If YOU know how your body works then…
“Know thyself “
- An ancient Greek aphorism that appeared in the Temple of Apollo in Delphi and was also inscribed-in Latin- over the Oracle’s door in the 1999 film “Matrix”.
- A maxim that has been attributed to ancient philosophers.
- Benjamin Franklin wrote: "There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self."
Understanding our self, our feelings, our emotions, and what motivates our behavior is or should be an important goal in life. But what does it practically mean in the areas of health, wellness and prevention?
Knowing how our body works helps us understand what is important in keeping it healthy. In order to keep our arteries healthy and avoid heart attacks and stroke, for example, we should care about what we put into our mouth (diet), as this stuff is absorbed by our gut and enters the arteries and heart circulation, with potential salutary (fruits and vegetables filled with antioxidants) or destructive effects (frequent intake of red meat, fast food or cold cuts, filled with unhealthy fats). A healthy metabolism supports healthy arteries and its pillars are a combination of healthy diet and near-daily exercise, including both cardio- and muscle building through light weights. As another example, knowing that one of our immediate family members has type 2 diabetes means that our own pancreas cells that produce insulin are probably not very durable, so we better watch it and avoid becoming obese or eating too many cookies and desserts, or else!
Listen to your body -- once you know it well enough, you can pick up on its cues.
As it is true that no one can know our feelings or emotions better than ourselves, we can also be the best barometers of our physical health. Many times we know when something is “out of whack”, without being able to pinpoint to the exact, precise cause or details. Such knowledge or “gut feeling” may prompt us to make changes in our lifestyle or even visit our doctor. Speaking about doctors, there must be the right “chemistry” between us and our health care provider.
There are several ways to advocate for yourself.
Ask question’s - It is ok to arrive at your doctor’s office with a list of questions. The better organized you are they better it will be for you and your health care provider.
Second opinion - It may be appropriate to get a second opinion. That is why when it comes to YOUR health, you are allowed to talk to several medical professionals about the concerns you have.
Be honest - Feel comfortable telling the truth without hiding anything or fearing that will be chastised for doing so. The old saying Honesty is the best Policy certainly applies here.
Not the Right Match - In case we sense that our doctor is not the right match, we should not hesitate to find another provider.
Knowing our body will help us shape and keep our healthiest version of ourselves. Whereas the general principles of a healthy lifestyle may be, more or less, the same for all of us, the details of how to get there are different. This should come as no surprise as no two individuals are the same, not even monozygotic twins. We have recently spoken to a woman who joined a gym and felt pressured to take a yoga class, as her friends raved about it and she, herself read about its benefits. However, after trying it, she found that yoga was not for her. She did not enjoy it; she felt it was something like a chore she had to attend. As she was not getting the most out of it, she tried something else. She found that a toning class using light weights was more her style. What works for one person does not work for all.
We need not worry if we do not look like the supermodels in the magazines or that bodybuilder at the gym. Actually, this may be a good thing. Some supermodels smoke like a chimney, in order to control their appetite and eat less (smoking is worse than obesity) and many bodybuilders use anabolic steroid drugs that seriously undermine their health. Keep in mind that the weight we carry around our hips is not nearly as bad for our metabolism as our belly weight. In pursuit of a healthy diet, some may be able to follow a strict program and count calories, while others find it easier to just eat healthy. Remember that a diet is good only if we keep it in the long run. And that is okay to be different! If everyone was exactly the same - wouldn’t that make for a boring world?
Listen to your body and watch your body. If you see or notice changes, take action. In today’s busy society it is easy to put everyone else first: kids, spouse, job, even your pet! But YOU have to take care of YOU. Also, do not forget to reward yourself from time to time. Embrace your differences, and work to be the healthiest version of YOU that you can be!
Here’s to your Health!!
Dr. Anthony
My Doctor Says I Have High Blood Pressure. What Does This Mean?
So you just got home from your doctor’s appointment and he or she told you that you have high blood pressure. What does that mean exactly? Here are some of the implications:
You and your doctor need to answer the question: over a period of the next few weeks is my blood pressure, as checked at my own home environment, frequently above 140/90 mm Hg?
Why is a high blood pressure important?
If it is really high, what do I need to do about it?
For the young and the middle-aged (less than 60 years old) the best top number (systolic) is no higher than 115-120 and the bottom no higher than 75-80. However, the medically accepted thresholds for diagnosing high blood pressure (“hypertension”) are set at 140 for the top and 90 for the bottom. The reason is that a blood pressure higher than 140/90 (“140 over 90”) has been consistently linked to severe and, frequently irreversible, health problems like:
Stroke
Heart attacks
Thick and stiff heart muscle (“hypertrophy” and “diastolic dysfunction”) and a large left atrium (one of the four heart chambers) that can, over time, lead to heart failure and atrial fibrillation
Kidney failure
Enlarged aorta and aortic aneurysm (the main highway that distributes blood from the heart to the rest of your body becomes dangerously enlarged)
A single measurement over 140/90 does not establish the diagnosis of hypertension, nor does it mean you are going to suffer from the complications we just mentioned. However, it is a warning and a strong indication that you yourself start monitor your blood pressure at home, under conditions of rest (always while seated for 3-5 minutes), for at least 10-15 times over the next couple of weeks. The best times of the day to monitor blood pressure are, for those who sleep at night and work during the daytime:
early in the morning, as soon as you wake up (after you empty your bladder)
between 6-9 in the evening
If your blood pressure readings have been consistently higher than 140 over 90 over a number of weeks or months, then you need to:
be started on medications and
follow closely those healthy lifestyle elements that help reduce blood pressure (reduce your sodium intake by at least 50%, eat every day 5-9 portions of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, do not drink more than moderate amounts of alcohol, exercise at least 5 times a week for 40 minutes at a time, and, if overweight or obese, aim at losing 5% of your body weight)
Also, you may have high blood pressure if only one of the numbers (either the top or the bottom) is consistently higher than what it should be over a period of time, such as weeks or months. So what are the ranges of blood pressure that your doctor uses to measure you?
A blood pressure reading has a top number (systolic) and a bottom number (diastolic). The ranges are:
Normal: Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
Prehypertension: 120-139 over 80-89
Stage 1 high blood pressure: 140-159 over 90-99
Stage 2 high blood pressure: 160 and above over 100 and above
High blood pressure in people over age 60: 150 and above over 90 and above
There is newer scientific evidence, however, that, individuals younger than 60 years, should aim at a blood pressure of less than 120/80 instead of the traditionally accepted 140/90.
When your blood pressure is high, it puts an extra strain on your already hard-at work arteries and heart. This is translated into extra strain on your body's major organs - your heart, your brain and your kidneys. This extra strain may increase your risk of developing additional health problems in the near or distant future - for example heart attacks, strokes, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, aortic aneurysms, dementia, and kidney disease. This end-organ damage is frequently irreversible and may necessitate invasive and risky procedures with less than guaranteed success.
The best opportunity to avoid the long-term serious and irreversible complications of high blood pressure is to implement healthy lifestyle changes and accept taking medications as soon as hypertension is diagnosed. Unfortunately, many younger individuals with high blood pressure refuse taking medications, usually for the rest of their life, while allowing this slow and indolent killer to damage their arteries and key organs beyond repair. If they could only see the constant torture their arteries go through when their blood pressure is high, they would surely change their mind!
As it stands now, the exact cause of high blood pressure is not known, but there are several factors and conditions that may play a role in its development such as:
Smoking
Being overweight or obese
Lack of physical activity
Too much salt in the diet
Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
Stress
Older age
Genetics
Family history of high blood pressure
Chronic kidney disease
Adrenal and thyroid disorders
Sleep apnea
As you can see, the good news is that these problems do not develop overnight. Instead, these issues are the result of damage that has been occurring over a long period of time. That is usually due to the high blood pressure being left untreated over a very long period of time. Therefore, the sooner you can lower your blood pressure and the longer you can keep it under control, the better. The obvious benefit is that you will be putting less strain on your arteries and major organs as well as lowering your risk of developing any of the health problems that we described above.