"Low blood pressure would seem to be something to strive for. However in severe cases, low blood pressure can be life-threatening." This according to an article by the Mayo Clinic staff.
There has been much interest from readers concerning low blood pressure and its effects. Most of this in response to posting "Low Blood Pressure" #98. I have been surprised how many have experienced dizziness and feeling lightheaded. Based from what I have seen, I suspect a lot of those people do not take their blood pressure reading on a daily basis. Some have not been able to associate the symptoms with their blood pressure. As an example, when I first began feeling the symptoms it was not always near a time when I was taking my blood pressure. Therefore I did not put the two together in the beginning. My blood pressure was and is fluctuating from readings of 125/75 to 97/50 or lower. Only after talking to my cardiologist did I confirm low pressure being my problem. Although by then I had begin to have readings well below normal and into the very low ranges. I also begin to take my blood pressure immediately after I would experience the symptoms. Taking all of that into consideration, I thought today we would go a little bit further into understanding more about low blood pressure.
A reading of 90 or below systolic (top reading), or 60 or less diastolic (bottom reading), is considered low blood pressure. Some symptoms are dizziness, light-headedness, fainting, lack of concentration, blurred vision, fatigue, depression. My blood pressure this morning was 94/47 which is somewhat better than it has been. The top reading systolic, measures the pressure your heart generates pumping blood through the arteries. The bottom reading diastolic, is the pressure in your arteries when the heart rest between beats. Many medical experts consider 115/75 to be the ideal blood pressure. This being the opinion of the Mayo Clinic article on low blood pressure. Your blood pressure is usually the lowest at night as you sleep and rest, and rises sharply as you wake up and in the mornings.
There are many conditions that can lead to low blood pressure as it relates to heart patients and heart attack survivors. We will exclude the conditions of trauma, major loss of blood, dehydration. severe infection and others. Low heart rates, heart valve problems, diuretics, alpha blockers, and beta blockers, can all be causes associated with low blood pressure. That is why you should see your cardiologist if you are experiencing low readings and the symptoms. Drops in blood pressure on standing from a lower position are more common to those over 65 years of age. Those taking certain high blood pressure medications have a greater risk of low blood pressure.
My most common and often symptom is when I stand from a sitting, stooped, or bent over position as you would in working in your yard or garden. When this occurs, which is not now uncommon for me, it is more often as I stand from being bent down to a low position. As I stand, I feel lightheaded and as if a tremendous weight or G-force is pushing against my body. It normally lasts for no more than 5-10 seconds at the most and slowly you can feel the return to normal. I have seen my cardiologist twice very recently about this problem. Two of my blood pressure medications have been lowered and currently my pressure readings are being monitored every few weeks. When I exercise there are some movements I do that are the same as going from a low or bent over position to a standing position. I can recall only one time while exercising that I experienced the symptom of low blood pressure. The conclusion I make from that is my heart is working harder and pumping with more force as I exercise and therefore my blood pressure is more in the normal range.
If left untreated, continued low blood pressure can be a serious risk to your health. Severe low blood pressure can deprive your body of enough oxygen to carry out its normal functions, leading to possible damage to your heart and or brain.
Well, I don't like to end on such a low note, however that's about all I have to go over. Next time we will go into exercising for our heart health.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Florida, Butter Pecan Ice Cream, and Twinkies #110
Cindy has gone to Florida with our children and grandchildren for a week or so. I stayed home not feeling like going. My low blood pressure and tiring easily has been sort of all over the place. Meaning, I feel good for a while, then may go for three or four days and not feel like doing much of anything. Sometimes I have to really push myself to go workout. And yes, I do take it easy when working out. Back to the vacation. I really just did not care much for going while feeling as badly as I do, and honestly, I did not want to be around a lot of people and all the commotion that goes with that. They are all going to have a good time and I would be looking for solitude and rest. You know from your experiences when you have all your family together going out to eat at night is usually something everyone looks forward to. And they would want to be going to where the food is good, there is a big crowd, and it is a noisy and fun place. I would be looking for a healthy food place with no crowd that is quiet and slow paced. And I understand each of them want to have some fun and sun. They have worked hard, want some leisure time, to enjoy themselves and family. The dining and being with family are a big part of most peoples vacations. Cindy likes relaxing out by the pool and getting a good sun tan. She told me she was not going to Florida to be the resident cook and baby-sitter. I will miss not being there, Cindy and I will probably go on our own later this summer.
My workouts have been a contradiction to how I have felt the last couple of weeks. I really feel good and invigorated during and after working out. Cindy seems to think my medication changes, combined with my health improvement have something to do with my feeling sort of lackadaisical. She thinks my cardiovascular health and heart have improved so much that the quantity of medication I am taking is having a negative effect on me. At one point yesterday my blood pressure was 81/47. That is not good. Even for a young athletic person that would be too low.
I have had this question ask by readers more than once in various forms. "Is it okay for me to eat twinkies?" Or "can I eat a twinkie after having a heart attack?" There is more than one answer to that question. Such as. Have you ask your cardiologist? What do you think he would tell you? Was your heart attacks basic cause high cholesterol caused by an unhealthy diet? Based on your weight, do you think you should be eating twinkies? Yes, I guess you could stuff some twinkies down while you're laying up there in the hospital's cardiac care ward with needles, tubes, and warning sensors attached to you. Before you try to hit me, understand I have probably eaten more twinkies than you ever will, and I my urge to eat one more twinkie is greater than yours. But I am not going to eat another one. Why? Because it will break the chain of eating to be heart healthy for me. So yes, it is okay to eat a twinkie or two after a heart attack, but where and when do you stop?
Listen, if I gave up butter pecan ice cream, you have to give up twinkies.......
My workouts have been a contradiction to how I have felt the last couple of weeks. I really feel good and invigorated during and after working out. Cindy seems to think my medication changes, combined with my health improvement have something to do with my feeling sort of lackadaisical. She thinks my cardiovascular health and heart have improved so much that the quantity of medication I am taking is having a negative effect on me. At one point yesterday my blood pressure was 81/47. That is not good. Even for a young athletic person that would be too low.
I have had this question ask by readers more than once in various forms. "Is it okay for me to eat twinkies?" Or "can I eat a twinkie after having a heart attack?" There is more than one answer to that question. Such as. Have you ask your cardiologist? What do you think he would tell you? Was your heart attacks basic cause high cholesterol caused by an unhealthy diet? Based on your weight, do you think you should be eating twinkies? Yes, I guess you could stuff some twinkies down while you're laying up there in the hospital's cardiac care ward with needles, tubes, and warning sensors attached to you. Before you try to hit me, understand I have probably eaten more twinkies than you ever will, and I my urge to eat one more twinkie is greater than yours. But I am not going to eat another one. Why? Because it will break the chain of eating to be heart healthy for me. So yes, it is okay to eat a twinkie or two after a heart attack, but where and when do you stop?
Listen, if I gave up butter pecan ice cream, you have to give up twinkies.......
Friday, June 8, 2012
Which Healthy Food Diet For Me.... or Cheetos? #109
One health food I don't discuss is Tofu. Why? Because it is not part of my diet and I do not know much about it. I should try some in a few dishes that I eat. Really for me it is getting to the point that I may stop eating chicken and turkey and go more with a pure vegetarian diet of which Tofu would be part of. Now remember, I said "may stop eating chicken."
I have read several articles about Tofu. What I have found it to be is, "highly nutritious, protein-rich, low in calories, and high in omega-3 fatty acids." Many medical studies indicate Tofu based diets lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Tofu is made from the curd of soy milk and is neutral in flavor. It absorbs the flavor of other ingredients it is prepared with.
I am not an advocate of a vegetarian diet, it is only that I have slowly moved in that direction as I completely changed my eating habits and lifestyle. I enjoy the feeling I now have after a meal. Being full and satisfied after eating probably less than half of what the 'use to be me' would eat. I like not having to eat meat to feel satisfied at a meal. Someone I am very close to recently went on a short, quick weight loss diet. You know the kind of diet I consider useless. To lose weight real quickly after punishing yourself and suffering for a few days. And in a couple of weeks you have gained back what you lost. I ask her why don't you just work on changing your eating habits to more healthier foods and not be concerned about going on a diet? Her answer. "you don't include foods like Cheetos in your diet as good to eat." Which is true, but there is no avoiding the truth in going on a diet as being a temporary method of losing weight, most often as quickly as possible. A committed change of eating habits over to healthy foods being a longer term, slower weight loss results. But it is permanent change to a healthy lifestyle. Many studies have shown that those people changing to a vegetarian diet lost an average of 24 pounds after the first year and continued to lose weight and keep it off after 5 years.
Read up on President Bill Clinton. Hey, he is one of us. Heart problems, terrible eating habits, on and off quickie diets to lose weight, and finally faced the reality like us, that he too was a lucky guy and had dodged a life ending heart event. I am sure most of you know he changed to a vegan lifestyle diet and has become fit and trim. And more importantly, we hope, he has become heart healthy. Going back to #34 Healthy Food And President Clinton you can get more info on the vegan diet.
As a heart attack survivor and heart patient, you are learning how important diet is to you and your health. It is not for me to say, other than based on my own experiences, what specific foods are best for me. The point is to be focused on eating foods that will improve your cholesterol levels to where your cardiologist wants them. And to be eating a diet that will meet your healthy weight goals.
I have read several articles about Tofu. What I have found it to be is, "highly nutritious, protein-rich, low in calories, and high in omega-3 fatty acids." Many medical studies indicate Tofu based diets lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Tofu is made from the curd of soy milk and is neutral in flavor. It absorbs the flavor of other ingredients it is prepared with.
I am not an advocate of a vegetarian diet, it is only that I have slowly moved in that direction as I completely changed my eating habits and lifestyle. I enjoy the feeling I now have after a meal. Being full and satisfied after eating probably less than half of what the 'use to be me' would eat. I like not having to eat meat to feel satisfied at a meal. Someone I am very close to recently went on a short, quick weight loss diet. You know the kind of diet I consider useless. To lose weight real quickly after punishing yourself and suffering for a few days. And in a couple of weeks you have gained back what you lost. I ask her why don't you just work on changing your eating habits to more healthier foods and not be concerned about going on a diet? Her answer. "you don't include foods like Cheetos in your diet as good to eat." Which is true, but there is no avoiding the truth in going on a diet as being a temporary method of losing weight, most often as quickly as possible. A committed change of eating habits over to healthy foods being a longer term, slower weight loss results. But it is permanent change to a healthy lifestyle. Many studies have shown that those people changing to a vegetarian diet lost an average of 24 pounds after the first year and continued to lose weight and keep it off after 5 years.
Read up on President Bill Clinton. Hey, he is one of us. Heart problems, terrible eating habits, on and off quickie diets to lose weight, and finally faced the reality like us, that he too was a lucky guy and had dodged a life ending heart event. I am sure most of you know he changed to a vegan lifestyle diet and has become fit and trim. And more importantly, we hope, he has become heart healthy. Going back to #34 Healthy Food And President Clinton you can get more info on the vegan diet.
As a heart attack survivor and heart patient, you are learning how important diet is to you and your health. It is not for me to say, other than based on my own experiences, what specific foods are best for me. The point is to be focused on eating foods that will improve your cholesterol levels to where your cardiologist wants them. And to be eating a diet that will meet your healthy weight goals.
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