I've now taken my blood pressure 500 times since 7January2012 when a friend of mine got the scare of his life by contracting transient global amnesia, which he linked to a sudden jump in his blood pressure.
That concerned me, so I went home and measured mine and was shocked to read 165/95, then later in the evening to 195/110. I ascribed this frighteningly high pressure to all the salt I consumed over the New Year's weekend.
On 20January2012 I followed with a posting on "How to Lower Your Blood Pressure."
1. Walking on a golf course for 18 holes is good, very good. According to one source.
a. Carrying your bag for 18 holes burns close to 1500 calories.
b. Interestingly enough, pushing/pulling a golf cart is only a few calories less.
c. Riding on a cart takes 800 calories.
But losing weight is an extra benefit of the more important cardio-stress.
2. Salt tends to increase my blood pressure (BP).
3. The need to urinate and pass my bowels raises my BP.
4. Extreme hunger significantly raises my BP.
5. The higher the pulse rate, the lower the BP. Or conversely, the lower the pulse rate, the higher the BP.
6. Alcohol does not seem to affect the BP. In fact, it is possible that one or two drinks might lower mine. The Mayo Clinic insists that alcohol increases BP. I contend, though, that because doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, they feel obligated to preach against smoking and drinking. Thus, only very heavy drinkers are studied, revealing that these boozers have a blood pressure 2-4 points / 1-2 points higher. That's all? Everything should be in moderation anyway, plus up to ten ounces/day of wine (that is 38% the whole bottle) actually is good for you (5 ounces for females). That is, people who drink ethanol live longer than people who don't. Anyway, I was surprised that, after a week of no alcohol, there were no withdrawal symptoms or anything like what I had expected. In fact, by the end that week, I could have almost quit forever. But....why?
2. Salt tends to increase my blood pressure (BP).
3. The need to urinate and pass my bowels raises my BP.
4. Extreme hunger significantly raises my BP.
5. The higher the pulse rate, the lower the BP. Or conversely, the lower the pulse rate, the higher the BP.
6. Alcohol does not seem to affect the BP. In fact, it is possible that one or two drinks might lower mine. The Mayo Clinic insists that alcohol increases BP. I contend, though, that because doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, they feel obligated to preach against smoking and drinking. Thus, only very heavy drinkers are studied, revealing that these boozers have a blood pressure 2-4 points / 1-2 points higher. That's all? Everything should be in moderation anyway, plus up to ten ounces/day of wine (that is 38% the whole bottle) actually is good for you (5 ounces for females). That is, people who drink ethanol live longer than people who don't. Anyway, I was surprised that, after a week of no alcohol, there were no withdrawal symptoms or anything like what I had expected. In fact, by the end that week, I could have almost quit forever. But....why?
Then on 2February2012 I wrote "An Update on Lowering Your Blood Pressure and Low Density Lipoprotein." Thus, this is my fourth focus on blood pressure. My grand summary is:
1. Salt might NOT be affecting my blood pressure much. At least the effect is not terrible.
2. Contrary to most medical studies, my blood pressure is inversely proportional to pulse rate. This is why my pressure is highest when I first wake up, for my pulse rate is typically between 48 and 52. When I'm walking on a golf course, my pulse rate increases into the 80's, but my blood pressure drops to 120/70. Yes, I have a wrist monitor, too.
3. Extreme hunger is bad, very bad. Typically, my 130/80 leaps to 160/90. However, my doctor today indicated that these spikes are not particularly of concern. What is to be avoided are high pressures for long periods of time. My thinking, though, is that if I'm going to be struck by a heart attack, aneurysm or stroke, these sudden jumps can trigger a terminal effect if you have any kind of weakness in your circulatory system. The problem is that to combat these jumps, I'm probably eating too often and too much. My weight has almost returned to what it was three years ago.
4. Be very careful when you first awake! This is mostly when all those bad things mentioned in #3 occur. The medical profession says myocardial infarction is thought to be due to the sympathetic surge associated with awakening in the morning. That's it, and they don't warn us to be careful. Of course this is a dangerous moment because your pulse rate is low, you are hungry, you want to go the bathroom (which kicks up the pressure) and there is the shock of awakening.
5. Three ounces of scotch or ten ounces of wine tend to lower my blood pressure during that two hour period. Plus, a regular diet of alcohol must lower my low density lipoprotein in my blood.
6. Smoking a cigar does not increase my pressure. This was unexpected.
7. No big surprise, but my pressure jumps when I drive at night, participate in a stressful meeting and find myself in danger.
Thus, it is clear what I should do for the rest of my life: lose a few pounds, regularly walk on a golf course, drink regularly in moderation, don't get uber hungry, minimize salt, avoid stressful encounters, sleep long and well, with naps as necessary, and take smart precautions when I wake up. Mind you, my body could be different from yours...but, perhaps not.
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Hurricane Guchol is at 115 MPH, and will reach Category 4 strength, but appears now to be projected to move east of Japan by Monday. As I will be at the Yeosu World Ocean Expo near Busan (South Korea) on Wednesday, that is good news for me.
Hurricane Charlotta at 90 MPH just made landfall at Puerto Escondido and is heading for Acapulco.
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