Our health is at increased risk when our brains are festive – a reality easy to understand. We relax into a mindset that this time of year we can deviate or liberate ourselves from our regime of medication, diet and activities.
If you are one of the millions of Americans with high blood pressure (HBP) or Diabetes holidays present a real challenge, poor control missing medications can get us a stroke or heart attack or worst!
Background:
– Know what your ‘normal’ blood pressure (the numbers) and monitor closely during this season.
– Customarily it takes a few different medications to best control your BP each working from a different angle.
– Know at what BP (numbers) to increase or decrease medication ( if on more than 1 drug find out which one).
– Ask what time to take your medications-taking them all at once is never best! Always take medications with 8 oz. of water.
Remember just because you take medication for a medical problem you are not cured you have to still control your diet. Salt (sodium) is the enemy of BP FYI – 1 tsp salt = 2300 mg sodium, ‘lite’ salt has 1160 mg in 1 tsp. I prefer sea salt to table iodized salt that has added chemicals.
A few tips to follow:
– Watch out for salty foods your diet should have a limited salt intake – check with your healthcare provider. Standard low salt diet allows up to 1500mg a day.
– Read food labels especially now.
– Know what foods are chuck full of sodium: soy, salad dressings, salami, cured meats, bacon, sun dried tomatoes, snack foods, pickled products and cheeses.
– Do not think you’ll wait till your ankles swell or you get a headache to check your pressure, as this occurs when you have retained at least 3 lbs. of fluid! Check your BP more frequently during the festive times.
– A buddy system works great also in health matters, who will watch out for the loved on with high blood pressure, Diabetes or simply that medications are taken , excitement is a great distracted from routines.
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