Is it just me or do people see particularly stressed these days?
It turns out, it isn’t just me.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has released results of its annual health interview survey and has determined that one-in-four County residents have hypertension. It isn’t just the hours spent in freeway traffic that is causing our blood to boil. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be correlated with lifestyle factors, including the lack of physical activity, alcohol use, smoking, poor nutrition and obesity. According to the study, the number of County residents with hypertension has increased by 40% since 1997.What is especially troubling is that hypertension is known as the “silent killer.” According to Jonathan Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and County Health Officer, “Unfortunately, many persons with hypertension do not seek treatment until complications develop because they don’t have symptoms and in some cases, are unaware they have the disease.” Hypertension increases a person’s risk for having a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke, and can also lead to kidney failure, vision loss, and dementia.
The report lists several recommendations for individuals to prevent the risks of hypertension:
- Eat a healthy diet of food that includes at least 4 servings each of fruits and vegetables, and two servings each of daily low fat dairy foods and whole grains.
- Limit salt and sodium intake.
- Limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks daily for men and no more than one drink daily for women.
- Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate daily physical activity.
- Stop smoking.
- See a regular health care provider and get your blood pressure checked regularly.
If you don’t have a medical home, you are welcome at CHAP.
