Be Heart Wise

May is High Blood Pressure Awareness Month 

• 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure, yet about 21 % don't even know they have it
• about 76.4 million people aged 20 and older have high blood pressure

High Blood Pressure, also known as HBP or hypertension, is a widely misunderstood medical condition. Some people think that those with hypertension are tense, nervous or hyperactive, but hypertension has nothing to do with personality traits. The truth is, you can be a calm, relaxed person and still have HBP.

High Blood Pressure is important because it can lead to damage of the arteries and heart due to the higher workload on them. This can result in a stroke, heart attack, or heart failure.

In most cases, the cause for High Blood Pressure is unknown. However, there are several factors that can increase your likely hood of getting High Blood Pressure. They include family history, advancing in age, gender, lack of physical activity, poor diet, overweight and obesity, and drinking to much alcohol.

Many college students are making poor choices when it comes to diet (foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt) and exercise (not getting enough or any at all) which can ultimately lead to an increase risk of high blood pressure and greater risk of heart disease. College should be a time to learn and acquire healthy habits that will help you live a great and satisfying life.

What should you be doing now to help maintain good heart health and blood pressure?

1. Know your blood pressure numbers. An ideal blood pressure is anything below 120/80.



2. Evaluate your eating habits. Try maintaining a food log for a couple days to see what you actually eat as it pertains to your intake of fat, salt, sugar, calories and cholesterol.

• Aim to eat a diet that's rich in: Fruits, Vegetables, Whole-grains, Fat-free dairy products, Beans, Skinless poultry and lean meats, Fish, especially fatty fish contain omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout and herring
• And low in: Saturated and trans fats, Sodium
• And limit: Added sugars

3. Evaluate your exercise and activity level. Do you get at least 30 minutes a day or most days during the week?



Check out your HBP knowledge with a quiz on High Blood Pressure. Go to:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPressure/Test-Your-Blood-Pressure-IQ_UCM_303313_Article.jsp

Better Sleep

As you are well aware, sleep is an important element of your overall health and well-being.  Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night and many college students don’t even come close.  A lack of sleep can lead to poor performance in classes and at work. Insufficient sleep can also affect your mood resulting in irritability and is linked to troubled relationships. 

Here are a few things to try to improve your night’s sleep.

• Try to stick with a sleep schedule where you go to sleep up and wake up at the same time each day.
• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants, which can take up to 8 hours to fully wear off.
• Try to relax and unwind before bed. Stress and anxiety are a major factor contributing to lack of sleep.
• Try to identify a few different stress management techniques that help you such as reading, listening to music or meditating.

Good luck and sweet dreams.