Tag: blood pressure

Understanding Blood Pressure

Todays post is about understanding blood pressure and the readings.

Scott recently purchased a machine called a sphygmomanometer, also known as a blood pressure monitor. There are several types of sphygmomanometers. 2 of the most common are – the manual device and an automated device. Scott now has both.

The purchase of these devices led to a discussion on what the terms and numbers mean. Here is what I found out.

What is meant by ‘blood pressure’?

 It is actually the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps it around the body.  The pressure against these walls changes as the blood is pumped around the body

A person’s blood pressure actually varies from day to day, even moment to moment, depending on what they are doing. Ideally a person’s blood pressure would be highest in the early morning directly after waking and decreasing during the day. For most people, the opposite is true due to daily stress.

What does the reading mean?

 The blood’s pressure is measured in ‘mmHg’, which refers to millimeters of mercury. This term originates from Mercury manometers, which were the first accurate pressure gauges.

There are two measurements taken – Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP). They are the most commonly reported measures in clinical practice and research studies.

The highest reading is the systolic, and the lowest reading is the diastolic. Usually recorded as 2 figures — highest over lowest or systolic over diastolic.

Systolic blood pressure is the amount of pressure  the heart needs to create to pump the blood around the body.

Diastolic blood pressure is the  pressure created when the heart is pulling the blood back from the body.

What is a ‘healthy’ reading?

Medical professionals consider a healthy blood pressure range is higher than 90/60 mmHg but lower than about 140/90. Ideally normal blood pressure has a Systolic reading under 120 mm Hg and a Diastolic reading under 80 mm Hg.  

What does it mean to have a high pressure?

 High blood pressure is when the blood pressure is permanently higher than normal.

It is possible to have high blood pressure without knowing, as there are no obvious signs or symptoms. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease, especially heart attacks and strokes. This condition is manageable however, with some simple changes to lifestyle, such as eating a heart healthy diet and exercising more.

What about low pressure? 

Low blood pressure does not cause any problems for some people. Regular medical examinations will identify if a person has continually low pressure.

A sudden fall in pressure however, can be dangerous. A change of just 20 mm Hg — a drop from 110 systolic to 90 mm Hg systolic, for example — can cause dizziness and fainting when the brain fails to receive enough blood. Big drops in pressure, such as those caused by uncontrolled bleeding, severe infections or allergic reactions, can be life-threatening.

‘Hypotension’ or ‘orthostatic hypotension’ is a particular type of low blood pressure condition. In this condition, a person’s blood pressure is normal when they are sitting or lying down, but it drops suddenly when they stand, making them feel dizzy or lightheaded. This can also occur when standing too long without moving.

This condition is fairly common in older people.

Blood pressure – high or low, are important markers of general health. This is why it’s important to have your pressure checked regularly by a health professional.

I hope that this post has answered any question you may have had about blood pressure.

 

Till the next post,

 Live clean n prosper

(Sources – National Centre for Biotechnical Information, Wikipedia, Heart Foundation, Health Direct )

Bananas – should we eat the skin?

Todays post is about bananas and whether we should eat their skin as well.

There have been a lot of social media posts regarding this topic recently. It seems to have started with an Australian dietitian – Susie Burrell, who says we should be eating bananas skin and all.

Susie Burrell has stated that eating the peel is an easy way to boost your diet with extra dietary fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin C and magnesium. She recommends blending or baking them to break down the cell walls to make the nutrients easier to absorb – for example, in smoothies, cakes and curries.

The Pro’s and Con’s

The idea of eating the banana and the skins may seem like a good way to increase your nutrient intake.

As ripe yellow skins are rich in antioxidants that can help fight cancer, and green skins contain the amino acid tryptophan, which promotes better sleep. The skins also contain resistant start, a type of fibre that benefits gut health.

However, as vitamins C and B6 are destroyed by heat, using the skins in baking or curries to consume these nutrients doesn’t seem viable. Using them in smoothies makes more sense.

The other factor to consider is chemical absorption. The popular Cavendish variety of bananas are bred using cuttings, not seeds. That means there is no genetic diversity among the plants, and therefore they have weak immunity. As a result, it’s one of the most heavily sprayed crops. The peel, or skins, of the banana absorb some of these pesticides.

Peeled bananas are still healthy

Bananas are a great source of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. One medium-sized banana can contain approximately 400mg of potassium.

A medium-size banana also contains about 3 grams of total fibre. Fibre is a nutrient that helps regulate the speed of digestion. When our digestion is well regulated, the conversion of carbohydrates to simple sugars and the subsequent release of simple sugars into the body is also regulated.

Approximately one-third of the fibre in bananas is actually a water-soluble fibre. Soluble fibres in food have been associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.
Within their total fibre content, bananas also contain pectin’s. Some of the components in pectin’s are water-soluble, and others are not. As bananas ripen, their water-soluble pectin’s increase, and as a result bananas become softer in texture as they ripen.

As the water-soluble pectin’s increase, so does the concentration of fructose. The mixture of the water-soluble pectin’s and fructose content helps control how fast the body digests the carbohydrates which then reduces the impact of the consumed banana on our blood glucose level.

They are low fat – 

Bananas are a very low-fat food with less than 4% of their calories being from fats. One types of fat that they do contain in small amounts are called sterols. The sterols can assist to block the absorption of dietary cholesterol. By blocking the absorption, they help keep blood cholesterol levels in check.

Therefore the takeaway from all of this,

Including bananas in your daily meal plan may help to prevent high blood pressure, improve digestion and lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels. I have previously shared some recipes using bananas that you may wish to try – Smoothies, Breakfast drinks & Seeded Banana Bread.


If you do decide to consume your bananas with the skin, make sure you choose certified organic product, and wash them well to avoid any possible pesticide residues.
I hope you found this post interesting.

Till the next one,

Live clean n prosper.

Sources – healthline.com, lifeStyle.com.au, whfoods.org

Cortisol and Stress.

Todays post is about Cortisol and stress.

I have been reading an interesting book called ‘The Cortisol Connection’. It is about how stress and the hormone ‘Cortisol’ affect our health.

I thought I would share with you some of what I have learned.

Firstly, what is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which are located near the kidneys. It’s the body’s primary stress hormone and works with certain parts of our brain to control mood, motivation, and fear.

It’s best known for preparing the body’s “fight-or-flight” instinct in a crisis. However cortisol also plays a vital role in a range of other bodily functions.

  • Manages how the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
  • Regulates blood pressure
  • Increases blood sugar (glucose)
  • Controls sleep/wake cycle
  • Boosts energy so that the body can handle stress and restores balance afterward

We have cortisol receptors in most of the cells in our body. These receptors receive and use the hormone in several ways. When the body is on high alert, cortisol can alter or shut down functions that get in the way. These might include the digestive or reproductive systems, the immune system, or even growth processes.

These functions of cortisol are very beneficial, but only for a short period of time, in very specific situations.

Then there’s Stress

Now for all of us, living in the twenty-first century brings with it a certain amount of unavoidable stress. This can mean that, sometimes, our cortisol levels can get out of balance.

In an ideal world, after the pressure or danger has passed, the body’s cortisol level should calm down. This means that the heart rate, blood pressure, and other systems will get back to normal.

But what if you’re under constant stress and the alarm button stays on?

Too Much Cortisol

Too much cortisol can derail the body’s most important functions. It can also cause a variety of health problems.

  • Anxiety and depression
  • Headaches
  • Memory and concentration issues
  • Problems with digestion
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Increased appetite and weight gain
  • Elevated cholesterol levels and blood pressure
  • Reduced sex drive

When the body is continually subjected to regular stress, this will lead to increased cortisol levels. The subsequent health problems will then create additional stress for the individual and a vicious cycle is created.

It’s about balance.

We have all heard this many times and some of us are lucky enough to get the balance just right. However it’s now scientific fact.

Stress researchers have proven that the best way of managing stress is to eat right, exercise regularly and get enough sleep.

Eat right – The scientists support what many of our grandparents have said. Eat a good blend of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, including 5 serves of fresh fruit and vegetables. In other words, a little of everything, but without the high processed ‘fast foods’.

Exercise regularly – This translates to ‘a small amount of exercise on a daily basis’, such as walking whenever possible and using the stairs. The small sessions of exercise help the body to use the energy provided by the cortisol and then calm down. Simulating a sort of a mini ‘fight or flight’ scenario.

Enough sleep – Researchers found that too little sleep heightens the stress response and keeps cortisol levels elevated. Participants who got 8 hours of sleep for a week kept cortisol levels in the normal range.

The Australian National Sleep Foundation recommends between 6 to 10 hours of sleep for adults 26-64.

 We are all living with a certain amount of stress every day and it’s important to our health that we find our own balance.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper