Thursday, November 20, 2008
By Geoffrey Anderson Jr.
Copy Editor
Is your blood pressure too high? Try listening to more music.
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine discovered that music does more than soothe the inner beast - it also relaxes the inner lining of the arteries. When relaxed, the arteries widen, which lowers blood pressure by letting blood circulate more efficiently.
But you may want to be selective about the kind of music you groove to. The study found that the most effective music is upbeat. Music that may be considered stressful had the opposite effect, causing the arteries to narrow and blood pressure to rise.
The American Heart Association recommends that most people strive to keep blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg. When the force of blood against your arteries is consistently in a high range, such as 140/90 mm Hg or higher for most people, you can be diagnosed with high blood pressure.
The “Silent Killer”
If you don’t know whether you have high blood pressure, you're in good company: More than 50 percent of people with the condition aren't sure they have it, a recent study published in the Journal of Hypertension suggests. And unfortunately, the consequences of not knowing can be deadly.
Researchers from the University of Warwick in Europe studied 1,604 citizens from Belgium, Italy and the UK, who underwent medical examinations (including blood pressure screenings). The results showed that 24 percent of participants had high blood pressure and 56 percent of those people were unaware of their condition.
Because high blood pressure has no symptoms, people can have the condition for years before it's diagnosed; having your blood pressure measured is the only way to check for it. Over time, untreated high blood pressure can increase your chances for kidney failure, heart failure, stroke and heart attack.
Let’s be realistic: You won’t lower your risk for high blood pressure overnight. But, there are some lifestyle tweaks you can make now to gradually decrease your odds of developing the condition:
1. Eat a healthy diet. You already know to avoid foods with trans fats and saturated fats, but you should also remember to add heart-healthy foods into your diet. Whole-grain foods like bran cereal and wheat bread have fiber as well as vitamins and minerals that are important in controlling blood pressure.
Another option is letting eDiets do the work for you with our Heart-Smart meal plan, which customizes a heart-healthy menu to your liking. The plan follows AHA recommendations to help manage and lower your risk of hypertension, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
2. Exercise! The AHA suggests getting 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity five days a week to keep your heart strong. With work, kids and other responsibilities, setting aside a block of time just for exercise can be tough. But shorter sessions throughout the day can add up: take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car farther away than usual, take your dog for a walk -- just get moving!
Plus, new research shows that exercise can even benefit people who already have heart problems, such as heart failure. The findings, from Duke University Medical Center, show that heart failure patients who exercised regularly felt better about their lives than those who didn't.
Also remember that upbeat music is good for your heart. So if the heavy breathing and grunts from fellow gym rats are getting annoying, check out these playlists to upgrade your workout soundtrack.
3. Chill out. Aside from causing major headaches and messing up your concentration, stress can spike your blood pressure. Even though you can't control the economy, you can control how it makes you feel. Try relaxation techniques and learn how to manage your time better. A lot of times, we bring stress upon ourselves. See if there's anything within your control that you can change for the better. And don’t forget to take a deep breath.
Like this post? Check out these, too:
-- Workout Playlist Central
-- 75 Tips for Managing Stress
-- Office Weight Gain: Work It Off!
Copy Editor
Is your blood pressure too high? Try listening to more music.
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine discovered that music does more than soothe the inner beast - it also relaxes the inner lining of the arteries. When relaxed, the arteries widen, which lowers blood pressure by letting blood circulate more efficiently.
But you may want to be selective about the kind of music you groove to. The study found that the most effective music is upbeat. Music that may be considered stressful had the opposite effect, causing the arteries to narrow and blood pressure to rise.
The American Heart Association recommends that most people strive to keep blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg. When the force of blood against your arteries is consistently in a high range, such as 140/90 mm Hg or higher for most people, you can be diagnosed with high blood pressure.
The “Silent Killer”
If you don’t know whether you have high blood pressure, you're in good company: More than 50 percent of people with the condition aren't sure they have it, a recent study published in the Journal of Hypertension suggests. And unfortunately, the consequences of not knowing can be deadly.
Researchers from the University of Warwick in Europe studied 1,604 citizens from Belgium, Italy and the UK, who underwent medical examinations (including blood pressure screenings). The results showed that 24 percent of participants had high blood pressure and 56 percent of those people were unaware of their condition.
Because high blood pressure has no symptoms, people can have the condition for years before it's diagnosed; having your blood pressure measured is the only way to check for it. Over time, untreated high blood pressure can increase your chances for kidney failure, heart failure, stroke and heart attack.
Let’s be realistic: You won’t lower your risk for high blood pressure overnight. But, there are some lifestyle tweaks you can make now to gradually decrease your odds of developing the condition:
1. Eat a healthy diet. You already know to avoid foods with trans fats and saturated fats, but you should also remember to add heart-healthy foods into your diet. Whole-grain foods like bran cereal and wheat bread have fiber as well as vitamins and minerals that are important in controlling blood pressure.
Another option is letting eDiets do the work for you with our Heart-Smart meal plan, which customizes a heart-healthy menu to your liking. The plan follows AHA recommendations to help manage and lower your risk of hypertension, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
2. Exercise! The AHA suggests getting 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity five days a week to keep your heart strong. With work, kids and other responsibilities, setting aside a block of time just for exercise can be tough. But shorter sessions throughout the day can add up: take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car farther away than usual, take your dog for a walk -- just get moving!
Plus, new research shows that exercise can even benefit people who already have heart problems, such as heart failure. The findings, from Duke University Medical Center, show that heart failure patients who exercised regularly felt better about their lives than those who didn't.
Also remember that upbeat music is good for your heart. So if the heavy breathing and grunts from fellow gym rats are getting annoying, check out these playlists to upgrade your workout soundtrack.
3. Chill out. Aside from causing major headaches and messing up your concentration, stress can spike your blood pressure. Even though you can't control the economy, you can control how it makes you feel. Try relaxation techniques and learn how to manage your time better. A lot of times, we bring stress upon ourselves. See if there's anything within your control that you can change for the better. And don’t forget to take a deep breath.
Like this post? Check out these, too:
-- Workout Playlist Central
-- 75 Tips for Managing Stress
-- Office Weight Gain: Work It Off!
Labels: cardiovasular health, heart, heart-disease, heart-healthy
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