Taiwo Olatunji
Avoiding the state of Dis-ease which is when our body is not at ease due to something not been quite right. We were created to enjoy life in excellent health and ease. But when something in our lives/bodies is not in alignment, we may experience this sense of dis-ease. And though we may not be able to place our hands on it, we may have this feeling that something is not quite right.
We are going to explore some of these conditions/situations as well as what we can do on our own to prevent them; through the choices we make, in the areas of foods we eat and the things that we do or things we choose not to do! These are referred to as Healthy Lifestyle choices.
Dis-ease #1
High blood Pressure (HBP)
What do we mean by someone’s blood pressure (BP)?
Your heart is the workhorse that pumps blood all over your body for the body to carry out its functions. When your heart pumps blood, the force with which the blood pushes against the walls of your blood vessels (arteries) is your blood pressure. It usually consists of two numbers and is considered normal if less than or equal to 120/80 for most adults. Of course it is okay for the BP to temporarily increase depending on what activity you are doing at the time but only for a short period of time. it should go back to normal. Your BP may rise for example while dancing vigorously or jumping rope. The National Institute of Health describes High Blood Pressure (HBP) as a disease in which blood flows through blood vessels at pressures higher than normal. Another name for HBP is Hypertension.
There are two major types of HBP, the first one known as essential HBP will happen if one lives long enough. It develops slowly over the years and is due to the stiffening of the large arteries with age. The second type usually develops due to the presence of other conditions that a person may already have, medication(s) the person is taking among other risk factors. This is called secondary HBP.
What are some of the things that can cause someone to have HBP?
1. Age is one, the risk of HBP increases with increasing age.
2. Also family history; if your close family member e.g. Dad or sister has it, the likelihood is
high that you may develop HBP too.
3. Overweight or obese persons require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their
tissues leading to increased pressure on the walls of their artery.
4. Physical inactivity, also known as sedentary lifestyle.
5. Smoking or chewing tobacco including second-hand smoke.
6. Consumption of too little potassium and/or too much sodium.
7. Chronic heavy alcohol intake.
8. Chronic stress (esp. high levels)
9. As mentioned earlier, certain conditions such as diabetes, kidney problems, malfunctions of
the thyroid, congenital issues, etc.
High blood pressure has been said to be a silent killer. Why? Because someone’s blood pressure can be really high and he/she may not feel sick or feel like anything is wrong. One’s blood pressure is higher than usual long enough, there is damage to the blood vessels and diseases such as heart disease or stroke may happen.
What are some of the things that we can do to prevent high blood pressure or to decrease its effect on our quality of life?
1. For the youths among us, not smoking or chewing tobacco product is the best prevention for some of these diseases including HBP. Smoking or chewing tobacco products has been shown to cause death in one out of six people; in people with diseases that are not caused by infections.
2. Healthy Dietary Habits- We all are what we eat! For those with children, cultivate these healthy eating habits as a family so that children can learn early and make these behaviors part of their lifestyle. Involve your children in the cooking. Plan most of your meals ahead, and include all the food groups in the appropriate amounts.
Eating foods that are high in saturated fat and sodium is a major contributor to developing HBP. Minimize these and their sources e. e.g. fried foods, table salt, cheeses, processed meats, etc. Read the food labels before buying, select ingredients that are wholesome and chuck full of nutrients. Minimize frying; do more baking, broiling, grilling or steaming. Add more vegetables and fruits to your meals. Use spices and herbs such as curry, ginger, rosemary as healthier replacements for salt and saturated fats
3. Are you physically active?
If you are not doing something that increases your heart rate safely for about 30 mins five times a week, you need to get moving! The benefits of being physically active cannot be overstated. Walk, jump-rope, climb the stairs, do whatever it takes to get some exercise into your daily routine. Increased physical activity actually works to help you handle stress better, maintain and/ or control your weight, reduce your BP as well as reducing your risk of developing other diseases. Recommendations include a combination of 150 minutes/week of moderate or 75 mins/week of strenuous aerobic activities respectively. Also adding muscle strength or building exercises on average of two days per week is also recommended.
4. Watch your weight; it might just save your life. Being overweight has become a major health issue resulting in increased disease burden for a large number of people. Weight management is very important and a healthy weight can be achieved by one being intentional in one’s food choices and changing one’s lifestyle, as described above. If you are on the heavy side of your ideal weight, plan to make small changes that you can stick to until you achieve your goal. Even a loss of as little as five (5) pounds will positively impact your BP. Then work on maintaining your healthy weight.
5. Reduce stress
Life itself can be challenging and stressful but managing stress has its advantages, in the light of our BP. Learn to control the stresses of life that come at you so they do not get the better of you and your health. Incorporate some of the healthy coping techniques into your routine, including deep breathing, meditations, relaxation, regular physical activity, spending time with people that matter to you and abundant sleep.
6. Consume alcohol in moderation, that is, one or two appropriate servings/day for women of all legal ages, men older than 65 years of age or men 65 years and younger respectively.
Let’s continue to work to be in a regular beautiful state of ease which is the same as absence of dis-ease. until next time, stay healthy and at Ease!
