Are You at Risk for High Blood Pressure?

Do you know what the risks are of high blood pressure? How do you know if you are at risk? There are many different causes for high blood pressure. In this article you will find out if you are at risk and how you can help prevent and control your high blood pressure.

Your blood pressure is high if it is over 120/80, which is the normal level of blood pressure. There are many everyday lifestyle habits that raise your pressure that you might not be aware of. One of those is being overweight. If you are overweight you are at a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

Try to start a healthy diet or start exercising. Even losing a measly ten pounds can help you drastically and keep your blood pressure normal. Physical inactivity is also another lifestyle habit that causes many Americans to develop high blood pressure.

If you are not very physically active, consider starting to be. You can easily adapt exercise to your everyday routine; you just have to plan it out. Try to do at least thirty minutes of exercise a day. This will help lower or control your blood pressure.

Many people are not concerned with what they eat, yet they want to be healthy. These two do not go together. If you want to stay healthy, you have to watch what you eat. Having unhealthy eating habits can cause high blood pressure as well. Try to eat less salt or sodium and more vegetables and fruits.

Using tobacco products is a great risk for developing high blood pressure. Smoking is a very common habit among the world and many of these people might have high blood pressure and not even know it. There are many ways to help rid the habit of nicotine or use of any tobacco product.

Every one is stressed at some point during their lives. You might be stressed every day or just once in awhile. Whatever the case may be, you can still develop high blood pressure through stress. If you find yourself stressed more often than not, consider some relaxation techniques. Meditation is a great way to start. If this doesn’t work, consider something different.

Drinking alcohol also causes high blood pressure. Do you drink quite a bit? More than two drinks for a man and more than one for a woman can raise their blood pressure. If you drink more than this, consider cutting back. Once again, if you are addicted to drinking, or smoking, you can find many ways to help you quit.

These are very common lifestyle habits that cause high blood pressure. If you are at risk for high blood pressure or already have it, consider purchasing a home blood pressure monitoring device. This can help ensure that whatever habits you are changing or modifying are working.

Sometimes this change is not enough. You might have to use medication or incorporate medication with your exercise routine, etc. The best way to know this is to visit your doctor. Ask any and all questions you might be concerned about. They will happy to assist you in helping you have a healthier and active lifestyle.

You Can Control Diabetes

Perhaps you, like many other Americans, have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes can be a life threatening condition and can cause many different complications in individuals with this illness. If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, be aware that you can control diabetes. By maintaining your weight, following the instructions of your doctor and taking your medication, as well as watching your diet, you can eliminate the complications that often arise in someone with this condition.

There are many ways you can control diabetes. Many people who are first diagnosed have a period of time where they are in denial. Although Type II diabetes has become somewhat of a national epidemic, many people refuse to believe that they could possibly have this disease. Perhaps they are not overweight or do not eat a lot of sweets. These are only two precursors to diabetes. Many people who are not overweight or who do not eat a lot of sugar have also been diagnosed with Type II diabetes. It strikes everyone. And there are also some indications that it can be an inherited disorder. If you have a first degree relative who has diabetes, there is a very good chance that you may inherit this disorder. You should bring this matter to the attention of your physician so he or she can do some simple blood tests to determine if you are at risk for diabetes.

You can control diabetes. If you are diagnosed with Type II diabetes, one of the first things you need to do is to get a blood sugar monitor so that you can keep a record of your blood sugar. Your doctor will want you to do this several times a day, particularly after you eat. You will also, most likely, be prescribed certain medications. You should take them as directed. You will also be given diet suggestions.

Many people who have Type II diabetes are non compliant. This means that they do not take their medicine, monitor their blood sugar and eat all the wrong things. You can control diabetes if you simply comply with your doctor’s instructions.

One of the best things you can do to control diabetes is by being aware of the Glycemic Index that is given to certain carbohydrates. Those with Type II diabetes are warned to stay away from carbohydrates. Diabetics have a difficult time breaking down the sugars and starches and absorbing them into their system. Certain carbohydrates have higher blood glucose levels which takes them longer break down. By being aware of which carbohydrates rank high in the glycemic index is just one way to monitor the glycerin, which is the amount of glucose in the blood. It is imperative for a diabetic to monitor their glycemia.

You can control diabetes if you take your prescribed medication, monitor your blood sugars, become aware of carbohydrates that are high in the gylcemic index and keep an eye on your glycemia, which is the concentration of glucose in the blood. By complying with medication, testing and diet, you can keep your diabetes under control.

Age And Cholesterol-Key Factors For Health Change

Many people think that cholesterol is bad for you… period. But that is inaccurate. The truth is that you need this substance and it is produced in your body. What is a problem is that age and cholesterol both tend to go up.

That means that as you age, you naturally tend to see your cholesterol levels go up. That trend is especially true with women.

Age and cholesterol can be a problem for men and women but post menopausal women might be at higher risk.

Prior to menopause, women tend to have lower LDL, or bad cholesterol levels then men of the same age, but after menopause women’s LDL levels often go higher.

You have both good, HDL, and bad, LDL, cholesterol in your body. The trick is to keep the good cholesterol at high levels and the bad cholesterol at low levels.

HDL tends to act as a cleaner and will keep your arteries flushed out. That is why it is so important to keep your levels balanced.

No matter what your age, or gender, there are many things you can do to make sure you keep your cholesterol levels in balance and at a healthy level.

It isn’t rocket science and it isn’t new but it is important. You also need to talk to your doctor.

You need to find out what your current levels are so you know what the appropriate course of action will be.

Once you’ve talked to your doctor, you can also start implementing some of these tips:

1. Eat better. All you need to do is stop eating so many foods that are high fat. Things like beef, dairy and fried foods.

Now, don’t think that means you have to give up every food you love, in many cases you may not need to. Sometimes, just cutting back a little bit can make a big difference.

Instead, start eating fewer servings of those bad for you things. You can cut back on the amount of times per week that you eat meat, for example.

Also, it isn’t all just about cutting back on some foods, but also about adding others. There are some foods that will help you lower your bad and raise your good cholesterol levels.

Things like nuts, brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables and fish are some of the most common things you can substitute in your diet and start seeing results.

2. If you aren’t currently getting some regular exercise, now is the time to start. Every time you move your body it can be good for you.

You don’t need to go extreme or hardcore, and you should always check with your doctor first, but just get moving.

As you get stronger you should, and probably will want to, add more varied exercises to your routine.

Hey, we can’t do anything about getting older. And as we age, we all know that some things will change. But, we aren’t totally at the mercy of those extra years.

We do have things we can do to mitigate the effects on age and cholesterol levels and you can start right now…as soon as you see your doctor, of course.

IPL Acne Scars-Laser Treatments Are Popular

Laser treatments for acne have become more popular in recent years, but many people are not able to take advantage of them for any number of reasons. The good news is that there is another possible treatment. With IPL acne scars can be reduced or completely eliminated. IPL is short for Intense Pulse Light and while not an actual laser treatment, both methods rely on beams of light to eradicate acne scars.

When it comes to acne scars, IPL is often more affordable than laser treatments. One of the big reasons for this is that the IPL machine is less expensive than a laser machine. Of course the dermatologist or aesthetician can still charge you as much as they want, but all other things being equal, IPL acne scars treatment could save you quite a bit of money.

The cost of the treatment may not matter to some people, but some of us prefer methods that will save us money. This becomes even more of a factor because health insurance rarely covers IPL or laser treatments for acne. It is normally considered a cosmetic procedure, but be sure to check your insurance policy to see if the treatment is covered in certain circumstances.

Notice that either a dermatologist or an aesthetician can use an IPL device (in most jurisdictions, be sure to check where you live). Therefore, you may not have to go to a doctor’s office to get the treatment done. However, you do have a chance, no matter how small, that an office visit would be covered by your insurance, but a visit to an aesthetician won’t be.

Whether you go to a dermatologist or an aesthetician, what you really need to watch out for is how experienced they are with giving IPL acne scars treatments. As long as the person operating the machine is knowledgeable in its use, then you should see the results you are looking for. While IPL devices are relatively simple, it can be reassuring to know that you are being treated with skilled hands.

It doesn’t matter who’s using the device if the device itself doesn’t work; so does IPL work for reducing the scars caused by acne. At least one medical journal published a report that showed a noticeable improvement on inflamed and raised scars, though it was deemed to be more effective on smaller scars. Some studies have led researchers to believe that IPL acne treatments increase collagen production which makes the skin look smoother and helps to reduce scarring. However, IPL treatments can be applied to scars of just about any size, though you should discuss any concerns you have with the person doing your treatment.

While there may be a few minor drawbacks with IPL acne scars treatments, it appears as though the potential benefits are far greater. What it comes down to is this: you do not have to live with acne scars any longer, and IPL treatments are one of the viable options that you can use.