Written by: Cassandra Wiley, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
High blood pressure is also known as the "silent killer" because you may not show symptoms. Some say that they may get headaches or swollen limbs if they have elevated blood pressure. Others may experience dizziness. So how can you know if you have high blood pressure?
Yearly physicals. When you have check-ups with your health practitioner, they will take your blood pressure. They will inform you if your blood pressure is normal or otherwise. Some people may have "white coat syndrome"; this is the condition in which you have normal pressure at home, but it is high when you're at the doctor's office. Your doctor may tell you that your home readings are the most accurate.
Monitoring at home. If your blood pressure is borderline, your practitioner may advise you to purchase a blood pressure monitor. (Some may even give you one depending on your health benefits). Ideally, your blood pressure should be below 120/80. The top number is the systolic pressure, which is when your heart is beating. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure, which is when the heart is at rest. You can monitor your blood pressure three times daily. When you take your blood pressure, both feet are on the floor with your arm on a flat surface level with your heart.
If you find that your readings indicate high blood pressure, your doctor may attempt to prescribe medication that you will have to take for the rest of your life. Others may work with you to lower your blood pressure naturally with diet and exercise. When potential clients come to me for help with their blood pressure, they do not want to take medication. The medication only treats the symptoms and not the root cause. You can take it and not change your lifestyle, which defeats the purpose. In addition, all prescription medication has side effects, which leads to more or be worse than the illness.
If you are currently on prescription medication for high blood pressure and want to stop, work with a health care provider to reach that goal. Continue taking your medication. There are cases in which people stopped their medication resulting in a heart attack or stroke. Your practitioner may prescribe a lower dosage before stopping the medication.
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Cassandra Wiley, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Cassandra Wiley is a health coach and founder of Have Faith and Live Well with Chasadah LLC. She focuses primarily on chronic illnesses such as pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Her mission is to empower individuals to lose weight and teach a new healthier approach to food so that they can live better lives. She was successful in reversing her pre-diabetes and high cholesterol diagnoses naturally. The weight loss was an added benefit. She has helped clients change their diets and “have faith” in themselves in order to meet their health and wellness goals.
