To Your Health
How's Your Blood Pressure?

by Paulette Avery RN, MSN, IBCLC

When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked? What was it?

If you haven't had it checked within the past year or don't know what it was, there are several ways to get it measured. You can make an appointment with your health-care provider and get it checked there. If the person taking your blood pressure doesn't tell you what it is, ask. You can also attend a health fair or see if your local drugstore or supermarket has a blood-pressure machine and get it checked for free.

Next, you need to understand what the numbers mean. The upper number in a blood pressure is the systolic pressure, which measures the pressure within the blood vessels when the heart is contracting. The lower number is the diastolic pressure and refers to the pressure within the blood vessels when the heart is at rest. Until recently, most health professionals were taught that the systolic pressure was the most important number in identifying someone with high blood pressure, also called hypertension. But now it is known that, particularly in people over 50, the diastolic number is equally important.

If your blood pressure is below 120/80, it is considered normal. If the systolic number is from 120 to 139 or the diastolic is from 80 to 89, you fall in the prehypertension range, meaning that you are at risk for developing high blood pressure. An upper number of 140 or higher or a lower number of 90 or higher is designated as high blood pressure. Keep in mind, however, that one high blood-pressure measurement does not mean you are hypertensive because many factors affect the reading. However, if your pressure consistently measures above normal, begin now to do whatever you can to lower it.

Check out the blood-pressure risk calculator on the American Heart Association's Web site at www.americanheart.org. It allows you to enter your current blood pressure and see how making lifestyle changes can improve your reading and lower your health risk.

Healthy lifestyle recommendations for lowering blood pressure include (1) maintaining a BMI (body mass index) of 18-25, and (2) eating a diet that includes eight to ten servings per day of fruits and vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, nuts, and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. Salt and saturated fat intake should be limited. Women should limit alcohol to one drink per day, and men, two. Exercise 30 minutes on most days. You may also try adding meditation or other relaxation techniques into your routine.

When lifestyle changes aren't enough, medication may be needed to bring your blood pressure down to the normal range.

Here's one final suggestion for helping to get elevated blood pressure down: eat celery! At least one study found that rats that ate the equivalent of four stalks of celery per day lowered their blood pressure by 13 percent. Apparently, this effect is due to an oil in celery that allows the muscles that control blood pressure to dilate.

Paulette Avery is a registered nurse and a freelance writer who specializes in health issues.