Posts Tagged ‘Blood Pressure’
Selecting the right blood pressure cuff can be a difficult decision if you have never thought about purchasing medical equipment before. There are a few things to keep in mind to help you not only lower your blood pressure, but to accurately monitor it as well. Purchasing the right blood pressure monitor is only part of your decision.
You can choose to buy either an aneroid monitor, or the digital style. Your choices between the two will be based on a couple of factors. Determine which things are most important to you, and then purchase the best model you can within your budget.
The first to discuss is the aneroid monitor. This type you are probably familiar with from doctor visits and a problem is that they can break quite easily and will need to be replaced, even though it is not expensive to do so. Another thing to be considered is they require a stethoscope if you want an accurate reading and since it has no memory storage you will have to write down pressure results.
Digital monitors have started taking the place of the old fashioned models, but still have a larger price tag. The digital readout offer a reliable reading, and many are designed with a memory program. This allows you to print out results and keep a computerized history of your readings.
When taking your blood pressure at home, there are a few tips to remember to give the best reading. Make sure that you are relaxed before taking your blood pressure, as even mild stress can elevate your pressure. You will also get a better reading if you do it consistently at the same time every day.
There are also other factors that will influence your reading and cause it to be inaccurate. This includes alcohol consumption, smoking and even drinking too much caffeine. These substances all raise the readings and contribute to high blood pressure, which of course affects your health.
Don't rely totally on yourself for your blood pressure results. Your doctor should ultimately be the one you consult. He or she can help you find the best ways to get your hypertension under control.
Getting your blood pressure back under control is not an overnight process, but in conjunction with an overall wellness program, using a blood pressure monitor can help you track the progress you are making in your wellness program.
In the end you can look at this as a total life make over so that hypertension does not control you. With the combination of a healthy eating program, working with your doctor and monitoring your blood pressure.
For those who are looking for more details about wrist blood pressure monitor, check out this article for more info on home blood pressure monitors.
Don't let blood pressure treatment defeat you. It's always a hard task to deal with the problem of living with high BP but it's a task you can handle if you work at it in a logical way. Good BP control means that you need to look at your medications, at your food intake and food choices - and also, of course at your stress levels.
There are several different approaches to controlling blood pressure more effectively.
Lets start with lifestyle. Doctors have researched this area in great depth and have found that there are several aspects of our lives that impact dramatically on our blood pressure levels.
Diet is very important. About a third of those with high blood pressure are very sensitive to salt intake. Even in those who are not overly sensitive too it, added salt will increase blood pressure levels by about ten points on the scale. If you are salt sensitive then the difference is about three times that. Many people who take blood pressure tablets every day would be able to stop or reduce them if they reduced their salt intake.
Fat content in the diet also makes a difference. A diet too high in fat will also cause the blood pressure levels to rise - reduce the fat and reduce your blood pressure. Aim for low fat choices in all of your eating and you should see a significant difference quickly.
Body weight is vital. You can expect a rise of ten points on the BP scale for every ten pounds of weight gain - and the opposite too of course if you reduce your weight. Losing twenty pounds in weight could see you back into the normal BP range very quickly. Now, lets face it, losing weight is never easy - but coping with the side effects of blood pressure medication is not easy either and I guess it's all a choice when push comes to shove.
And finally - don't forget the options open to you when it comes to natural blood pressure remedies and supplements. Several herbal products have a good track record for blood pressure control. Garlic works well - and so does hawthorn berry extract. Take a look at these options because they can make a real difference.
You know what you need to do to improve your blood pressure - so why not get started today?
Want to find out more about blood pressure treatment, then visit Doctor Gordon Cameron's site for more advice about controlling high blood pressure and other great blood pressure support.
