The American Medical Association now says that normal blood pressure readings for a healthy adult should be 120/80. This figure was lowered from what used to considered within normal range for systolic and diastolic pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension in men is a serious and often fatal disease. Just as water pumped into a pipe exerts pressure on its surface, your heart pumps blood through your arteries, and the force of the blood flow exerts pressure on the arterial walls. Therefore, just as too much water pressure is bad for the life of a pipe, too much blood pressure eventually damages your arteries. High blood pressure can lead to heart failure; kidney failure; or stroke.
The combination of hypertension and being overweight increases the chances of developing one or more conditions. In fact, the older you are, the more likely you will develop hypertension unless you take steps to prevent it. If you are overweight when you are young, you may develop hypertension at an earlier age. However, it has been suggested that hypertension is also inherited, which doesn't help the situation either.
The scary thing is that you may not even realize you have this condition, as the symptoms do not reveal themselves. However, you should assume you are a candidate for hypertension if you are over 40; if there is a history of this condition in your family; and you are overweight.
Here's what every man should know about hypertension:
While smoking is not a cause of hypertension, it certainly is a contributing factor. We know there is a definite link between smoking and heart disease, thus the combination of smoking and high blood pressure increases the risk of developing a heart attack. Quit smoking!
The first thing you need to do if you are in any way susceptible to this condition is to reduce or remove sodium from your diet. High salt intake increases this condition as well.
Being overweight is another cause of hypertension. It is important to find an appropriate diet regimen and exercise program to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there may be a connection between weight and hypertension, research reveals people who are at their ideal weight have less tendency to develop hypertension than those who are overweight.
Type A personalities may be more prone to hypertension than others. Stress is evident in our lives every day; but the key is to not let it take over your life. While we all work hard and try to live comfortably, the pressure to succeed rapidly is taking its toll, physically, emotionally and mentally. It is also a contributing factor to hypertension. If you have a highly stressed job, or find that you cannot fill the demands placed upon you, you might want to find another job that is not so stressful. If this is not an option; use meditation to maintain an inner balance. Don't sweat the small stuff. Your health is more important than any job.
Try not to drink alcohol in excessive amounts. Alcohol increases blood pressure and if you are taking medication; the two can cause severe side effects. Recently, however, an eminent heart surgeon suggested that a glass of red wine a day is preferred for a healthy heart. The debate continues, and while it does, it seems that wine instead of other alcoholic beverages may yield the best results.
Have your blood pressure checked at least once a month, and avoid stress.
Whether it's your job; money problems; smoking; overweight; alcohol; and other social and psychological factors which may contribute to the condition, it is important to understand it is not a curable disease, nor one which is tangible. Also keep in mind; hypertension is not exclusive to any one group. It affects people from all walks of life. To what degree it can cause damage to your heart, kidneys and brain depends on its severity.
If you find that you have taken every precaution and your blood pressure is still high, your doctor may prescribe medication only if he or she feels it is absolutely necessary. Some of the drugs have side effects, while others can be tolerated. While on any type of medication, do not fall under the assumption that because you may feel better you can stop taking the drugs. This is a dangerous scenario as mentioned earlier; hypertension is a symptom-less disease.
If you follow a proper diet that does not contain sodium; if you alter your lifestyle in order to ease the stress and other factors which contribute to hypertension, it can be controlled. Nothing in life is more important than your health; certainly nothing to cause physical or psychological elements which can raise your blood pressure. Hypertension in men is prevalent; yet over fifty percent of men do not realize they have the condition. Take care of your health and it will take care of you.
What does your future hold? Your own home based business? Watkins is a company with a rich history full of firsts, a leader in health and wellness and has had the goal of enhancing lives since 1868. We are very proud of our heritage, but we don't live in the past. This means you can trust our product line to continue to evolve and represent the needs of today’s sophisticated consumers.
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Because Watkins is so well known there is a real need for more associates as countless consumers are searching the internet for Watkins products and a distributor every day. Join us and enjoy the freedom, and flexibility to choose how you want to run your home based business with many marketing method options to fit virtually any lifestyle including yours.
Have you noticed that more and more restaurants, bars, stores, and even entire cities have banned smoking in public buildings? If you are a smoker you probably think it's a pain but the reason is simple, it's because we now know that you can not only die from smoking cigarettes, but also from breathing in smoke in the air around us. Second hand smoke, whether from the burning end of the cigarette, or from a smoker exhaling, can be a serious hazard to your health.
Here's what everybody ought to know about second hand smoke:
Did you know that second hand smoke contains over 60 chemicals that cause or may cause cancer? Thousands of non-smokers die of lung cancer every year, thought to be caused from second hand smoke.
Did you know that some of the toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke are: formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chlorine, arsenic ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide? Sounds pretty awful!
Did you know that second hand smoke causes heart disease in non-smokers? Heart disease accounts for tens of thousands of deaths every year.
Did you know that non-smokers often visit the doctor for lung related problems caused by second hand smoke? These problems range from coughing, respiratory infections to a decrease in lung functioning.
Did you know that pregnant women exposed to second hand smoke are more likely to have babies with below average birth weights?
Did you know that the incidence of breast cancer may be increased by exposure to second hand smoke?
If you are an adult you generally have the option or ability to leave the room or an area where someone is smoking. However, children don't usually have that luxury and they are more susceptible to the damage caused by cigarette smoke.
Here's what everybody ought to know about second hand smoke that specifically affects children:
Did you know that second hand smoke causes over 150,000 lower respiratory infections every year, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, in children under the age of 18 months?
Did you know that second hand smoke has been indicated as a cause of many SIDS deaths?
Did you know that second hand smoke significantly increases the severity of asthma attacks in children?
Did you know that second hand smoke causes many children to develop ear infections?
Set a good example for your children, don't allow anyone to smoke near your children, including yourself. Subjecting them to smoking can not only cause health problems now but it can impact their health all the way through to adulthood. You are an important role model for your children so you should attempt to quit for their sake. I know how hard it is to do, if you can't quit, at least try to go outside to smoke.
These are just some of the known problems associated with second hand smoke. Tabacco companies have known for many years that both smoking and second hand smoke is dangerous, but they kept this information to themselves. Don't you think it's rather disturbing to think what other consequences second hand smoke causes that we haven't found yet?
Proctect yourself from second hand smoke, if you are a smoker, please try to quit or smoke outdoors to lessen your own exposure. If someone you know smokes near you, encourage them to quit or ask them not to smoke when they're with you or your children.
Remember when you were a kid, when you were thirsty did your mother tell you to have a glass of water? Well your Mother was right, she knew water is good for you! We have such a wide variety of beverages to chose from these days; flavored sodas, fruit juices, coffee, tea, energy drinks, and other drinks. With so much readily available, it's not easy to make the right decision and choose plain, ordinary water. Here are 7 great reasons why you should drink more water.
Do you think you can't get through the day without your morning cup of coffee and caffeine boost? Well water can give you energy as well. Your body is made up mostly of water and it loses it throughout the day. You need to replace it for your body to work efficiently; particularly your heart and digestive tract.
Why not drink diet soda or coffee all day? These drinks contain caffeine, since caffeine is a diuretic it actually causes you to lose water throughout the day. You retain some of the water content of these beverages, but not as much as when you drink pure water. You can try decaffeinated beverages, but the best way to use the water you drink is to get it pure and clean, with no chemicals added.
Water keeps your skin looking great, when your skin looks tired and unhealthy, so do you. Staying properly hydrated removes all the toxins that build up in you skin, and helps prevent it from drying out. If you have the opposite problem; puffy bloated skin, lack of water is likely your problem too. When your skin doesn't get enough water, it retains what it already has, leaving your skin cells full, puffy, and not too attractive. If you want to look beautiful, you need to keep yourself well hydrated.
When you are properly hydrated, your blood is thinner and it's easier for your heart to pump. This means your heart has to do less work and ultimately lasts longer. The good news is, studies have shown that people who drink plenty of water have fewer heart problems.
You have toxins in your cells, some come from the environment and others you produce yourself. Either way, they are in your body and you need to get rid of them. Your body uses water to flush out toxins so, getting rid of this waste helps you function more effectively and feel better.
Fruit juices may contain many nutrients, but they also contain a whole lot of sugar. This is especially true for many bottled juices from the grocery store. This sudden burst of sugar triggers your insulin response and makes you feel tired and sluggish. It also helps to convert that sugar to fats faster. Sugary sodas will produce the same reaction and they usually contain no nutrients at all.
Water is cheap, unless you buy bottled water, which is almost as expensive as soda and juice. However, studies have shown that tap water is usually as clean and safe as bottled water, and costs a whole lot less. If you don't like the taste of your tap water, buy a filter pitcher or one that attaches to the faucet. It will still costs a lot less in the long run.
As mentioned above, water helps your body work better by getting rid of excess waste. The more efficiently your whole body is works, the better you'll feel and the more energy you'll have. Maybe even enough energy to skip that cup of coffee. The next time you get thirsty forget the sugary caffeine drinks, go to the faucet, and help yourself to a nice, cold, refreshing glass of water.
You may have heard that antioxidants are essential to your diet. They not only keep you healthy and functioning properly, they may also help prevent cancer, diseases and help slow down the aging process. So, you have decided that you need more of these wonderful nutrients, and are probably wondering where you can find them? Here is a list of foods and dietary supplements that will help you get all the antioxidants you need to live a happy, healthy life.
A recent study determined that the following foods were amoung the highest in antioxidants:
Apples. We all know apples are good for us, they are an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Fresh apples are also a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects your body's cells from damage and helps form the connective tissue collagen. Choose red delicious, granny smith, and gala apples as they have more antioxidants than other varieties.
Red Beans. You've probably heard that beans are good for you, but you may not know that they are one of the best food sources around for antioxidants. Beans that provide the most antioxidants are small red beans, red kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. Beans are a good, low fat source of protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, thiamin and dietary fiber. Red beans also contain phytonutrients that may help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Berries. Blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, grapes, raspberries, and strawberries are a great source of antioxidants. These super foods are low in calories and fat-free, so you can eat as many as you like without worrying about your weight. Berries are not only a good source of antioxidants, but they are also high in vitamin C.
Nuts. Walnuts and almonds are a tasty ways to get your antioxidants. They are packed with nutrients; protein, fiber, vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and calcium. And they're good for your heart. Most of the fat in these nuts is monounsaturated fat — a healthier type of fat that may help lower blood cholesterol levels.
Broccoli. Besides being a good source of calcium, potassium, folate and fiber, broccoli contains phytonutrients, a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamins A and C, antioxidants that protect your body's cells from damage.
Sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoe's deep orange-yellow color means that they're high in the antioxidant beta carotene. Beta carotene may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of some cancers. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber, vitamins B-6, C, E, folate and potassium. They are fat-free and relatively low in calories.
Ground Cloves. Many of the spices we eat contain antioxidants and phytonutrients and the one at the top of the list is ground cloves. Who would have thought that cloves, a great addition to anything from chicken dishes to cookies, could have health-boosting properties? While it's more difficult to get your daily antioxidants from this spice because we generally use it in small quantities you should still try to incorporate it in your diet.
If you don't regulary eat enough of these foods, you can always get antioxidants from dietary supplements. Just remember to read the labels before you buy; supplements need to come from natural sources, so you'll get the best benefit for your money. The best supplements for antioxidant properties are: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, carotenes, copper, and zinc.
Instead of buying 6 different individual supplements, you should look for something that contains all these vitamins and minerals in one pill. Not only will you be saving money, some studies indicate that a combination pill is a safer and more effective delivery system for antioxidants.
That's why Watkins Superfood Multiple is a good choice. This nutritional powerhouse contains more than just vitamins and minerals. Watkins has added antioxidants, enzymes, bioflavonoids, greens and whole food concentrates along with optimum potencies of every important vitamin and mineral to keep you feeling and performing at your very best. Superfood Multiple is formulated as the hub of Watkins entire dietary supplement line, it is designed to enhance the benefits of all other Watkins dietary supplements, for your optimum health.
If you feel you need additional antioxidants and phytonutrients take Watkins Fruit/Veggie Complex. Getting your fruits and vegetables couldn't be easier. This supplement contains 41 varieties of fruits and vegetables, all-natural mixed carotenes, vitamin C and potent fruit enzymes equal to ten glasses of juice; all in one convenient bilayer caplet and without any added sugars or sodium.
By taking supplements and/or making diet changes, you can drastically increase your antioxidant intake to improve your health and quality of life.
*The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires the following statement: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Okay, maybe you won't hate yourself but it certainly is important to be prepared, so that something that requires minor first aid doesn't become a major medical problem. Whether it is a violent storm, or an unavoidable accident; having a first aid kit is essential to be able treat anyone in your family at a moment's notice. Does your family have a first aid kit? If not, you can either buy a ready made first aid kit or take the time to put one together yourself.
Here are some items you will need:
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Sterile gauze pads of various sizes
Sterile rolls of self-adhesive gauze
Steri-strips
Triangular bandages
Tape, preferably adhesive
Rubbing Alcohol Watkins Petro Carbo Salve
Antiseptic cleansing agent/soap
Disposable Ice Packs Watkins Menthol Camphor Ointment
Latex gloves
Sharp Scissors
Tweezers
Safety Pins
Thermometer
Needles
Blanket, mylar or space
Pain reliever such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid
Ipecac Insect repellent Sunscreen
First Aid manual
While you may already have most of these supplies in your medicine cabinet, if there is an emergency it saves time and is a safety measure to be able to access these items all in one container. You can also add additional items to your family's kit that you feel are necessary. Are there items that you didn't have in the past when confronted with a home accident, sudden illness, or child injury?
See if your community offers any courses on first aid, including CPR training, and sign yourself up. No matter how careful you are accidents do happen; insects bite, people fall down, they get cuts, scrapes, burns, blisters and slivers. When faced with any life threatening situation, at least you will be prepared and have whatever you need to assist your precious loved ones.
The statements made and opinions expressed on this site are those of the Independent Watkins Associate who is the publisher of this document, and are not to be construed as the statements or opinions of Watkins Incorporated.
HeritageRemedies.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Testimonials are based on personal experiences and we cannot guarantee these same results for everyone.
