By Teresa Carr

Adams County Sernior Council

Administrative Assistant

More information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services along with the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. – Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States — that’s why the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) celebrates American Heart Month to encourage healthy habits to prevent heart disease.

How can I get my blood pressure checked? To test your blood pressure, a nurse or doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm. The nurse or doctor will pump the cuff with air until it feels tight, then slowly let it out. This takes just a few minutes.

You can find out what your blood pressure numbers are right after the test is over. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, ask the doctor what to do next.

Blood pressure can go up and down, so it’s a good idea to get it checked more than once.

Can I check my blood pressure by myself? Yes. You can buy a home blood pressure monitor at a drug store. Many shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores also have blood pressure machines you can use in the store.

If the test shows that your blood pressure is elevated or high, talk to your doctor and make a plan to control it.

If you have high blood pressure, your doctor might ask you to monitor your blood pressure at home to keep track of your numbers — and to see if treatments are working.

Pregnancy – How can high blood pressure affect pregnancy?

If you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can be dangerous for you and your baby. If you have high blood pressure and you want to get pregnant, it’s important to take steps to lower your blood pressure first.

Sometimes women get high blood pressure for the first time during pregnancy. This is called gestational hypertension. This type of high blood pressure usually goes away after the baby is born — but you may have a higher risk of getting high blood pressure in the future. If you have high blood pressure while you’re pregnant, be sure to visit your doctor regularly.

High Blood Pressure – What if I have high blood pressure? If you have high blood pressure, work with your doctor to make a treatment plan to control it. Your treatment plan may include healthy life changes, medicine, or a combination of both.

These steps can help lower your blood pressure:

· Eat healthy, including foods that are low in saturated fat and sodium (salt).

· Get active — aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.

· Watch your weight by eating healthy and getting active.

· Remember to take medicines as prescribed (ordered) by your doctor.

Small changes can add up. For example, losing just 10 pounds can help lower your blood pressure.

Next week the topic will be about Taking Action.

Just A Thought: “Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts. ~Paramahansa Yogananda