CacheCrab2
Well-known member
As you get older and become increasingly health-conscious, it can feel like your life is being measured by numbers: how many years you have left, your body mass index, percentage of visceral fat, bone density, squat capacity, running speed, daily step count, sleep hours, weight loss rate, and urine output frequency.
For me, the number that's always on my mind is blood pressure (BP), which I've been managing with medication since my early 50s. The American Heart Association estimates that hypertension, or high BP, accounts for over 10 million deaths worldwide each year, affecting almost 1.4 billion adults globally, with more than 600 million not receiving treatment due to various reasons.
The good news is that blood pressure testing has become increasingly accessible in the developed world, with most GP surgeries and pharmacies having sphygmomanometers on hand. Testing takes about 10 minutes and provides immediate results. However, understanding what these numbers mean can be challenging, especially since doctors often focus solely on systolic pressure.
The ideal blood pressure range varies slightly from country to country, but in the UK, it's defined as between 90/60 mmHg (normal) and 120/80 mmHg (healthy). The American Heart Association recommends a similar range: less than 120/80 mmHg for adults. A reading of 180/120 mmHg is considered hypertensive crisis territory, requiring immediate medical attention.
Blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day due to stress, exercise, and other factors, so maintaining low base levels can help mitigate these spikes. Dr. Sabine Donnai emphasizes that blood pressure is not always high; it's a matter of balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic responses.
To lower my BP, I've tried tracking my diet for a week, which showed I was already under 6g of salt per day, exceeding the recommended limit. Stress management seems more promising, as Dr. Jonathan Wreave fitted me with a heart rate variability sensor to monitor my nervous system's response to stress.
In contrast, isometric exercise has shown promise in lowering blood pressure, particularly in "pre-hypertensives" or those with high normal readings. A six-month study using the wall squat exercise aims to recruit over 500 participants. With regular exercise and a balanced lifestyle, it may be possible to reach optimal BP levels without medication.
Ultimately, making lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on blood pressure management. Cutting down on smoking and excessive salt intake, incorporating meditation, yoga, and breathwork into daily routines, and engaging in isometric exercises like wall squats can all contribute to reducing the risk of hypertension and its associated complications.
For me, the number that's always on my mind is blood pressure (BP), which I've been managing with medication since my early 50s. The American Heart Association estimates that hypertension, or high BP, accounts for over 10 million deaths worldwide each year, affecting almost 1.4 billion adults globally, with more than 600 million not receiving treatment due to various reasons.
The good news is that blood pressure testing has become increasingly accessible in the developed world, with most GP surgeries and pharmacies having sphygmomanometers on hand. Testing takes about 10 minutes and provides immediate results. However, understanding what these numbers mean can be challenging, especially since doctors often focus solely on systolic pressure.
The ideal blood pressure range varies slightly from country to country, but in the UK, it's defined as between 90/60 mmHg (normal) and 120/80 mmHg (healthy). The American Heart Association recommends a similar range: less than 120/80 mmHg for adults. A reading of 180/120 mmHg is considered hypertensive crisis territory, requiring immediate medical attention.
Blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day due to stress, exercise, and other factors, so maintaining low base levels can help mitigate these spikes. Dr. Sabine Donnai emphasizes that blood pressure is not always high; it's a matter of balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic responses.
To lower my BP, I've tried tracking my diet for a week, which showed I was already under 6g of salt per day, exceeding the recommended limit. Stress management seems more promising, as Dr. Jonathan Wreave fitted me with a heart rate variability sensor to monitor my nervous system's response to stress.
In contrast, isometric exercise has shown promise in lowering blood pressure, particularly in "pre-hypertensives" or those with high normal readings. A six-month study using the wall squat exercise aims to recruit over 500 participants. With regular exercise and a balanced lifestyle, it may be possible to reach optimal BP levels without medication.
Ultimately, making lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on blood pressure management. Cutting down on smoking and excessive salt intake, incorporating meditation, yoga, and breathwork into daily routines, and engaging in isometric exercises like wall squats can all contribute to reducing the risk of hypertension and its associated complications.
u r not alone btw 
i feel like people always focus on the number part only but it's def more about finding that balance between stress & relaxation 
u r trying different things like stress management & isometric exercises which is awesome 
keep pushing forward u got this! 
blood pressure is literally a huge issue rn... did u no that 1.4 BILLION ppl globally r affected by it? 
and thats not even counting those who dont get treatment cuz various reasons 
like cost or sth. so yeah, its good to hear that testing is more accessible now 
but honestly, im still confused about wut these numbers mean lol... 90/60 mmHg vs 120/80 mmHg is all Greek 2 me 
and what r the deal wuth systolic pressure tho? 
it makes sense cuz balancing those sympathetic & parasympathetic responses is def key 
and yeah, exercise is def a game changer 
especially wall squats lol wut's the point of doing squats in a small space tho? 
esp with all the stats & studies 
keep on spreading awareness about bp management 
. Tracking salt intake was eye opening though didn't know I was already under limit 
. Isometric exercises might be key too - squats and all that 
. They're pushing medication and testing on us, but what about the real reasons behind high BP? Stress management and lifestyle changes might be just a smokescreen to keep us from digging deeper 
. Those heart rate variability sensors they're using are probably tracking our biometric data for nefarious purposes 
. It's all about control and profits, not our health 
.
. But overall, it's a step in the right direction that we're making lifestyle changes to manage our BP and reduce the risk of hypertension 
just read that 10 million people die each year from high blood pressure worldwide... that's a lot of unnecessary deaths 
meanwhile, 600 million adults don't even get treated for it due to various reasons... sounds like a huge healthcare disaster waiting to happen