Posts Tagged ‘blood pressure’

A representative from Interim HealthCare will present a talk titled “Blood Pressure” at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The seminar is part of the ongoing “Here’s To Your Health” monthly series.

Blood pressure is considered a barometer of overall circulatory health and is one of the vital signs; it’s a measure taken by medical professionals to assess the body’s most basic functions. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in the arteries. The more blood pumped and the narrower the arteries, the higher the blood pressure.

When blood pressure is too high (also known as hypertension) and left untreated, serious health problems such as heart disease or stroke may occur. High blood pressure is a common condition in people which typically develops over many years and eventually affects nearly everyone. In fact, people can have high blood pressure for years without any symptoms.More than half of seniors have high blood pressure.

This condition is easily detected and managed, but the only way for a person to find out is to have blood pressure measured by a doctor or nurse. A diagnosis of high blood pressure is given if repeated readings are 140/90mmHg or higher.

Reducing high blood pressure is as simple as exercise and a healthy diet. A low-salt, low-fat diet focused on fruits, vegetables and grains has been proven to help reduce hypertension. In addition, 30 minutes of exercise a day is recommended.  For seniors this can translate into simply walking more often or engaging in household chores.

Medication is also an option for those who struggle with implementing a lasting lifestyle change.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.