Twitter
Facebook
Q: What is the purpose of measuring my blood pressure?
A: Blood pressure is the amount of force your heart needs to pump blood to your entire body. The measurement of your blood pressure can reveal information about your heart and the blood vessels in your body. It is important to know how well your blood is circulating through your body to aid the functioning of vital organs.
Blood pressures should be checked at every medical visit. A mildly elevated pressure does not always mean there is a serious problem. Additional pressure checks may be done to figure out if there is consistent elevation (hypertension) or elevation due to a single incident.
Q: What factors affect blood pressure?
A: Some chronic conditions
such as high blood pressure tend to run in the family. Diet plays a significant role because too much sodium (salt) causes your body to retain fluid, which can elevate blood pressure. Making sure your have enough potassium and vitamin D in your diet will help balance the amount of sodium and other elements in your cells.
Another significant factor is obesity and physical activity. The heavier you are, the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Being physically active on a consistent basis is important. Don’t forget alcohol and tobacco use. Too much alcohol over time raises your blood pressure and can damage your heart. Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which increases your blood pressure.
Q: What is BMI or “body mass index?”
A: BMI is a measure of a person’s height and weight used to calculate the amount of body fat. It is a common screening tool to identify possible health risks associated with being overweight. There are separate categories for men and women over 20 years of age. Child and teen BMI calculators are now available due to the alarming increase of obesity in children. For details, visit www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html.
Q: How much physical activity do I need to stay healthy?
A: The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise four to five days a week. You can reduce risks for chronic medical conditions such as hypertension and heart disease. Also, you can boost your immune system and gain physical strength to increase quality of life while reducing injury. Mental well-being is achieved because energy levels are boosted, enhancing motivation and helping you better handle stress, anxiety and depression — all of which can increase your blood pressure.
Q: How does cholesterol affect the heart?
A: Cholesterol helps important body functions such as making certain hormones. While your body makes some cholesterol that may be helpful, we also consume large amounts of cholesterol laden animal product foods like eggs, dairy and meat. Too much cholesterol causes a build-up in arteries and can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Q: What are LDL “bad” and HDL “good” cholesterol?
A: There are two types of cholesterol. Think of LDL, or bad cholesterol, as the lazy one that hangs around, building up and narrowing arteries. HDL, or good cholesterol, on the other hand, is active, carrying away fats to be removed from your body, thus it is the helping one. Foods low in LDL cholesterol and high in HDL cholesterol include: mackerel, tuna and salmon, oatmeal/oat bran, and nuts such as almonds and walnuts. Try cooking with olive oil; it has less saturated fat than other cooking aids like butter.
(Contributed by Capt. Tamara Brown, nurse, Ramstein Family Health Clinic, 86th Medical Operations Squadron)
