Tag Archives: blood pressure

Getting your daily dose of daylight is important!

09 Monday Jul 2018

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For your blood pressure: Get 20 minutes of daylight a day. That doesn’t mean baking in the sun… you can get enough UVA rays walking the dog – or sitting by a window to drink your morning coffee. According to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, people getting 20 minutes of daylight saw their blood pressure drop 2 points without changing anything else. The reason? UVA light helps nitric oxide circulate in your blood. And that regulates blood pressure and lowers your risk of stroke.

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The key to successful workouts!

19 Thursday Apr 2018

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If you want to try high-intensity interval training, it’s as easy as remembering these numbers: 30-20-10. That’s an equation that adds up to exercise success, according to research from Denmark.
So choose your favorite form of cardio and go easy for 30 seconds… increase your exertion for the next 20 seconds… Then go all out for 10 seconds – and repeat that pattern 10 times. That’s the 30-20-10 method. And because it seems so doable, when people in studies tried it, they were more likely to stick with it. And they improved their overall fitness and lowered their blood pressure.

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Drink two cups of cranberry juice and call me in the morning!

09 Monday Apr 2018

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Because new research shows that cranberry juice can lower the risk of heart disease… in as little as 24 HOURS!

Now, you probably know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in North America. But according to the National Institutes of Health, cranberries are rich in antioxidants called polyphenols. And those polyphenols not only help improve circulation, but also improve kidney function, hormone delivery, and waste filtration.

And in a recent study, men were given two cups of cranberry juice to drink over the course of a day – with varying concentrations of cranberry polyphenols. And after only 24 hours, all the men showed improvements in blood flow, arterial stiffness, and blood pressure. And that was true for all the cranberry juice concentrates, even the cocktail ones sold at the grocery stores made with only 25% cranberry juice! They all had a positive effect. So throw back some cranberry juice and improve your heart health within 24 hours.

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What can 5 to 10 minutes of meditation a day do for you?

17 Monday Jul 2017

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A lot… in not a lot of time.
For example: It increases alpha and theta brain wave activity – which leaves you in a state of relaxed wakefulness.
Twice-daily meditation sessions have also been proven to lower blood pressure naturally.
Plus, meditation can help reduce symptoms of psoriasis – by controlling the output of the stress hormone, cortisol.
And that reduction in cortisol means daily meditation makes us less likely to retain belly fat, too.

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Try this high-intensity interval training tip!

13 Thursday Jul 2017

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If you want to try high-intensity interval training, it’s as easy as remembering these numbers: 30-20-10. That’s an equation that adds up to exercise success according to research from Denmark. So choose your favorite form of cardio and go easy for 30 seconds… increase your exertion for the next 20 seconds… Then go all out for 10 seconds – and repeat that pattern 10 times. That’s the 30-20-10 method. When people in studies tried it, they improved their overall fitness and lowered their blood pressure.

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Don’t go for a nice, steamy sauna after a workout.

11 Tuesday Jul 2017

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The health consequences could be deadly.
That’s according to Dr. Daniel Vigil, a health sciences professor at UCLA. And it’s all down to dehydration. You’re already dehydrated after a workout. Then, if you go sit in a steam room or sauna, you expose your body to more heat, leading to more sweating and dehydration, which drives up your blood pressure and makes your blood stickier. Which puts a strain on your internal organs.

Instead, go for a steam BEFORE your workout. It can loosen up your muscles. Just make sure you drink a tall glass of water before starting your workout.

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Go ahead – hug someone!

09 Friday Jun 2017

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Did you know that hugging can keep us healthy? The hug receptors in our skin send signals to the vagus nerve – which lowers our heart rate and blood pressure. Hugging also releases the bonding chemical oxytocin, which has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease.

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You’ve heard of “white coat hypertension,” right?

18 Thursday May 2017

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Where the minute a doctor or nurse starts taking your blood pressure, it spikes, simply because you’re stressed about being examined. Well, next time they’re about to put a blood pressure cuff on you: Take 3 or 4 deep, slow breaths over 30 seconds. In a study, people who did that lowered their systolic number by 15 points – that’s the top number. Deep breathing works to slow your heart rate, which triggers the reflexes that control blood pressure, and brings it down to where it normally is when you’re not on an exam table.

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To reduce stress in under a minute:

15 Monday May 2017

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Inhale deeply, while raising your shoulders toward your ears. Then exhale slowly, and push your shoulders down. Repeat 5 times. Stress management experts say combining a shoulder shrug with deep breathing releases tension in our neck, shoulders and upper back. It also produces endorphins, which cancel out stress hormones, and reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Allowing you to literally shrug off your stress in under 60 seconds.

Here are the pros and cons of letting your pet sleep in your bed:

03 Friday Mar 2017

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Pros: Dr. Natalie Dautovich from the National Sleep Foundation says we humans feel vulnerable in bed and while we’re sleeping… So having an animal nearby can make us feel more secure. Pets also lower our blood pressure and calm our nerves, so we have an easier time drifting off. Plus, if you’re single, snuggling up with a pet provides the same feel-good dose of oxytocin that we get from cuddling with a partner.

So what about the cons of sleeping with your pet? On the relationship front, animals create a physical barrier between you, so you’re less likely to kiss and cuddle each other – and more likely to cuddle your pet. That’s according to marriage and family therapist Dr. Kat Van Kirk. Plus, if you have allergies, you’re getting up close and personal for 8 hours with dirt, dander, pollen, mold and dust mites – all from your pet’s fur. Which can greatly increase your allergy symptoms.