Becoming a Readhead? Streicher Sister Share Their Beauty Tips

Becoming a Readhead? Streicher Sister Share Their Beauty Tips - The Streicher sisters—hairdresser Ashley, temples craftsman Kristie, and cosmetics expert Jenn—offer their master counsel on the best way to end up a Titian-haired magnificence. 

17 Things That Helped Me Lose 85 Pounds in Eight Month

17 Things That Helped Me Lose 85 Pounds in Eight Month - Hi! I’m Arielle. Between May 2015 and now, I’ve lost 85 pounds, dropped five sizes, ran a 10K, and learned a ton about healthy lifestyle changes.

Heroin Overdoses In New London

Heroin Overdoses In New London - Eight individuals were treated for diacetylmorphine doses on Thursday associate degreed a ninth has died from an overdose, prompting health officers to warn that a very fatal provide of the drug is being oversubscribed in New London.

"We've had associate degree new variety of diacetylmorphine overdoses return to the ER in sooner or later. We've ne'er seen such a big amount of during a 24-hour amount," said Dr. Deirdre Cronin, emergency department MD at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. "There is a few diacetylmorphine out there that that's abundant stronger or tougher or it's mixed with another drug."

Cronin same the emergency department ordinarily sees no quite one dose each day.

In addition to the 9 overdoses on Thursday, L+M treated 3 dose patients on weekday, she said. a minimum of four of the victims ar believed to be from New London and one is believed to be from urban center.

Heroin Overdoses In New London

The patient UN agency died apparently passed on to the great beyond before being delivered to the hospital.

The others had all stopped respiratory and had to be Narcan, associate degree injection given to counteract the results of narcotic overdoses, Cronin same.

"There's likely to be a lot of tonight," Cronin same at concerning 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Some of the patients snorted the diacetylmorphine and also the others injected it, she said.

They were all addicts victimization their "regular quantity," she said, however overdosed as a result of the efficiency of the availability being oversubscribed in New London.

Patients same the diacetylmorphine was brown in color and oversubscribed in tied-off plastic sandwich baggage with no label, Cronin same. Most diacetylmorphine is white.

Cronin same police are at the hospital talking with victims.

"They're operating very exhausting making an attempt to search out out who's mercantilism it, wherever they are mercantilism it and obtaining it off the road," she said.

Reached by email Thursday night, Deputy Chief Peter Reichard same he did not have info concerning the overdoses accessible, however would check out it within the morning.

Cronin same she conjointly contacted the Connecticut Poison center.

Charles McKay, associate medical director of the middle, same it seems that the potent drug is just being oversubscribed in New London, however similar episodes of fatal drug provides have occurred in different communities round the state sporadically over the past decade approximately.

"There's continually a risk with the diacetylmorphine provide being a lot of targeted or mixed with different substances that have tougher effects," he said. "We encourage individuals to succeed in out for treatment. this {can be} simply another demonstration of however things can go dangerous."

The emergency department at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich didn't treat any dose victims on Thursday, per voice choreographer Mawhiney.

He added, however, that drug addiction affects rural, residential district and concrete communities alike.

"We're positively unsurprised," he said. "It's positively one thing regarding communities everywhere jap Connecticut."

Cronin urged users to remain far from brown diacetylmorphine associate degreed obtain facilitate to quit before they die of an dose.

"This is that the time to induce facilitate," she said.

Heroin Overdoses

Tammy First State la Cruz, a Groton mother UN agency recently based the noncommercial cluster Community Speaks Out Iraqi National Congress., same action to handle the diacetylmorphine downside is required directly.

"We primarily got to announce a state of emergency," same First State la Cruz, whose cluster works with families to induce their favourite ones into treatment. "We ought to get one thing moving here. We're already late to the sport. we do not have time to catch up. We're losing children daily."

8 Pressure Points for Fast Relief

8 Pressure Points for Fast Relief - An aftereffect civility of an excess of tequila shots. Sinus weight that feels like a semi just kept running over your face. Month to month spasms that come predictably. Let's face honest: and torments are unavoidable. In any case, there's a different option for popping a couple of pills. Applying weight to specific focuses on your body can frequently go far toward mitigating torment. Perused on for eight fixes for some normal dissensions.

8 Pressure Points for Fast Relief

A Humbling Hangover

When that fabulous girls' night out results in a horrible hangover, try pressing on the P6 acupressure point, says Dr. Mark Moyad, FITNESS advisory board member and Jenkins/Pokempner Director of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. The point can be found three fingers down from the crease of the wrist on the palm side, and it is right in the middle between the tendons. "Applying pressure with the thumb from the other hand for several minutes and switching to the other side for several minutes, two to three times a day, can reduce nausea and that hangover feeling," he says.

Sinus Soreness

When your allergies kick in and there's no Sudafed in sight to relieve your sinus pressure, it's a miserable feeling. Robert Klein, owner of Advanced Massage Therapies of Athens, Georgia, suggests alternating applying pressure along the bony ridges above and below the eyes, around the bridge of the nose, the crease around the side of the nostrils, around your temples, and around your forehead until you start to feel relief. "The area in the webbing between your thumb and finger is also good to hold for sinus pressure and headaches," he adds.

Period Pain

Have cramps that just won't quit? Terri Sandusky, owner of Ballard Healing Arts in Seattle, says to find a point located three inches above your anklebones on the inside of the legs or behind the tibia. (It's best to hold the point on both legs, one at a time.) "This is the most amazing acupressure point for menstrual cramps — it can stop them within seconds," she says. Hold the points for 30 seconds up to two minutes.

Feet That Need Some TLC

If your feet ache like you've just run a marathon in three-inch stilettos, it could be an indicator that some other point of your body is in bad shape. Working on the feet through reflexology points can treat the body as a whole, Klein says. "Take a look at a foot reflexology chart to see which part of your body your sore foot points might refer to," he advises. But remember, your foot pain is not necessarily a reference to some other issue. "It can just be tight and achy due to overuse, injury, or worn shoes," he says. Hold each point that hurts for four seconds, release, and treat again. Bonus: Working all the points on the feet will stimulate all the energy in your body, Klein says.

The Headache from Hell

When the constant pounding gets to be too much, apply pressure to the GB 20 point on the back of your head to the left and right side of the middle part of the neck, Dr. Moyad says. This point is right below the base of the skull, and on both sides of the neck (feel for the hollow area below base of skull). "This is one of the most potent acupressure points thought to relieve pain by releasing endorphins," he adds. Use your fingers, thumbs, or knuckles to slowly apply pressure into the hollows of the skull for several minutes, two to three times a day.

Not-So-Sleepy Nights

If you're dealing with a racing mind before bed the remedy is more about breathing than pressure points, says Nancy Copenhafer, a registered nurse and owner of Body and Mind Therapy in Smyrna, Georgia. "Take ten deep, slow breaths, counting back from ten to one," she says. "Most people usually only make it to seven or six before falling asleep." Another trick to try is closing the third eye chakra, which is located in the middle of the forehead, Copenhafer adds. "Simply imagine an eye in the spot, take your finger and sweep down from your hairline to the eyebrows, and close the 'eyelid,'" she says. "This can help slow the mind's activity."

A Back That's Out of Whack

Back kinks can ruin everything from a day at your desk to your afternoon Spin class. Dr. Moyad says the best way to beat back pain is to have a friend help you reach this pressure point. It's in the lower back (waist level), two to three fingers-width away from the spine in the hollow between the vertebrae. Press for several minutes and release.

A Case of the Blahs

If you're in a funk and just can't shake it, Dr. Sandra Earl, a chiropractor and kinesiologist who practices in Atlanta, suggests rubbing or putting gentle pressure on the top of your head at the center (about a thumb's size). "This point is the ultimate balancing point for the Vital Life (or Prana) energy of the body," she says. Hold until you feel reenergized.

Originally published on FitnessMagazine.com

What Causes Low Blood Pressure

What Causes Low Blood Pressure - Here's a terrifying detail: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronary illness is the main source of death for ladies in the U.S. Add that to the way that about portion of Americans have no less than one key danger variable for coronary illness, for example, low circulatory strain (which causes poor blood stream to the heart and different organs), and don't have any acquaintance with it. In any case, there's uplifting news in all these terrible numbers: "Pulse remains the real reversible cardiovascular danger element," says Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, writer of The Supplement Handbook. Perused on to discover what causes low pulse, and how to raise yours if necessary for a ticker that is fit as a fiddle.

What Is Low Blood Pressure?

Hypotension, the medical term for low blood pressure, is classified as a reading of 90 mm Hg systolic (the top number in blood pressure reading) over 60 mm Hg diastolic. Moyad says that symptoms of low blood pressure (including weakness, dizziness, fatigue, and sweating, among others) can occur in one person with a low reading and not another. In fact, unless there is an underlying disease, having low blood pressure is often an indicator of good health. For those who do suffer from symptoms of low blood pressure, there are a few factors that may be causing yours to drop, along with some simple strategies to help you stay level.

What Causes Low Blood Pressure

Dehydration

Moyad says dehydration is one of the most common causes of hypotension, resulting in dizziness and weakness. If you suffer from frequent dehydration be mindful of how you're hydrating. Consume less alcohol and more water. "Remember this saying: 'Clear is Cool,'" says Moyad. "This means your urine should be clear in color (a sign of hydration) and not dark yellow." Other hydration helpers include foods with more sodium and reducing the intake of potassium-boosting foods.

Another common cause of dehydration? Over-exercising, says Jay Wohlgemuth, MD, senior vice president and chief healthcare officer at HealthTap. "If you really overdo it (especially in the heat) and need to replenish, sometimes water isn't enough," he says. "Make sure to hydrate with an electrolyte replacement like Gatorade to hydrate quickly." Wohlgemuth notes that frequent travelers should be mindful too, as airplane travel can leave you feeling dehydrated

Eating Large Meals

Postprandial hypotension, which is when your blood pressure drops suddenly after a meal, is common as we age, says Moyad. "Try not to eat large meals. Smaller meals with fewer carbs tend to prevent blood pressure swings."

Preexisting Heart Conditions

A slow heart rate, valve disease or other heart problem that can prevent the heart from adequately pumping blood will also result in low blood pressure. If you have symptoms such as vision changes, fainting or frequent dizziness, you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of having a larger heart condition. But don't scare yourself for no reason, warn both Moyad and Wohlgemuth. Just because you have low blood pressure doesn't mean you're doomed to also have a heart condition. "Work with a doctor you trust to determine if you have low blood pressure with symptoms," says Moyad. "Having just low blood pressure might mean the healthiest option for you to do is nothing. Your doctor will do a series of blood tests among other evaluations to determine if there is a reason for this drop." If there's not, your pressure may change simply because of age or lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on drinking and smoking.

Your Age

Sometimes, a change in blood pressure can be blamed simply for sticking another candle in your birthday cake. "As we get older, our ability to handle drops or changes in blood pressure changes, and we become more sensitive to these changes," Moyad says.

Certain Supplements

"Many supplements can cause blood pressure drops," says Moyad. These include arginine, citrulline, fish oil, melatonin, anti-stress supplements, and even some calcium supplements. Moyad says that some prescription drugs can do the same, so make sure you talk to your doctor about the possible side effects before starting a new medication.

Anemia

Anemia, a condition in which you have a reduced number of red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body, can increase your risk of hypotension. Symptoms of anemia are similar to those of low blood pressure, such as lack of energy, dizziness, and feeling weak. Causes of anemia range from illness to your diet, so make sure you talk to your doctor about your symptoms and the best form of treatment if you suspect you might be suffering from anemia.

Your Hormones

Moyad says that hormone conditions from low blood sugar to thyroid disease may also cause low blood pressure. Be diligent about your yearly physical. Your doctor will take blood work that could flag these problems early on, so they can be treated and prevented earlier. Wohlgemuth adds that chronic conditions such as an adrenal insufficiency or nervous system disorder could cause orthostatic hypotension, which is a form of low blood pressure that happens when you stand up. While mild symptoms are generally nothing to worry about, Wohlgemuth notes that if you have symptoms for a few hours or days you should seek medical treatment to find out what's really going on.

A Note About Blood Pressure

While you might be alarmed to find you have low blood pressure, Moyad stresses the importance of making sure you get an accurate reading. Many factors can influence your blood pressure levels, from stress right before the measurement, to keeping your legs crossed—even having a full bladder. This is why it's important to know your average blood pressure, in the event that at your yearly physical you get a number that skews way too low (or high). If you're really concerned, Moyad recommends taking your blood pressure at home every few months to keep a current record. You can get an at-home monitor at drugstores for under $100. "No other health number in medicine has such a large variation or risk of being inaccurate," Moyad says. "It's important to know your numbers to know the difference between a problem and being inaccurate." Wohlgemuth adds that soon home-based blood pressure monitoring will be even easier thanks to wearables that will be able to take your readings and upload them directly to a health platform (such as HealthTap) and even send them straight to your physician.

Source : Fitnessmagazine

Standing Too Much Is Just As Bad As Sitting: What To Do

Standing Too Much Is Just As Bad As Sitting: What To Do - A stationary way of life makes you a sitting duck for coronary illness, diabetes and obesity–even in the event that you work out consistently. Take after our simple counsel to build vitality, rev your digestion system and get your butt moving. 

I'm a really solid individual, however there's a loathsome propensity that I do each and every day. I'm really doing it at this moment. Furthermore, I wager you are, as well. The thing is, we all realize that sitting is gradually murdering us. Our butt-in-the-seat way of life—as in work area work, driving, Game of Thrones marathons—is raising our danger for stoutness (one study found that for at regular intervals a day that ladies spent sitting and staring at the TV, they had a 23 percent higher danger) and tumor (a 2014 meta-investigation proposed that like clockwork of sitting builds your danger for specific growths by 8 to 10 percent), and diabetes, coronary illness and early demise (for like clockwork of every day sitting while staring at the TV, your danger for those three increments by 20, 15 and 13 percent, individu

"The human body hasn't changed over the last several hundred years, but the way we live has," says James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D., the author of Get Up! Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It. "We've gone from an agricultural lifestyle, in which we spent only a few hours each day sitting, to one in which the average American worker sits for 12 to 15 hours a day." If life-threatening diseases aren't enough to freak you out, there are more immediate effects: lower energy, muscle atrophy, reduced mobility in our joints and a saggy rear end, says Jill Miller, the creator of Yoga Tune Up, a fitness program that improves posture and relieves pain. But there's a twofold problem here: First, we're creatures of habit, and the vast majority of us really aren't interested in standing all day. (Hello, I'm in a chair, even as I write about why that's so bad.) Second, standing up all the time isn't amazing, either: As anyone who's ever waited tables can tell you, being on your feet for eight hours can be exhausting, painful and even bad for your health. "Standing puts greater strain on the circulatory system and on the legs, feet and back," says Alan Hedge, Ph.D., the director of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Laboratory at Cornell University.

If sitting too much is bad and standing too much is also bad, what's the answer? The experts are trying to figure that out. "It's clear that we shouldn't be sitting for extended periods, but when it comes to official recommendations, we're not there yet," says Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D., the associate executive director for population and public health sciences at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. "It takes decades of research to establish guidelines like the ones that exist for physical activity." Until then, FITNESS has put together a plan for you backed by the early science. And get this: The strategies are surprisingly easy to follow. Trust me—I tried them.

Sit Less, Stand More

It's all about finding the right balance. If you're an on-the-move type, that may mean being on your feet for most of the day and sprinkling in a few sitting breaks to take pressure off your back. "I stand while leading my classes, but standing is also my preferred mode of working; I stood 70 or 80 percent of the time while writing my book," says Miller, the author of The Roll Model: A Step-by-Step Guide to Erase Pain, Improve Mobility, and Live Better in Your Body.

On the other hand, if you're a typical desk jockey or can't stay focused while on your feet, the right schedule might look more like this: Sit when you need to and take a 10-minute standing break once an hour. To ease neck and back strain, it's important for several of your breaks from sitting to also be breaks from typing. Step away from the computer to make a call or do some gentle exercises.

Make it work: It's totally OK to set a timer until you get into the habit. Luckily, I have a built-in reminder: I drink a ton of water. I've started using my at-least-hourly bathroom trips (TMI?) as reminders to spend a few extra minutes standing. When I get back to my desk, I stay on my feet while I check my to-do list, organize papers, open mail or (OK, fine) check social media. And those stretches? They feel amazing—who cares if I look weird at my desk? In fact, the most common reaction I get from coworkers is "Ah, man, I need to do that, too!"

Sit and Stand Properly

Posture is key: Hunching forward causes pain; compresses your lungs, thus reducing their capacity and depleting you of energy; and puts extra stress on your neck and back. "Every inch your head hangs forward translates to an extra 10 pounds of weight on your spine," Miller says.

Movement is also crucial. Translation: Fidget! Try to shift sitting positions every 15 minutes or so (put one foot up on your chair, cross one ankle over the other knee, contract and release your glutes). If you're standing, shift your weight from one foot to the other or lift one leg up on your desk in standing pigeon pose.

Make it work: I'm a pretty antsy person, so I shift around a lot in my chair anyway. After catching myself hunching toward my computer screen one too many times, I grab two of Miller's Yoga Tune Up balls ($12, yogatuneup.com) and nestle them right behind my upper back (a tennis ball would work, too). I get a nice, gentle massage, and I have to stay upright to avoid letting them slip out of place—automatic good posture.

Choose Something You'll Actually Do

Gadgets and gear can motivate you to move, but some of us just won't rack up treadmill miles in the middle of a cubicle farm, Katzmarzyk says. "People get standing and walking desks, use them a lot at first and then taper off until they're mostly sitting again," he explains. This also means that if you are into walking or pedaling, you should ease in—add a bit of movement to your day at a time—so you don't burn out.

Make it work: Confession: I've had access to a bicycle desk and a treadmill desk—both free—for months now, and I've never so much as attempted either one. The thing is, I hate Spinning, and I hate treadmills. So what works for me? Standing as often as it makes sense for the task at hand, taking lots of walking breaks and stretching and moving several times throughout the day.

Move, Especially After You Eat

Typically, when a person eats breakfast, lunch or dinner and then sits in a desk chair or on the sofa for the next hour or two, she experiences "mountainous" spikes in blood sugar, Dr. Levine says. But if, instead, she gets up and walks around—even for just 15 minutes—she cuts those blood glucose increases in half. "That's important, because those 'mountains' are the number-one physiological predictor of type 2 diabetes," Dr. Levine explains.

Make it work: I don't exactly know why, but the mental image of ginormous blood sugar spikes, and the fact that a simple, quick stroll (which feels nice after a meal anyway) can cut down on them so dramatically, really got me on my feet. It's built in after breakfast, because I walk around then to prepare for the day; so after lunch I have to remind myself to meander. After dinner, I walk in place while I do the dishes instead of letting them sit in the sink until morning. My kitchen is tidier, and my abs are tighter.

Fight Back With Exercise

While there have been conflicting study results as to whether a workout can counteract all the negative health effects of sitting, it doesn't seem likely. "The reason is simple: If I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and then go to the gym, those blood glucose mountains have already happened," Dr. Levine explains. "It's too late." Plus, single-action cardio—in which you're on a machine for a long time—keeps you in one position instead of activating new muscles and improving mobility and stability, Miller adds.

That said, exercise, especially the right kind, is incredibly good for you. Functional weight-bearing moves (think squats, kettlebell swings and dead lifts) are the best things desk jockeys can do. Don't spend your whole session sitting on a bench or an exercise ball, says Adam Bornstein, a trainer in Denver and the founder of Born Fitness. "Standing works your core no matter what you're doing and automatically engages your whole body," he says. When it comes to cardio, trade your tried-and-true treadmill for a circuit of squat jumps, burpees and jumping jacks, or swap your beloved recumbent bike for treadmill intervals. And don't forget yoga. It improves body awareness, so the poses you strike on the mat will pay off in your desk chair.

Make it work: I recently started CrossFit; the result is that functional movements like squats and dead lifts are part of my routine twice a week. I also hit a weekly yoga class, where I work on flexibility and mobility in my hips, which get stiff if I've been bad about sitting all day. Because I'm allergic to cardio, I use a Fitbit to motivate myself to move more—if I'm not getting close to my 10,000 steps, I'll get off the subway a stop early and walk the rest of the way home. I'm not sitting as much as I used to, and my body looks and feels better for it.

Source : Fitnessmagazine

What Causes High Blood Pressure? 10 Reasons You Have Hypertension

What Causes High Blood Pressure? - Each time your heart pulsates, it pushes blood, supplements, and oxygen through your courses to achieve whatever is left of your body. However, when you have hypertension (anything at or more than 140/90 mmHg), it's an indication that your heart is working too difficult to pump that blood where it needs to go, says cardiologist Kevin Campbell, MD, creator of Women and Cardiovascular Disease. The outcome: Damaged supply routes, a ragged out heart, and an expanded danger of coronary illness—which is to be faulted for the passings of one in three ladies consistently. This is what causes hypertension, and how you can battle whatever may be tossing your heart into overdriv

1. Sitting on Your Butt

While the most noticeable way that sitting all day results in high blood pressure (aka hypertension) is by promoting fat storage and weight gain, it's also true that the less you get your heart pumping and working during the day, the less effective it will become at doing its job over time, Campbell says. And most women don't work out enough to counteract the effects of sitting disease, according to 2015 research from the University of Toronto.

Fight Back: Get at least 30 minutes of exercise at least five days (and preferably seven days) a week, advises Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD, director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Huntington Medical Research Institutes. Your best bet is performing cardiovascular exercise like swimming, running, and spinning. Plus, even walking can go a long way toward lowering your blood pressure, he says. So start taking extra trips to the water cooler.

2. Overdoing It on Alcohol

"Alcohol use in moderation is actually associated with lower cardiac mortality, possibly because alcohol increases good cholesterol levels and dilates the body's blood vessels. But excess alcohol tends to jazz up the sympathetic nervous system and increase blood pressure," he says. What's more, overdoing it at happy hour can pack on the pounds, which, again, will increase your blood pressure, according to Campbell.

Fight Back: Drink. But only in moderation, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines as no more than one drink per day in women. Bonus: Research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that women who drink a light to moderate amount on the regular tend to gain less weight over the years compared to those who never raise a glass.

3. Eating Too Much Salt

You probably hate the way a bag of chips—or, more specifically, its sodium—makes you bloat. But there's a whole other reason to hate salt's water-retaining ways, Campbell says. When your kidneys respond to excess sodium intake by retaining water, you end up with too many fluids running through your bloodstream, which can increase the pressure on your blood vessels, he says.

Fight Back: Nix processed foods. According to the CDC, more than nine in 10 Americans get more sodium than they should. The top sources include breads and rolls, lunch meats, cheese, potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn.

4. Taking Certain Medications

There's no end to the number of medications that list increased blood pressure as a possible side effect. Among the most commonly used ones are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, decongestants, certain antidepressants, and hormonal birth control, according to Kloner. Some medications raise blood pressure by causing you to retain water, while others simply cause your blood vessels to constrict.

Fight Back: If you have high blood pressure, talk to your doc about how your current medications (both prescription and OTC) could potentially affect your ticker, Campbell says. And always discuss possible side effects before popping anything for a cold or sinus infection—these medications can significantly elevate blood pressure levels in some women or even reduce the effectiveness of any medications you are taking to reduce your blood pressure.

5. Stress

By putting your nervous system's pedal to the metal, stress causes your adrenal glands to pump out blood pressure-increasing hormones, Kloner says. Plus, your body's natural fight-or-flight response causes your blood vessels to contract. That's a good way to prevent blood loss if you're a cavewoman who just had a close call with a lion. But it's less than helpful when you're keyed up at work over a tyrannical boss and looming deadlines, he says. The longer you spend in this stressed-out state, the more strain you put on your heart.

Fight Back: Take a chill pill. While everyone gets stressed from time to time, it's important to find a way to keep little flare-ups from snowballing into chronic, long-term stress, Campbell says. "For some it's meditation, for others it's exercise, or even a hobby."

6. Having a Family History of Hypertension

If your parents have high blood pressure, your chances of having it are a lot higher. High blood pressure and heart disease definitely have a genetic component, Kloner says, who notes that African Americans are at a higher risk of high blood pressure and heart disease compared to Americans of European, Asian, and Hispanic decent.

Fight Back: You can't change your genetics. But you can talk to your doctor about your family history of high blood pressure to help make sure that you stop any spikes before they become a problem, as well as discuss whether you need to take blood pressure-lowering medications, Campbell says. If you don't already know your family history of hypertension, ask your parents, siblings, and grandparents about their levels.

7. Smoking (Even Occasionally)

Even if you don't consider yourself a smoker, the occasional cigarette every now and then can add up to high blood pressure. The nicotine from just one cig can cause your blood vessels to temporarily narrow, and tobacco smoke itself physically damages the cells that make up your blood vessels, Campbell says. The result: Stiff, inflexible blood vessels, and an ever-increasing risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

Fight Back: Whatever your history with cigarettes, any steps to reduce your exposure to smoking can help reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, he says. Talk to your doctor, friends, and family about your desire to quit. You don't have to do it by yourself.

8. Not Eating Fruits and Vegetables

Sodium aside, overall poor diets can contribute to high blood pressure levels. While weight gain is a definite link between junky diets and hypertension, other mechanisms might be at play, Campbell says. For instance, researchers at the University of Houston are currently studying how antioxidants may help treat high blood pressure.

Risk Factors: Focus on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats, recommends Campbell, who notes that following Mediterranean-type diets is associated with a healthier heart.

9. Sleep Apnea

Besides the obvious downsides of not breathing throughout the night, sleep apnea can shoot up your blood pressure levels, Kloner says. Why? Because when you're not breathing and your body's oxygen levels fall, your brain responds by telling your blood vessels to constrict and prioritize oxygen flow to your heart and brain over the rest of your organs as well as your skeletal muscles. The effects can continue long after the sun comes up.

Risk Factors: Are you a snorer—and not just when you have a cold? Then you might benefit from visiting a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea, such as a pulmonary, sleep, or ENT doctor, he says.

10. Getting Older

There's no getting out of this one: Age ups your risk of high blood pressure. "Readings tend to rise with age and do so exponentially after the age of 30," Kloner says. "By the age of 75 almost 95 percent of people have high blood pressure." While changes in your blood vessels and heart are a natural part of the aging process and may up your blood pressure levels, hypertension in older adults most often goes back to all the other risk factors we already discussed, Campbell says. After all, 70 years of stress, sedentary living, and noshing on French fries is going to do far more damage to your blood pressure than 20 years of unhealthy living.

Fight Back: You can't turn back the clock, so just focus on decreasing your other risk factors, he says. And made sure to get your blood pressure checked regularly. Most people should get theirs checked at every doctor visit, or at least every two years, according to the CDC. But if you have high blood pressure or are at risk for developing hypertension, you might benefit from taking even more regular readings at home.

Source : Fitnessmagazine