at high risk of heart disease, they will put you on medication called statins (although you should still watch your diet).
The body needs cholesterol for a multiple of functions, including making hormones. Your body produces two types of cholesterol:
"BAD"
The proper name for this is LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) - if there is too much of this, it will stick to your arteries. When this happens, the blood cannot flow through properly and less will get through to your brain and other vital organs. This leads to heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and other signs of heart disease.
"GOOD"
The proper name for this is HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) - this flows through the blood and tries to mop up excess LDLs. What it doesn't mop up is what sticks to your arteries, so the object is to limit your LDLs and encourage more HDL.
Naturally a blood test can determine your levels (measure in millimoles per litre, or, mmol/l). You can get them done in some pharmacies, but one done through your GP will be more thorough.
The British Heart Foundation recommends a target of 5mmol/l or less, and keeping your LDL level under 3mmol/l. HDL should be more than 1mmol/l. So:
Below 5.0mmol/l = Target (for most people)
5.0 - 6.4mmol/l = Mildly high
6.5 - 7.8mmol/l = Moderately high
7.9mmol/l or more = Very high
Other negative factors to that may raise your risk level:
Weight
Smoking
Stress
Genetics
Exercise
Hypertension
Diabetes
What Can You Do?
Diet and exercise, obviously, as they can help to lower cholesterol. You already know the bad guys - butter, red meat, pastry, cakes, biscuits, sweets, crisps, cream, ghee, full-fat cheese, lard, suet, dripping, coconut cream, palm oil, chips, etc.
Some food manufacturers now make foods that help to lower your LDL. But you could also avoid fried foods, trim the skin and visible fat from meat, drink alternatives to full-fat milk, choose low-fat foods where possible (but check the ingredients), choose foods high in fibre (like oatmeal, wheatmeal and wholegrains) - when choosing cereals, pasta or bread, choose oily fish (like tuna, herring, kippers, mackerel, pilchards, salmon, sardines, trout) twice a week. Try to eat at least 2 servings or fruit and 3 of vegetables daily.
Think about cooking differently, and consider grilling, microwaving, steaming or boiling before frying. If you need to fry something, try using non-stick as much as possible. try not to use fry sprays on these as they burn at a lower heat - but you can buy a spray bottle and fill that with unsaturated oils (such as olive oil).
As far as exercise, try to increase what you are doing, and aim for at least 30 minutes a day. This can be broken up into manageable chunks. Maybe walk a bit more, cycle, walk for one bus stop, get off the lift one floor earlier, etc.
It is important to say that if you are unfit to start with, to gradually build the exercise up - anything is better than nothing. Too vigorously or too much can be dangerous. All responsible people will tell you to seek advice from your GP first, and I'm not going to say any different.
If your GP thinks you are at high risk of heart disease, they will put you on medication called statins (although you should still watch your diet).
Life Health Calendar
| LIFE CALENDAR | |||
| TEST | SCREENING FOR | START AGE | FREQUENCY |
| Dental Check-up | Cavitites and Gum Inflamation | 1 | Each 6 months |
| Eye Exam | Vision | 5 | Annually |
| Vitamin D | Deficiency | 18 | Bi-Annual |
| Blood Pressure | Hypertension | 18 | Annually |
| Clinical Skin Screening | Skin Cancer | 20 | Annually |
| Blood Lipids | Cholesterol and Triglycerides | 20 | Every 5 years |
| Fasting Glucose | Diabetes | 20 | Every 3 years |
| Clinical Breast Exam | Breast Cancer | 20 | Annually |
| PAP Smear | Cervical Cancer | 21 | Annually |
| HPV | Human Papillomavirus | 30 | Every 3 years |
| TSH (Blood Test) | Thyroid Disease | 35 | Every 5 years |
| C-Reactive Protein | Heart Disease | 40 | Every 5 years |
| Mammogram | Breast Cancer | 40 | Annually |
| EKG | Heart Disease | 40 | Annually |
| Colonoscopy | Colo-Rectal Cancer | 50 | Every 5 years |
| PSA (Blood Test) | Prostate Cancer | 50 | Annually |
| Digital Rectal Exam | Prostate Cancer | 50 | Annually |
| Dexa Scan | Bone Density | 50 | Bi-Annual |
| Vitamin B12 | Deficiency | 65 | Every 3 years |
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