Back to Basics in My Fifties

Exercising for good health

I started this blog when I was in my mid thirty's and struggling with hypertension.  If you would rummage through my posts, you'd see that a lot of it are about my running escapades and then dabbling a bit on swimming.  Of course, what's a health blog without touching on nutrition and fitness in general?  I remember those DIY exercises that I actually do in the office when I had time to spare or when I was simply bored and want some physical activities.  I was so active back then.  I had goals to achieve.

Writing Is Good For Your Health

My Planner and Journal

I've always considered writing as just a form of expression and partly a hobby.  But whether you're a writer/blogger or simply someone who keeps private journals, I'm sure you have found out already about writing's therapeutic benefits.  

I've always been an introvert and so I mostly kept journals when I was much younger.  I don't easily open up to people, but I could easily open up my heart to pen and paper and just write away in total abandon, not thinking about anyone's opinion or judgment.  So in some ways, the journal is like a best friend who can keep your innermost thoughts safe...that is until your sibling finds your journal and starts to quote things from the entries.  Arrrggggh!

Annual Check Up

I just had the annual physical examination that is done yearly in our company. It's the usual thing: taking blood pressure, physical exam of the breast and abdomen for women, chest x-ray, a bit of interview on medical history, eye examination...that's about it.

Infographic: 9 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure

I was frequenting this site, Natural News for quite sometime, but I was mostly reading the articles. I didn't notice before that they have tons of infographics and I saw this one that would prove to be helpful, not just for people suffering from hypertension, like me, but also for those who want to improve heart health in particular.  Out of these, I have yet to try Hawthorn berries and hibiscus.  I don't even know if we have the berries locally but there may be an equivalent of that here.  And I have yet to research about how to take hibiscus but I would guess that it's for making tea, sort of.  The other items, I eat occasionally. Maybe it's time to have more of them in my diet.

There are a lot more foods that help lower blood pressure.  As I have mentioned before, those foods rich in potassium are great!  So, I'll just be sharing this one.  

Natural News: 9 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure

Note to Natural News site owner... My comment that was under moderation was published, but my query was not answered.  I hope that publishing my comment means you allow me to post this infographic.  Thank you.

A Dragon Named Pitaya

What's a pitaya or pitahaya?  I was ignorant of that name until now.  I have only known the fruit by its more common name: the dragon fruit.  

Pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus), a photo by blumenbiene on Flickr.

Potassium and High Blood Pressure

Fruit plate, a photo by Upsilon Andromedae on Flickr.

Ever wonder why we crave for certain foods at certain times?  I'm not talking about sudden craving for, say, donuts, which I would probably consider an unhealthy craving.  I'm talking about whole, natural foods here.  When we do crave for those, sometimes, it could be our body's subtle way of telling us we need certain nutrients.  Don't you find that fruit plate above quite inviting?  I do.  I see the words antioxidant and Vitamin C hidden among the grapes, strawberries, orange slice and everything else on the plate.

 Ever since I could remember, I love these fruits, in order of preference:

Kiwifruit and Hypertension

I may sound naive here, but I've only seen it in pictures and on T.V.  Yesterday was the first time I have ever eaten a kiwi.

Little spotted kiwi, Apteryx owenii, a photo by brewbooks on Flickr.

Hold on, that's not what I had (who put that picture in there? lol!). But it looks a lot like that minus the feet, beak, and most of the head. I wonder if they eat kiwis in New Zealand hehhehe.

Philippine Society of Hypertension

 

 Philippines Society of Hypertension

It's time to be on the loop.  If there are societies for hypertension worldwide, there is definitely one in the Philippines.  Mr. Google is my research buddy so I head over to the site and keyed in this phrase "Filipinos and hypertension."  After 0.28 seconds, it coughed up 158,000 results.  Yeah I know...slow huh?  Just kidding.  It's good to know that we have our own Philippine Society of Hypertension.  After all, one of the country's top main health concerns is the "silent killer." 

I'm still reading some articles.  It was cool to know that there is one day dedicated to hypertension and as you can see from the above picture, it is this coming May 17,  2012.  In fact, as I have just read from the site, May is "Hypertension Awareness Month."   I suppose things that are important deserve a day or a month, either to celebrate, commemorate or to have meaningful discussions like conventions.  

As part of awareness campaign, they also have a downloadable comics written in Filipino.  Surely I wouldn't let that pass so I downloaded my own copy.  Who knows?  I might be able to share it to those who might benefit from it.  Anyway, I just had to laugh a bit as I scrolled to the last page,  right at the bottom where they put the sponsor.  It says there: "Compliments of Neobloc."  I would have been nonchalant about it but Neobloc is also known as tadaaaaaa...Metoprolol, my nemesis!  Talk about the irony of things.  Kidding aside, the comics is a good way to promote hypertension awareness.  There's just one thing there that I am not buying totally.  One of the characters there said that once you have hypertension, you have to take medication for life.  I'll try to prove that wrong.  

Going back to the badge above, I really heart that tag line :  

Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Blood Pressure. 

Bradycardia...What!?

Heart coronary arteries, a photo by Patrick J. Lynch on Flickr.

It was a fine Sunday morning some months ago, after having late breakfast, I took a tablet of Metoprolol, a medicine used to treat hypertension.  That was the second medicine prescribed to me since Amlodipine did not effectively lower my blood pressure.  About 45 minutes later while I was already walking towards church to attend the service, I felt like I would pass out.  However, I didn't see stars and my vision remained clear.  Thankfully I didn't black out although the feeling was like I had lead shoes and I was in need of a cane to steady my weakened knees.  I was alone so my instinct was to look around and find something to hold on to.  No poles, post, or wall near enough so I had to keep walking and get to church as soon as I can, maybe get help if the condition worsens.  It was like going extremely low on battery, like energy oozing from my body.  I was glad to be able to sit down after that walk that normally takes me less than 5 minutes only but that instance, it might have taken me twice as long.

Medicines Are Meant To Be Taken, Not Taken for Granted

Last week, after 28 days of taking Lipitor (Atorvastatin) to manage my cholesterol level, I thought, that would be the end of it.  No more forcing big tablets down my throat.  I almost choked twice on it because it was that huge (or my throat opening is so small hehehe).  So  naturally, I am pleased to know that I am down to the last tablet and I eagerly went to the doctor to inform him.  My heart sank when he said to take it for another month, this time at half dosage.  I was thinking, was my cholesterol level that high or was it just to ensure that the levels are quite under control?  I was also concerned that taking medication for cholesterol might have an adverse effect on my liver.  Apparently, the doctor saw no signs that my liver is in danger because of this medication.  Just the same, I was already prepping up for the blood chemistry but I suppose that has to wait for another month. Not that I'm excited to be poked with needles again, but I sure would like to be medicine free, at least this particular one that's giving me a hard time to swallow.  

 

 What do YOU eat for breakfast?, a photo by Lintilla on Flickr.

Omron Blood Pressure Home Monitor

Having a blood pressure home monitor is a good health investment for those who constantly need to monitor their blood pressure. A couple of years ago, I have bought one for my mom so she doesn't have to go to my cousin's house everyday to have her blood pressure checked.  I bought her the wrist type.  It seems she's not using it that much and I figured she probably wants the visit to my cousin better. Hahaha!  Well, at least she gets some exercise walking back and forth.  Anyway, I didn't take back the BP monitor although I was contemplating on it because now I have to monitor my own blood pressure having been diagnosed with essential hypertension.  

A few months back, I make my daily trips to the company dispensary just to have my blood pressure taken.  When the nurse uses the analogue type, I get good readings, at least not going over 120/90 mm Hg.  Then I have to manually get my pulse or heart rate.  Sometimes when the doctor is there, he's the one who checks my blood pressure using the digital type monitor.  And it is a puzzle to me that whenever he uses that, my blood pressure goes high at 140/100 mm Hg.  Although I don't feel nervous or jittery, I am beginning to think I may have a white-coat syndrome after all (even if the doctor doesn't wear his white coat hahaha!) 

DASH-ing My Way To Health By Shaking Out Salt

I am on the prowl once again for what workable diet I could start on.  I really don't have to lose weight anymore as my body mass index is in the healthy range, although I have to work on my waste to hip ratio.  I've been searching for a diet to lower my blood pressure, even without medications.  I'm looking at 28 days from now when I will halt taking Losartan and see if my blood pressure rises again.  So far now, it is steady at or below 120/80 mmg Hg. 

I visited my Info Links Page and clicked on the NHLBI link...clicking some more within the site I was brought to this page : Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure with Dash.  There's an option there to download the PDF file.  That is what I have been reading up on since this morning.  I have started taking note of the food I had today and will continue to do so in the following days or months until I no longer need to keep track because it has become a habit to be selective of the food I eat.

Keeping Track of My Vitals With Handylogs and Soundtells

Yesterday, I was on a hunting spree for free trackers to aid me in monitoring my vital numbers, particularly my blood pressure.  After all, if I want to reach my goals, I need to keep track of my progress.  Ever since my doctor advised me to monitor my blood pressure, morning and evening, I kept track by recording the readings on paper.  But I keep misplacing my list hahaha!.  So, I figured I can't possibly misplace my office computer so I made an Excel file.  Then later, I could print the file to give to the doctor, instead of a tattered piece of paper with my handwriting.

I wanted to spice things up by using more fancy trackers, but that's just me.  Anyway, I found this freeware from Soundtells.  Check out the screenshot below.

They have other nifty trackers in the site.  Seeing a graphical trending instead of numbers in a row helps one to better analyze his or her progress. This program has a printing option that I find very useful.  Cool, right?

Of course, I can't always have my desktop PC around wherever I go.  I thought I could also use an application that I can download on my Blackberry phone.  I found one called the Handylogs Heart - Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Tracker.  What I have now are two data logs.  The downside is that since they are different programs, I can only synchronize data manually.  Oh but that's not a big deal for me.  What's important is to keep track and better monitor my blood pressure.

I'm sure you can find fancier trackers online.  These two work for me, for now.  Whatever ways you do it, as long as you keep track, that's what's more important.   

An Update on My Blood Pressure Monitoring

Smoothie and a Smile, a photo by gilmorec on Flickr.

What a great way to start my first week at work. I am definitely smiling as I left the company dispensary a while ago.  Who wouldn't be happy when you know your vital signs are improving despite the long holidays when people are usually getting sick because of too much indulgence with all the "good" food.  The blood pressure monitor registered 110/80 mm Hg.  A second test was made using a portable digital blood pressure monitor and it gave a reading of 119/82 mm Hg.  So it's pretty much within that range.  Of course I'm still on the Losartan medication but sometime soon, the dosage will be reduced again to half, for another month and the doctor said we'll see from there if we can stop the medication again.  

Tomorrow, I'm going to have my blood tested for the routine lipid profile, blood sugar, and some additional tests that I will just detail later once I get the results.  Here we go again with blood extraction.  I was never really afraid of needles until an inexperienced med tech pierced me four times before getting enough blood for all the tests needed.  That memory is still very vivid.  I was clutching the armchair while she was drawing blood from the back of my hand.  Yes, the back of my hand!  I could feel the blood being sucked! She said she couldn't find the right vein to pierce on my upper arm, so she pierced me there.  Unfortunately, the vein collapsed before enough blood was drawn.  Finally, we both settled for the vein on my wrist.  Since then, I get jittery with needles, but I'll get through with this tomorrow just fine. 

Courage, girl!

Know Thyself : Food and Nutrition Self Assessment

english breakfast under water..., a photo by austinevan on Flickr.

When I first learned about my so-called essential hypertension, the first thing that came to my mind was the food I have been eating for the past few years.  Ever since I started living independently, I could not vouch for the nutritional value of what I am ingesting.  There was a time when I became a fast food junkie when I was just in my mid to late twenties. That was the time that I was going out a lot, and eating out seems to be the more convenient choice.  I don't smoke or take alcoholic drinks, but greasy fast foods laced with a lot of artificial seasonings and generously sprinkled with salt and monosodium glutamate has finally taken their toll on my body.  Where I work, the foods served in the canteen were no better, if not worse than fast foods.  Add to that dangerous combination is that when I do get to prepare my own food, it usually comprise of instant food such as noodles.  

In essence, I am literally digging my own grave with this kind of lifestyle.  I am now in my late thirties and should still be in good health.  But having to take Losartan for now says otherwise.  I don't want to be on medication for the rest of my life.  So I know it's more than just lowering my blood pressure with this medicine.  

A few months back when I started on my medications, I have also started to make some changes in my eating habits.  Truth be told, a lot of people say that I have slimmed down considerably.

The First Few Steps

 Blood Pressure, a photo by Army Medicine on Flickr.

It is quite unbelievable for me the first time my blood pressure at rest registered at 150/100 mm Hg.  Could it just be the so-called white coat syndrome?  The nurse told me to take a rest for a few minutes before she took another reading...140/100.  That's when she asked if I was feeling anything and I said I didn't feel any different.  But from that time on, I am not the same person.  That was more than a year and a half ago.  When my blood pressure went down to 120/80 without doing anything, I thought that was just some fluke. I didn't have my blood pressure taken again since then.