Avoiding High Blood Pressure Over the Holidays High blood pressure has long been defined as having a reading of 140⁄90 or higher. But new guidelines drop that number to 130 over 80, which will put more Americans in the category of hypertension. Let’s talk about a few ways you can help keep your blood pressure at a normal level during the holiday season. First, watch out for how much sodium (or salt) is in your food. While this is a good rule overall, during the holiday, food seems to be the primary focus of many (if not most) holiday gatherings. And don’t think that your salt intake comes just from the salt shaker. Sodium is also used in the preservation process, so many foods, including bread, contain it. Be sure to keep a careful eye on food labels and restaurant nutrition information to limit the amount of sodium you’re eating. Second, stress is a big factor for high blood pressure. And the holiday season, when everyone is fighting crowds for the perfect Christmas present, traveling and dealing with a never-ending to-do list, brings extra stress to many people. Try and do everything you can to keep your body (and mind) as stress-free as possible. If you can, avoid putting too much pressure on yourself during the holiday season. Instead of trying to make everything perfect, focus on just enjoying the holidays. And finally, regular workouts might not be the first thing on your mind during the holidays, but they’re especially important. Physical activity helps keep your blood pressure moderated and lowers your stress—a win-win. Schedule appointments with yourself to exercise, and don’t cancel! If you have yet to receive your annual wellness check for 2017, you still have time! Visit AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah today so that you can undergo a physical that’ll check all facets of your health, including your blood pressure.]]>
Recent Posts
Archives
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017