Hypertension Mantra

May I wish everyone a I hope and pray that the new year ushers in nothing but good things in all our lives. To all those who took the time to visit , made comments, linked, and reviewed my blogs, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I realize I haven't been around as much as I had wanted to ... obligations you see. But I will definitely see you next year. Now let's raise our glasses. Cheers everyone!

"This is a very important but simple exercise which the texts on Yoga have called the Shavasan . 1. Lie down on the floor without moving any limb. Make sure you do this on an exercise mat. 2. Leave your body loose and close your eyes. 3. Then try to free the mind of all thoughts, worries and tensions. Try hard to find some 15 minutes from your daily hectic sked to perform the preceding exercise mantra. Start to feel peace of mind and tranquility. This reminds me of the Beatle George Harrison song which you can also use while on this exercise: 'Day by Day, O Dear Lord! Three things I pray. To see Thee more clearly, Love Thee more dearly, and Follow Thee more nearly. Day by day O Dear Lord! These three things I pray.'

This is the second installment of my walking pos t about exercise referring to a couple of researches I did way back 2003 when I got ill. "One of the safest and most effective ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness is by walking. Walking is an ideal low impact aerobic exercise. If done regularly, it can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, lower total cholesterol, raise healthy HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure. It can help maintain healthy bones and muscles, stabilize blood sugar, improve immunity and relieve some of the stress in your life. Thousands have realized the physical and psychological benefits of walking. That’s why walking has become one of the most popular ways to stay fit. Another reason is because it—s inexpensive–– all it takes is a little motivation and a comfortable pair of shoes. According to the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, men who walk at least half an hour, six days a week, can cut their mortality rate from heart disease in hal

I don't know how true this is but I got it from my email. So it's really up to you. Take it seriously or with a grain of sand :-) "DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases: Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases. METHOD OF TREATMENT 1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water. 2. Brush and clean the mouth but do no

Why talk about exercise at all? It is time consuming, boring when you are alone and tiriiiiing. It will eat time from my blogging :-) But me thinks this is the best time to do some... hello, holiday eating...uh oh... :-) Today, everyone knows that cardiovascular diseases has become a serious health threat. Millions of global citizens suffer from it and each gender is equally at risk. But studies show that CVD has killed more women then men every year since 1984 and is the #1 cause of death for women age 35 and older. One of the safest and most effective ways to reduce your risk and improve your cardiovascular fitness is through aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, and there's no denying, most of us don't exercise regularly and inactivity nearly doubles a person's risk for heart disease, ranking it among the leading risk factors. The American Heart Association reports that regular physical activity is as important for heart health as the other three major lifestyle fa

Humans do not want to age. So tell me something new. We all realize that age brings us nearer to death. In the first place, who'd want to die, right? So how do I feel about aging? Just take a look at this cartoon and grin :-) What about you?

The amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood changes throughout the day and night. Your levels will vary depending upon when, what and how much you have eaten, and whether or not you have exercised. The American Diabetes Association categories for normal blood sugar levels are the following, based on how your glucose levels are tested: A fasting blood glucose test. This test is performed after you have fasted (no food or liquids other than water) for eight hours. A normal fasting blood glucose level is less than 110 mg/dl. A diagnosis of diabetes is made if your blood glucose reading is 126 mg/dl or higher. (In 1997, the American Diabetes Association lowered the level at which diabetes is diagnosed to 126 mg/dl from 140 mg/dl.) A "random" blood glucose test taken at any time. A normal blood glucose range is in the low to mid 100s. A diagnosis of diabetes is made if your blood glucose

Have you ever tried massage? I think having a massage is one of the most wonderfully soothing and healing experiences a person can have. My illness which was largely due to stress required that I get a massage as often as I can. Back then, I use to get a back, leg and foot massage almost every night. I use scented virgin coconut massage oil as my consumable. The scent of either lavender or orange coupled with the soothing effect of the hand massage helped me in my recovery. The back massage I have someone do it, but the foot and leg, I do myself. The sequence is I do first my leg and then my feet, sometimes even my face. And then the finale is the back massage. You could fall asleep while having it, so it is best that you have taken your shower or through with washing up so you can just doze off to sleep. Wow, I can imagine and feel the healing effect as I write this post. zzzzz. “Massage is one of the oldest, simplest forms of therapy and is a system of stroking, pressing and kne

During the course of my illness, I made it a habit to research everything that my doctors would tell me. IIt is not that I didn't trust them. Just making sure that everything said was validated by researches I made. Four years ago I did try to find out what hypertension drugs were. When were they used, what were the side effects? The following was part of my research: There were different types of hypertension drugs namely: 1. Anti angina drugs Antiangina drugs are medicines that relieve the symptoms of angina pectoris (severe chest pain). The dull, tight chest pain of angina occurs when the heart's muscular wall is not getting enough oxygen. By relaxing the blood vessels, antiangina drugs reduce the heart's work load and increase the amount of oxygen-rich blood that reaches the heart. These drugs come in different forms, and are used in three main ways: • taken regularly over a long period, they reduce the number of angina attacks. • taken just before some activity that us

Why I think blogging alleviates my hypertension :-) 1. Takes me away from my real life or imagined problems 2. I develop new friends 3. Share my thoughts, opinions, and feelings with other bloggers 4. Stretches my imagination (what's my next blogging topic?) 5. Allows me to visit places I've never been before and writing about it Cartoon by Dave Walker . Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons . How blogging can exacerbate my hypertension :-( 1. The laptop joins me when I eat 2. I sleep very late 3. I wake up very early 4. I am always rushing to get to the internet (my heart palpitates) 5. My laundry bin is always full 6. I don't like going out anymore 7. Cable is no longer alluring 8. The house is kindda dusty 9. I prepare easy to cook meals 10. I don't have time to talk to my plants anymore.

I discovered I had hypertension in 2002. In one of my visits to our family doctor, she was surprised that my blood pressure registered a high 160/130. She asked me if I my head ached and I said no. Was I dizzy? and again, no. She couldn't believe it herself. I was there to get a doctors certificate. I contracted flu - the reason why I was not at work for three days. And the medical certificate was an employment requirement for medical leave. My doctor proclaimed that I was a walking time bomb. I could have collapsed anywhere and died there and then. She suggested that I go see a specialist. Prior to that day at the doc's office and unknown to everyone, I was already getting these daily morning head aches. I thought that was part of the daily deal - the grind so to speak. I just kept taking paracetamol or aspirin. Depends on what's available. I was on the job straight for more than 10 years as a marketing person and then an offer to have my own business came. For 6 years I

I have been somehow healed by drinking lots of coconut water or juice. Back when I was actively recuperating, I drank the juice practically everyday for its "probiotic flora" to help my digestion. My coconut juice concoction consist of the juice of simmered pandan leaves and some honey. The pandan leaves a refreshing aroma that truly gives you that healthy drinking feeling. It is said that coconut juice acts as "a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. It's the fluid of life, so to speak." In fact, during the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma trasfusions to wounded soldiers. Most coconut water is still consumed fresh in tropical coastal areas - once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment. Coconut Water is Mor

Dr. Rafael R. Castillo in his Inquirer column entitled Medical Files talks about Filipinos trivializing hypertension . He says that: less than 50% of hypertensives are aware that they have it; only 25% are taking anti-hypertension medications and only 10% or less have adequately controlled high blood pressure. What gives? No symptoms. That's why. It is hard to get alarmed if you don't feel any adversely symptomatic condition/s. What's more, even if these hypertensives do take medications, this is not religious habit but considered as a hop and skip thing...not until a stroke strikes. And as the good doctor says, "by then it's too late". Solution to an apparent problem. "Increase awareness" with the I-Stroke campaign. Dubbed as "Marunong and Nagtatanong", (Wise is the Person Who Asks), aims to increase awareness. Properly disseminated, it could prevent the escalation in the number of people getting debilitated with a stroke caused by hyper