A close friend recently mentioned that at his last annual exam the doc warned he was showing high Blood Pressure (B/P). He’s tall, slim, active and watches what he eats. But he does have age working against him. As you may be aware, B/P does tend to rise with age (genetic factors protecting some of us more than others). The scope of this aging disadvantage is surprising. Sources may vary a bit, but here is a common breakdown of Hypertension (B/P over 140/90) in different age categories.
| Age | % with Hypertension |
| 18 – 39 | 7% |
| 40 – 59 | 32% |
| 60 + | 65% |
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It’s NOT inevitable that we face this, but B/P seems to climb more quickly over 50. That leaves us facing the fact that approximately 2 out of every 3 older adults deal with B/P higher than desired.
The title here is “10 Tips to Make you SMILE etc.” Was I lying? No. I will get to the more pleasurable portions after including a few “must-say” points.
The “Must Say” Points
1. Why is Blood Pressure (B/P) important? Even when it is outrageously high, we feel no symptoms or pain. Yet, if “left unchecked” it can easily lead to stroke… heart attacks…major vision problems… later dementia… and kidney disease.
2. The two numbers always sound so confusing, but that’s just medical lingo. Here is the scoop to remember:
———-Heart beating (technically the top/high number or systolic)
———-Heart resting (technically the bottom/low number or diastolic)
3. For a few decades now, the ‘beating’ number for most adults was suggested as below 140 (which technically means 140 ml of mercury on the reader). It was altered to “below 150” for people over 60. In part this more lenient recommendation undoubtedly has a lot to do with the ubiquitous high numbers for those over 60. I am certain it has decreased the stress and worry for many who are nearing, or in, the higher range of readings. That part is terrific. However, for those who are health-conscious and wish to be proactive, a target below 130 is a better (and achievable) goal.
In 2016 the SPRINT trial (Systolic B/P Intervention Trial) demonstrated positive outcomes for the extra efforts. (See overview.) The sample size was large (9,300 people) who either already had kidney disease or were at high risk for heart disease. Thirty percent of them were over age 75. Older trial subjects who were able to aggressively lower their beating (Systolic) measure to 120, compared to 140, were 1/3rd (33%) less likely to suffer heart failure, a non-fatal heart attack or a stroke during the 5 years of the trial. Impressive difference.
One caveat is that trying “aggressively” is not always advised. Particularly true if you are over 60 and already on B/P meds – or have other risk factors and have already lowered to 130 or less. In that case, maintaining what you have in positive ways (like our 10 tips) may be preferable to adding another drug.
With the many health advantages of lowering B/P, I doubt any of us would disagree it’s worth trying. Especially so if there are EASY, cheap and actually enjoyable approaches to lowering, or at least maintaining, reasonable levels. The easy-to-pick low-hanging fruit is just as sweet.
Typical Advice NOT to be Addressed in this Blog
I kind of snot-laugh when doctors (or articles) start out by proclaiming “well, the easiest thing to do to control your B/P is to lose weight.” People who are overweight have lots of reasons to lose it, and all would share that it is NOT “the easiest thing to do” – no matter what the motivation. If weight loss is your sole focus, especially without help or a plan that suits you, it’s difficult. Weight maintenance is indeed an element to reduce B/P, but it’s not one I am specifically concentrating on here.
Further, this is not going to be a simple dietary lifestyle change. Helpful on one hand. Stressful on the other.
Finally, I am not going to include medications, whether conventional or alternative (herbs and supplements). I might explore them in another blog one day, but not this day.
This post is for tips that I hope will literally make you smile. I don’t mean smile just reading them, but when you adopt them into your weekly habits.
10 Fun & Easy Tips to make you SMILE about Improving Your B/P
1. Music
As a registered Music Therapist in a ‘previous life,’ this may be my favorite. It is slightly more time consuming than the other tips, but very enjoyable. For 30 minutes a day, combine slow rhythmic, harmonic music (such as classical, Indian raga or Celtic) with deep breathing. Preferably, this is done in a comfortable or reclining position. The results can be substantial. One reported study at the American Society of Hypertension explained that within a week of using music in this manner, the contracting ‘beating’ pressure (systolic) can drop over 3 points, and within a month over 4 points. Additionally, other studies show this type of music can improve vasodilation (widening blood vessels, the opposite of dangerous vasoconstriction) by 26%.
Note: Therapeutic genres of music vary greatly, and but so do selections within each. Mozart’s “Serenade #13 in G Major” and Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” (both which seem rather excitable to me) have been subjected to testing with good results. But I would warn that all classical pieces are not equally effective. Something like Barber’s “Adagio for Strings in D” while very slow is used by music therapists and film makers the world over to create haunting, gut-retching and painful images of death. Perhaps not quite what we are looking for, eh? Meditative or “New Age” music like Enya or Yanni may sound bland to some ears, but can work well for this purpose.
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2. Laugh at White Coats
There are two benefits here. First is the clear influence laughing can play in reducing B/P via its role on our emotional state and stress reduction. We just don’t laugh enough. Remember the late-Norman Cousin’s big push to bring “laugh therapy” to the masses, especially for temporary pain-relief for cancer patients. Now the research related to B/P is quite positive. And it’s more accessible now. During Cousin’s time you had to go out to rent a video tape (recall that – ‘go out’ and ‘rent’ and ‘videos tapes’?). Now comedy movies and clips are easily available with streaming services on your computer or TV. Even folks enmeshed in politics can find humor that matches their views, like my progressive friends who love Randy Rainbow and all his music comedy clips. No matter your taste in politics, or your taste in wit, you can easily find humor with a simple search-click. Easy to enjoy its payback. The bigger the belly-laugh the better.
The 2nd benefit? You may have heard the term “white coat hypertension” before. It’s incredibly common for B/P to spike while being recorded in the doctor’s office. [Indeed, our B/P can spike and vary 30-40 points throughout the day for various reasons.] So next time you are in the health care provider’s office and it’s time for the cuff….
———-1) Close your eyes, breathe and smile in preparation;
———-2) ‘Enjoy’ the loving ‘hug’ you are experiencing from the cuff (use your imagination);
———-3) Bring to mind whatever it was that made you laugh last.
These quick steps may overcome the white coat spike, which also avoids extra stress and worry in anticipation of a possibly high reading. I’d say ‘try it at home’ but that would kind of skew the results of my suggestion.
3. Eat Chocolate
Of course, too much chocolate …… blah, blah, blah. Overdoing it adds sugar and calories (neither good for B/P). Yet, according to a Yale study reported at WebMD, eating a small chocolate bar (real small, like 1.5 ounces ) or 2 square of a bar can lower B/P about 3 points (and reduce inflammation). Sadly, while most of my favorite bars are 55% cacao, the success is noted with darker chocolates (at least 60-70%). The daily ‘therapy’ is not simply from the pleasure its taste brings, and so reducing stress – no. Flavonoids in the chocolate help dilate and widen your blood vessels (there’s that vasodilation again). The NIH reported on a large-sample study (14,310 people) and revealed that those subjects who ate more dark chocolate had lower B/P than those who ate none (or less).
4. Keep the Salt Shaker on the Table and in the Game
PLEASE, tell me you know that there is a “BUT” coming. We all need salt to function property and not everyone is terribly sensitive to salt intake, but most of us get too much.
[1/4 teaspoon has approximately 57.5 mg/sodium. Guidelines recommend less than 1500 mg for folks over 50. The typical American eats about 3,400 mg/day.]
The scores of studies on why excess salt perpetuates increased B/P continue to expand. There are multiple components, but we will just take it as gospel for now.
So, why keep the salt shaker? Most of us could keep our salt fairly well in check – in cooking, baking, seasoning, even at the table. The culprit, as you may realize, is processed foods. Things like chips are obvious, but breads, canned soup, lunch meats (even veggie types), crackers and other processed snacks may be less apparent villains.
My B/P is fine, but it is still good practice for everyone to consider salt. Honestly, I’m probably not going to stop eating all the bad things with hidden salt. Perhaps you feel the same. So, let’s make a game out of the US Food and Drug Administration’s sodium standards (5% or less = low; 20% = high).
The Sodium Game
Here’s my Sodium game – 2 rules only. When in the market:
A) Try to keep ALL products under 15%
B) Refuse to buy anything over 20%
The simple game is easy. It’s not the ultimate benchmark method, and doesn’t guarantee a low salt diet. But it is easy and will have at least a minimum positive effect. However, if you are interested in other tricks for allowing your salt shaker to stay on the table, while still reducing sodium, consider these.
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- No one likes bland food. Tangy flavoring like vinegar and citrus or lemon juices somehow satisfy the saltier taste. I try to use these as much as possible.
- Kelp substitutes are higher in sodium than Irish moss or Nori.
- Season food more to reduce need for salt, instead using spices like garlic, onion, shallots, chilies, ginger.
I hesitate to add this as it seems less likely to cause smiles, but I’ll do so for information sake. For those who are most disciplined, NIH recommends using the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to STOP Hypertension). No surprises here, but in a nutshell (low salt of course), it emphasizes:
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5. Hand Gripping
Another fun one. Hand gripping – if done correctly – can reduce B/P by approximately 10% over a 10 week period (2014 study citied at NIH – National Institute of Health). I will explain the simple, quick process below. But review the portion about ‘equipment’ closely before jumping in; some grippers may be too hard for you. The activity is safe for almost everyone, but if you suffer from arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, you may find it too difficult to effectively squeeze as directed. Personally I think that an overly zealous workout on a strong spring-loaded type gripper (the most commonly seen) could also cause tendonitis (like tennis elbow).
Specific gripping items mentioned below, or perhaps thick squishy toys, would be a better start. Further, and more importantly, I suggest everyone commence slowly. Start slowly not just with the amount of strength you use, but how long you schedule a session. Maybe begin with 30 seconds rather than 2 minutes. Yes, this may extend the period it takes to see initial progress, but it will be worth it in the end and ensure your continued pleasure. You can perform this while listening to music or watching TV – a comedy, I hope. [Perhaps not during the nightly news.]
Process – based on American Heart Association protocol.
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- Choose your gripper object – (see equipment below)
- Grip object once at full strength– to either determine (or at least get a feel for) YOUR full strength. [This can vary from day-to-day and hand-to-hand.]
- Squeeze and maintain constant grip strength for 2 minutes at a time, at approximately a third of your full strength (even at 1/3 strength this isn’t THAT easy). Don’t go beyond the 1/3 level.
NOTE: gripping too tight, at full strength, too long could RAISE your B/P. Also it’s easy to start gripping harder, or to lighten up more than planned, if you aren’t paying attention. That’s when the computerized or mechanical gadgets below have an advantage. - Rest 1 minute (or 2)
- Alternate hands. I suggest this to avoid muscular/tendon/ligament problems, but it is not necessarily part of the regimen.
- Repeat this hold & rest cycle 4 times (for a total of 12 minutes). Best to start slow – for everyone.
[Because I recommend alternating hands, this means sticking with 12 minutes – you may seem some recommendations for a longer time. But whether you schedule for 12 minutes or 18, make certain you do the cycles equally for each hand. For the 12 minute session, grip 2 minutes with right, rest 1 minute, grip 2 minutes with Left, rest 1 minute, repeat switching hands.]
For those (like my husband) who can’t stand to count the last rest, you could be finished in 11 minutes. - Complete 3-5 sessions/week.
What to Use? Choosing the Correct Gripper for You.
My least favorite (but most common) is the spring-loaded hand gripper that you see in almost any department or sporting goods store. They come in mild and moderate resistance, not just strong, but they are still tough and can create hand/arm problems for those who take on too much at once. You can use light ‘stress balls’ that are designed for this purpose, or even squishy toys, which I just love the feel of and seem to call out to be squeezed (just watch people in the stores). With any of these three, you cannot know for sure how strong you are gripping or if you are constant and consistent. Still, they are readily available and inexpensive; and the squishy toys are not likely to cause pain.
There are at least two mechanized aids made for this purpose. They may call them dynamometers, but they are different than the heavy-duty (and heavy) Jamar models in the PT or chiropractor’s office. The most commonly mentioned one is the computerized Zona Plus. It’s got everything you could want, except the price tag of course (between $500 and $700 for the upscale model). A less expensive (MUCH less expensive) one is the $25-30 Camry gripper. [The customer satisfaction rating at Amazon is not great for the Zona Plus. I wonder if it is due to lack of results, not following the protocol, or people having buyers’ remorse over the price tag.]
See this video (below) comparing a Zona Plus to the Camry, from the blog “high blood pressure be gone.com,” which I think is very user-friendly.
One other point, for those with a systolic reading of 180 or more, this type of gripping could cause temporary (and unwelcomed) spiking. The American Heart Association (Hypertension Journal, April 2013) recommends that these folks avoid it until the hypertension is under control, or talk about easing into it with your health care provider.
FINAL THOUGHT – End of Part I
The final 5 tips will be incorporated into Part II. Wondering about my motive for dividing this article?
- Longer articles are difficult to digest and to keep attention.
- I am hoping you will start at least one of the tips now (out of the first 5) and establish it as habit before the next five beckon your devotion.
- B/P maintenance or improvement is vitally important to us ALL – not just those who know they have high B/P. I want to make February a theme month for the heart.
![C:\Users\Barbara Klein\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\IE\6SQYNK6O\valentine-day-clipart-for-teachers[1].png](https://i0.wp.com/agingwithpizzazz.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/c-users-barbara-klein-appdata-local-microsoft-win.png?resize=269%2C300)
Aging with Pizzazz has always had a mission of providing low-hanging fruit for people. Think of these February posts as my Valentine to you – picked from the low hanging valentine tree.
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Picture credit – Title – Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
References:
Music Therapy and B/P: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3860955/
Beyond Medications and Diet: Alternative Approaches to Lowering Blood Pressure – A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, Hypertension, April 2013 https://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/61/6/1360.long
Journal of Hypertension: https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/pages/default.aspx
High Blood Pressure Be gone website/blog. Handy, personal info. Link.
