Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

Did you know that your blood pressure changes every second? This change depends on what you are doing, thinking, and feeling.  This is one reason to get your blood pressure checked more often than your routine doctor visit.  You may discover that your blood pressure is normal more often during your waking hours, and that high blood pressure occurs only certain times.  These times are often stress related.

One of the best ways to see what stressors cause your blood pressure to be high (or low) is with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. ABPM is simple to do for patients.  Own a blood pressure monitor of your choice be it arm or wrist.  These are quite inexpensive and affordable.  Use it to check your blood pressure three times a day and at times of your choice. 

Record your daily readings for at least a month. Review your recorded readings.  This will show you patterns of your blood pressure.  Certain times of day almost every day or on some days note the times it is abnormal.  For instance, every Monday it is high, and by the weekend it is normal.  Those first days of the week especially during work hours is one of the main times it reveals itself.  Listen to it! You may also find stressful situations like pain, anxiety, and even healthy excitement can lead to high blood pressure. 

As you see the patterns, you become more mindful of what induces hypertension. Often times you may have certain symptoms that correlate.  Find ways to decrease those moments.  For example, many patients get an extra bump up in blood pressure from watching violent video content regardless of the source.  When you wait to see the doctor just getting ready may be a high blood pressure trigger.  

Share your information with your doctor.  Together you may find more normotension than hypertension.  This can be confirmed with a cardiology referral for evaluation and formal ABPM.  Check yourself and get yourself checked.  Best health!  For more information:  MY PATIENT HANDBOOK: hypertension 

Healthy Happens

Hopeless health.  Aching always. Stress distress.  How would you feel if you were portrayed like this day after day?  Do you think you would feel good or better?  Allowing this type of visual, spoken, and audible content into your mind can make you feel less healthy and delay healing.  Scientific study after study has been studied to prove this.  Continued repetition, visualization, and listening to such words brings out unhappiness and increases stress.

To maintain good health you must be thinking, watching, and listening to favorable feedback. Hopeful happiness.  Discomfort dunked down.  Relax and rest.  This helps your health much more and improves your overall outlook. Healthy happens. Best health!

Culinary Medicine Makes Healthy More Wealthy

Cooking is good medicine.  What you cook is better medicine.  Culinary medicine can help you get better and stay healthy.  The healthy food plus cooking adds to great, healthy feelings.  This is what more doctors and healthcare providers are studying to recommend for their patients.  More residency training programs are including culinary medicine in their school curriculum.  

Food as medicine is hardly a new treatment.  Hippocrates quoted it thousands of years ago.  Research continues to show that proper nutrition with natural foods keeps low risk for disease lower, and it also keeps high risk conditons from progressing and perhaps even occurring. Starting before birth is the optimal time.  Early good nutrition is important.

Make your healthy more wealthy by learning to prepare healthy meals.  This begins with education and action. Best health!

Covid Caution Healthy Life Lines

Wash your hands often.

In high-risk areas if unvaccinated or vaccinated, wear a mask.

Keep safe distance to task.

Give it all you got, get a shot!

Boost immunity with healthy food.

Be kind to yourself and others.

Thank you.

Medical Preparation for Stormy Weather

 Be organized and keep it simple.  When preparing for any weather emergency, this is important to do especially when it comes to your health.  Anxiety and uncertainty in this flight or stay adrenaline pumping situation can decrease your awareness of what you really should be doing to stay healthy and safe.  Taking care of yourself is primary to sustain weather hazards. 

These tips will help you prepare.

• stay well rested 
• avoid unnecessary distractions
• know the facts, be present and up to date on storms and emergency preparation by reading and listening to lectures 
  
• prepare and check medical provider list to include your primary care doctors including specialists, nearest urgent care community health centers and hospital
• contact electric company to help with medical provisions like home oxygen should power failure occur
• contact community emergency services for listing if medical condition requires extra attention
• prepare food and water stock for two weeks or more
• freeze water for ice enough to fill two or more coolers
• keep prescription medication current with adequate supply for two months
• stay informed with neighbors and community resources
• get batteries for lights, radio, fans, medical devices like glucometer, blood pressure monitor
• charge all sources of power for telephones, limit use and keep turned off if not in use

Prepare yourself first, and plan before the storm arrives. Check and update your plan monthly. Stay healthy and safe.  Best health!