American Lung Association

7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Reduce Your Risk of High Blood Pressure

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Most of these are really easy to do!

High blood pressure kills – and it kills quietly.

There aren’t any obvious signs (other than a cuff reading) that a person’s blood pressure is dangerously high, which is why many call hypertension the “silent killer”.

It can be tough to see outward signs of pressure building up in a person’s blood vessels until it’s too late and the extra stress on arteries leads to a heart attack, a stroke, or heart failure.

In 2013, the problem contributed to more than 1,000 deaths in the US every day, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Recently, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology lowered the bar for what they consider high blood pressure to a cuff reading above 130/80, down from 140/90.

The new guidelines mean nearly half of adults in the US – 46 percent – should lower their blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association.

Here are some tips on how to do it.

Blood pressure is measured in two numbers. The top number is your systolic pressure, or the amount of pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. It ideally should remain below 120.

The bottom number is your diastolic pressure, or the amount of pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats. It should stay below 80.

1. If you want to lower your blood pressure, spend some time with family and friends – or yourself.

Stress contributes to blood pressure, so enjoying time relaxing with family or friends is a great way to lower your risk of heart problems.

The Mayo Clinic even suggests taking 15 to 20 minutes a day to simply “sit quietly and breathe deeply”.

And being thankful is also great for your heart. A 2015 study found that patients with heart failure who spent more time appreciating life and giving thanks were healthier.

“It seems that a more grateful heart is indeed a more healthy heart,” said Paul Mills, one of the study’s authors. “Gratitude journaling is an easy way to support cardiac health.”

2. Jump around.

A bit of movement can also boost heart health.

When you’re more physically active, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood around the body.

And you don’t have to be a pro athlete to reap all-star benefits from exercising.

A recent study found that people who start high-intensity aerobic exercise in middle age can reverse some of the dangerous and deadly effects of a life spent sitting in a chair or on a couch.

Researchers already knew that a lifetime of exercising four or five days a week helps keep a heart healthy. But the new findings suggest that even a person who shunned exercise for decades can change their ways later in life and become part of the heart-healthy crew.

3. Drink less.

If you’re going to happy hour, moderation is key.

According to the Mayo Clinic, having more than three servings of alcohol in one sitting can temporarily raise your blood pressure, and repeated binging can lead to more long-term blood pressure problems.

Some studies suggest that a bit of moderate drinking – especially wine – can help lower blood pressure and may also reduce a person’s risk of developing diabetes, but researchers are still debating the science behind that.

4. Start reducing the size of your waistline.

By shedding pounds around your middle, you’re increasing blood flow to the brain and reducing strain on your blood vessels – a nice perk for both your body and your mind.

One of the easiest ways to watch your weight and reduce midsection paunch is to eat more filling, flavourful, and fibre-filled foods, like whole grains and protein, while cutting sugar.

5. Slash salt from your diet, and add more fresh fruits and veggies.

Foods that are low in sodium and high in potassium are great options for heart health.

When the level of sodium in your bloodstream increases, it becomes harder for your kidneys to flush impurities from your blood, raising blood pressure. Even eating just a little less salt can make a difference.

Potassium is a natural antidote to sodium’s harmful effects on your blood pressure, so eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, like bananas or avocados, can perform a double-duty favour for your heart.

6. Stress less.

Easier said than done, to be sure.

But stress can (literally) do a number on your blood pressure.

The good news is that many of the other things on this list – including exercising, eating right, taking time to breathe and slow down, and getting enough sleep – are good ways to deal with stress.

7. And finally, if you smoke, it’s a good idea to quit.

The nicotine a smoker inhales triggers an immediate spike in blood pressure – and though it’s temporary and doesn’t correspond with higher blood pressure levels throughout the day, it can lead to longer-lasting problems in the blood vessels.

The chemicals in tobacco can cause the arteries to narrow and damage the lining of their walls, prompting a spike in blood pressure.

The American Lung Association says people who quit smoking can start to reduce their risk of a heart attack in as little as two weeks.

Tobacco Giant’s New Year’s Resolution: ‘Give Up Cigarettes’

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“Incredulous” may best describe reactions from anti-smoking groups to an advertising campaign launched this week by tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI) vowing to stop selling cigarettes.

The full page ads, which first ran Tuesday in several British newspapers, included the tag line “Our New Year’s Resolution, We’re Trying to Give Up Cigarettes.”

“Philip Morris is known for cigarettes. Every year, many smokers give them up. Now it’s our turn,” the copy read, adding that, “Our ambition is to stop selling cigarettes in the UK. It won’t be easy.”

American Lung Association (ALA) president and CEO Harold P. Wimmer issued a terse response in a statement issued Thursday: “Stop selling cigarettes today.”

“This is another PR stunt from a company that has used countless PR stunts to addict and kill millions of people over the last 60 years,” ALA assistant vice president of national advocacy Erika Sward told MedPage Today.

“We have no reason to believe that they have turned over a new leaf in 2018. The bottom line is they can put their money where their mouth is and stop selling cigarettes today.”

In response to MedPage Today‘s request for comment, a spokesperson for PMI noted that the U.K. initiative “demonstrates the global commitment of our company to have cigarettes replaced by science-based, smoke-free alternatives as quickly as possible, to the benefit of smokers, public health and society at large.”

“Providing less harmful alternatives to smokers who would otherwise not quit is a common-sense approach to public health, embraced by a growing number of experts and health authorities worldwide,” the statement read.

“Today, science and technology allow us to provide smokers with better alternatives to cigarettes. Smoke-free products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products do not generate the vast majority of chemicals found in cigarette smoke, and therefore have clear potential to be less harmful options for the millions of men and women who would otherwise continue smoking.”

The anti-tobacco groups Truth Initiative and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids were highly critical of the launch early last year by PMI of a website touting the company’s commitment to a “smoke-free future.”

“As long as Philip Morris continues to do everything it can to fight proven policies and programs that reduce smoking and continues to aggressively market cigarettes around the world, often in ways that appeal to children, their claims do not deserve to be taken seriously,” a joint statement from the groups read.

In an email exchange with MedPage Today, Truth Initiative CEO and President Robin Koval agreed that if the tobacco giant was serious about its stated goal to abandon combustible cigarettes, “they would stop selling cigarettes immediately.”

 “The recent ad run by Philip Morris International (PMI) in the U.K. that they’re “trying to give up cigarettes,” feels more like an April Fool’s joke than a New Year’s resolution,” Koval noted.

Philip Morris reports spending billions of dollars developing nicotine delivery products designed to give smokers what it calls safer alternatives to traditional combustible cigarettes.

The company’s heat-not-burn, heat stick product IQOS has been wildly popular in Japan since its launch in late 2014, and the product is now sold in limited markets in more than two dozen countries. It’s currently under consideration by the FDA for U.S. marketing.

Get moving to breathe easy.

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In April, 2013, The American Lung Association (ALA) released their latest State of the Air report, which highlighted mixed results in reducing air pollution in the USA. While in the UK, air quality was also a key concern, with the UK Supreme Court reporting that the country is in breach of the European Union’s air quality directive for nitrogen dioxide levels from traffic pollution. This ruling is welcome as it could force the UK Government into action to avoid punitive fines by finally addressing the growing issue of increased traffic on its roads and the consequences for air quality.

So what are the key challenges when considering air pollution, and where should we start? A reduction in life expectancy from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as a result of air pollution is well established. However, studies at the recent American Thoracic Society’s 2013 conference showed that risks can be greater than previously thought, and can have multiple effects on respiratory diseases; for example, even low levels of traffic pollution has been shown to increase asthma morbidity in pregnant women, and expectant mothers living near major roads have children at increased risk of respiratory infections before the age of 3 years. But even a small reduction in particulate matter (PM) 2·5 can improve life expectancy; a study in Epidemiology earlier this year showed an increase in mean life expectancy of 0·35 years for a 10 μg/m3 decrease in PM 2·5. Unfortunately, as in this paper, most data on pollution and its effects on health are derived from association studies, and considered weak evidence, because quantifying the risk and benefit of any single factor can be difficult, and data are affected by chance, confounding, and interlinking risks. Furthermore, it might not be in governments’ interests to monitor accurately the levels of any pollution, and government and independent measures can differ. Independent studies are therefore vital to improve the evidence base and prompt action.

The ALA report is a good basis on which to build quality evidence and action plans that could be applied globally. Data for the report were compiled by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which measured levels of two major pollutants, ozone and PM 2·5, from 2009 to 2011. Encouragingly, 18 cities had reduced annual average PM 2·5 in this latest 2013 ALA report, and a record number of four cities were on all three of the cleanest cities lists. However, 42% of the US population (more than 131 million people) still live in counties with unhealthy levels of either smog or PM 2·5. Nevertheless, much progress has been made recently in major industrial countries to tackle the enormity of the problem. Legislation in the USA and Europe, such as the Clean Air Act of 1970 and EU Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air (2008/50/EC), have provided a framework for regulatory agencies and governments to tackle major types of air pollution, with the requirements of EU directives from 2004 and 2008 being transferred into English law in the 2010 Air Quality Standards Regulation.

But despite some progress, there is no room for complacency, and monetary support should be diverted from projects likely to increase pollution to those that encourage greener transport, transport-free areas, improved road infrastructure, and safety for cyclists. The EPA has recently announced funding of around US$9 million for projects that reduce diesel emissions, while President Obama launched a publicly accessible platform in May, 2013, that will search and synthesise metadata to help to analyse links between climate change and health. Projects such as green walls at major traffic intersections are additional admirable efforts, and many countries, often at city level, are embracing efforts to increase and protect cyclists on the road, and to try and encourage motorists out of their cars. Plane travel could be reduced through use of modern telecommunications, lessening the need for physical face-to-face meetings and additional runways. Carbon offsetting has also been at the forefront of individual and industry efforts to protect air quality and the environment. However, the ruling by the UK Supreme Court suggests that the innovation and forward thinking that is required at the government level to address pollution is still some way off fruition, at least in the UK, perhaps because air quality in the UK is a devolved responsibility.

The industrial revolution has changed forever the societies of developed countries and the irony of this progress is that individuals have become increasingly sedentary. This lack of movement has not only polluted the air we breathe, from increased traffic and reduced green spaces, but has also spread insidious tentacles of morbidity, disease, and death that act synergistically in a vicious circle. Practical incentives and action plans must be set to break down this circle at both the government and individual level. Current efforts should be acknowledged, but must be escalated if we are all to breathe easy in the future.

Source: lancet