You've been to the doctor dozens of times and sat through the inflatable arm cuff test for high blood pressure. The nurse rattles off some numbers, but what do they mean? The magic "good news" number is 115/75, but not all of us are so blessed. As we age, our artery walls are bound to be a little narrower and the heart may have to work slightly harder. We work long hours, we get stressed out and we may not have enough time to eat properly or exercise as much. We may be drinkers and smokers, or we may have put on a few pounds over the years. Regardless of how our lifestyle has changed, we can always turn things around before it's too late!
Over at the Harvard School of Medicine, researchers have developed a dietary program known as "DASH," an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet includes: 8 grain servings, 5 vegetable servings, 2-3 low fat dairy servings, 1-2 servings of meat, poultry or fish and 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds or beans. Saturated fats and sugars should be limited and serving sizes generally run ½ cup cooked, 1 cup raw or 2 tbsp nuts and seeds. Exercise is crucial! Within just two weeks, the diet already began having an effect on Dr. Gabe Mirkin's patients, with 70% returning to normal blood pressure levels. He says that increasing minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium had a strong impact, as did limiting fat and sodium. The diet triggers a diuretic effect, much like certain medications that work to "flush the system."
For some people, the thought of monitoring their diet may seem like an overwhelming obsession. How do you know if you're doing the right thing to lower high blood pressure or making the right choices to maintain heart health? Generally, most people need a little help getting started. Some people may try a free website like sparkspeople.com, where you enter everything you eat each day and receive a report tallying up your fat, calories, protein and nutrients, in relation to your weight loss or heart health goals. Or others may spend a little money on a dietician who can offer guided meal plans tailored individually to their needs. Many books have been written on the subject as well. After looking around a little, you'll find something that is enjoyable, you feel comfortable with and that works. Once you get into a routine, you won't even think about it anymore. Suddenly, your cardiovascular health will improve and your life will seem so much more manageable.
In addition to smoking, hypertension and high cholesterol, inactivity is one of the four major contributors to coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and poor cardiovascular health. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing high blood pressure and 55% greater risk of developing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 4 days per week. A 2002 study of overweight individuals found that strenuous activity, for example, jogging 20 miles/week, was needed to increase HDL (good cholesterol) but even walking or jogging 12 miles/week was enough to lower LDL (bad cholesterol). The best exercises for heart health include: walking, jogging, jumping rope, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, rowing, low-impact aerobics and water aerobics.
As we become older there are essential numbers that start to weigh to a great extent upon us. We have to worry about our blood pressure, weight and our cholesterol level. Things we may have ignored our entire lives now all of a sudden have great importance. However these are things that should not have been ignored. A lifetime of misuse on the body yields merely damaging things when left unchecked.
Your cholesterol level is absolutely crucial if you wish to remain healthy and your body functioning properly. High levels has the ability to lead lead to heart attacks as well as stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to deal with. Being concerned in regards to your cholesterol level is not just for the elderly. It is something both young and older people need to worry as well as be aware of if they hope to to lead a healthy lifestyle. In this article we will cover the fundamental principles of cholesterol and hopefully you will understand how key a healthy level is to your body as well as peace of mind.
What is bad cholesterol?
LDL cholesterol is bad. All cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins but the low-density lipoproteins moves in the blood stream and allows the cholesterol to begin to accumulate. If there is too much LDL then the cholesterol begins building up on the walls of the arteries. It begins to form plaque which makes the arteries hard and not as flexible. When clots form and block the artery a heart attack or stroke can occur.
How can you prevent high cholesterol?
You can help take steps against having too much LDL cholesterol in your body by exercising, not smoking and eating right. These three things are the primary reasons why people have excessive LDL. Yes, some of your cholesterol levels have to do with family history but doctors have proven time and time again that a diet rich in fish and Omega-3 along with a healthy weight will reduce the overall LDL numbers. The body needs to have plenty of exercise as well.
How is the blockage from the arteries removed?
The first stage is through medicines but if there is a critical contracting or blockage in the artery or blood vessel then a somewhat more aggressive operation is essential. The actual processes may change but one popular method is through a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is inserted into the artery and navigated to the obstruction where the build up of plaque has occurred. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the operation is minimally invasive and most patients are capable of going home on that very day.
How do I know what my cholesterol is?
Well in order to know what your cholesterol is you should have a blood cholesterol testing performed at least every five years. The most recommended test is a fasting lipoprotein blood profile. This test measures not only your total cholesterol but it also specifies the LDL and the HDL levels. It is a great idea to be knowledgeable about where your numbers are and to ensure that they are in the proper healthy range.
To discover more click here Lower Cholesterol with more helpful material at High Cholesterol and Normal Cholesterol Levels
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