With every beat of your heart, blood is pumped through your body (to the tune of 100 gallons per hour!). The pressure it exerts against blood vessel (artery/vein) walls is known, simply, as “blood pressure.”
Blood pressure changes constantly. It’s affected by many different factors including activity and rest, temperature, diet, medication, emotional state and even posture. When blood pressure is high, it puts strain on the heart, which must pump harder. Blood vessels, which expand to create less resistance to the flow of blood, can be damaged. When blood pressure is low, the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs may be affected.
Maintaining healthy blood pressure is not only important for cardiovascular health””it’s important for overall good health. More than 60 million Americans (one in four adults over age 18) are believed to have high blood pressure, with as many as 20 million not even aware they’re affected.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends consulting with a healthcare professional to discuss your blood pressure health. He or she will help you devise a plan to maintain healthy blood pressure. Because blood pressure fluctuates, you might be advised to monitor and record blood pressure readings at home. This can be done easily with a blood pressure monitor.
A blood pressure monitor is a small device that allows you to measure your own blood pressure. The AHA recommends an automatic, cuff-style, bicep (upper arm) monitor as opposed to wrist and finger monitors, which provide less reliable readings.
Vitacost.com carries a highly rated blood pressure monitor, providing “doctor’s office accuracy” and advanced averaging technology that displays the average of your last three readings. The price is unbeatable””more than 50% off retail! We also have two wrist monitors which are smaller and convenient for people with more active lifestyles.
As always, be sure to consult with your physician for information on blood pressure health.