HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

High Blood Pressure

Hypertension is high blood pressure, and it is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke, which constitute the major causes of death in Australia. Hypertension is of major health importance and by the year 2025, hypertension is expected to increase by 60%, affecting 1.6 billion people. The danger of hypertension is that it is often doesn’t have symptoms. It is a tragedy when the first sign of high blood pressure is a stroke that leaves the victim permanently disabled.

Hypertension is preventable, easily detected and treatable. That is why the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia recommends that you should “know your blood pressure”.

On average, blood pressure is higher in men than women and so hypertension is also more frequent in men. Age is another reason why blood pressure rises, particularly in Western cultures where it is probably related to lifestyle and the middle age spread.

In most cases medical tests fail reveal a specific cause of hypertension, although a family history of high blood pressure is often detected. This reflects the fact that genes and family environment play a role. In a minority of hypertensive cases a cause will be clear such as kidney trouble or hormonal imbalances. Although uncommon, these conditions can be reversed by appropriate treatment and then blood pressure “cured”.

For the rest, treatment of hypertension either with lifestyle modification or with drugs reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

Diagnosis

Blood pressure is normally measured in a doctor’s office using a sphygmomanometer. This involves wrapping an inflatable cuff around the upper arm. The cuff is inflated until blood flow in the arteries of the arm is stopped. The cuff is slowly deflated and using a stethoscope to hear sounds of the heartbeat.

The pressure at which sounds start is the systolic pressure. This is the maximum pressure developed by the beating heart. The lowest pressure between heartbeats is also recorded when sounds disappear. This is the diastolic blood pressure. Pressures are usually recorded in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and cited as systolic over diastolic pressure, for example, 120/80 mmHg. Resting blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg is generally considered normal.

Blood pressure can be very variable and can be elevated by stress, emotional state, recent physical activity, smoking, caffeine and even talking. Hypertension is not therefore diagnosed until resting blood pressure is shown to be consistently elevated after several successive visits to your doctor. Sometimes blood pressures can be measured by automated machines at home, but it is important to use reliable equipment.

Treatment

The starting point is to ensure that you have a healthy lifestyle. Lifestyle factors that reduce blood pressure include weight reduction, regular aerobic exercise, low salt diet and alcohol restriction. If drug treatment is necessary, doctors and patients have a wide range of useful drugs to choose from.

The names of the major classes of drugs used in the treatment of hypertension include diuretics (water tablets), beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin antagonists and calcium antagonists. It is estimated that about 8% of Australians take blood pressure medications which they usually take for life.

Exercise

Regular exercise may prevent or control high blood pressure. Moderate-level aerobic activities, such as brisk walking, for 30 minutes a day may be enough to keep you off medications or help them work more effectively. Exercise can reduce blood pressure readings by as much as 5-15 points. Gradually increase the intensity of your workout to continue lowering your blood pressure to safer levels.

Resources: WebMD

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

Life at some stage needs to be about following ones passion. For me, my passion is fitness and all that comes with it. I have always been a fit person of relatively varying degrees during the progression of my life. I have always been of the opinion attitude and diet are the two other key factors together with fitness that will provide well rounded holistic outcomes in life. I  personally have a very responsive body type and fortunately for me, hard work fitness wise can reward me with results relatively quickly. I currently partake in 4-5 days/week of exercise. I weight train twice a week with another day dedicated to a pump class, another with Boxing and finally a Cross Fit type outdoor training session. My fitness regime comes to me as easily as brushing my teeth. I have a very busy schedule working 5-6 days a week as the Property Manager for Ray White Maleny, have teenagers at home and am the proud grandmother of a gorgeous grandson. I will always find time in my schedule to participate in my Fitness Routine. As a result I have little patience for people who feel the need to make excuses not to exercise because they are too busy! These types of excuses don't sit well with me!

As I am now in the right place and the timing is now to follow my passion, I have decided to complete my Cert 111 & 1V in Fitness at Fit College. Fit College was the recommended institution for successful outcomes leading into the Fitness Industry by my Trainer Jason Palmada, Business Owner of Tribal Training see www.tribaltraining.com.au.

As a result of completing my Certificates in Fitness, I will let my future

aspirations in the in the Fitness Industry evolve progressively, as I am interested in more than

one facit within the industry. I also have opportunities Internationally within the next couple of years. 

Ultimately this is my pipeline career goal. I will be working towards increasing my experience/skillset

whilst in Australia in preparation to present myself as a competent trainer to assist high-end

clientele become the very best they can be!

Cheers

Trudy Busk

PS Something I forgot to mention!!

WHY WOMEN SHOULD LIFT WEIGHTS

We know that increasing and maintaining adequate muscle mass is one of the best ways to keep body fat at bay and to improve overall fitness, particularly as we age. We also know that weight lifting is the best way to build muscle mass. Still, the number of women who actually participate in any formal or consistent weight training workout is still extremely low. Most women who exercise are spending most of their gym time on cardiovascular exercise. Whatever your reasons for avoiding the weights, if you are a woman, here are ten reasons why you need to take strength training seriously. You Will Be Physically Stronger. Increasing your strength will make you far less dependent upon others for assistance in daily living. Chores will be easier, lifting kids, groceries and laundry will no longer push you to the max. If your maximum strength is increased, daily tasks and routine exercise will be far less likely to cause injury. Research studies conclude that even moderate weight training can increase a woman's strength by 30 to 50 percent. Research also shows that women can develop their strength at the same rate as men. You Will Lose Body Fat. Studies performed by Wayne Westcott, PhD, from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, found that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up. You Will Gain Strength Without Bulk. Researchers also found that unlike men, women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus. You Decrease Your Risk Of Osteoporosis. Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density (and enhance bone modeling) by 13 percent in six months. This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a women's best defense against osteoporosis. You Will Improve Your Athletic Performance. Over and over research concludes that strength training improves athletic ability in all but the very elite athletes (See Article). Golfers can significantly increase their driving power. Cyclists are able to continue for longer periods of time with less fatigue. Skiers improve technique and reduce injury. Whatever sport you play, strength training has been shown to improve overall performance as well as decrease the risk of injury. You Will Reduce Your Risk Of Injury, Back Pain and Arthritis. Strength training not only builds stronger muscles, but also builds stronger connective tissues and increases joint stability. This acts as reinforcement for the joints and helps prevent injury. A recent 12-year study showed that strengthening the low-back muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training can ease the pain of osteoarthritis and strengthen joints. You Will Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease. According to Dr. Barry A. Franklin, of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, weight training can improve cardiovascular health in several ways, including lowering LDL ("bad") cholesterol, increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. When cardiovascular exercise is added, these benefits are maximized. You Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes. In addition, Dr. Franklin noted that weight training may improve the way the body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months. It Is Never Too Late To Benefit. Women in their 70s and 80s have built up significant strength through weight training and studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age. Note, however, that a strength training professional should always supervise older participants. You Will Improve Your Attitude And Fight Depression. A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. Women who strength train commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their program, all important factors in fighting depression.

HEALTH IS PRECIOUS

Modern life is tough and complex. It makes great demands on our physical and mental stamina. Accidents will always happen, and no matter how careful we are, serious illnesses cannot always be avoided. But if we keep fit we will be less accident-prone and infection will find it harder to break through our defenses. Let yourself drop below par and you fall an easy victim to disease. You catch every cold easily, and vague headaches, backaches and nervous troubles are always interfering with your everyday life. You cannot afford to go on being only half alive! You may have a career before you, or you may have a house to run and children to bring up. Like so many women today, you may be coping with both a career and a home. There is no doubt about it. A women must be really fit to keep up with the pace of modern life, and only when she is fit will she realize how much it means. Fitness is not such a difficult goal, if you will take the trouble to learn something about your body and how to keep it in perfect working order with minimum of effort. Yet, so very many women can't or won't bother. They sadly resign themselves to middle age when hardly out of their twenties. They have two children and let themselves go. They suffer bad teeth, poor complexions, varicose veins, aching feet, postural defects, and all sorts of minor ailments. They just don't know how to take care of their bodies. Its strange isnt it? Women are traditionally more conscious of their looks and figures than men, yet men have been much quicker to realize the benefits of regular exercise - such as bodybuilding - to keep their bodies looking and feeling good. Cosmetics and pills cannot restore your looks, retard premature old age, bring back supple curves and that youthful look in your eyes. Only good health can do that, and good health can only be achieved through fitness. Your body is a machine and all machines need regular attention. Yet a women will abuse her body and ignore all the elementary rules of maintenance. Then she wonders why her looks suffer. She wonders why she is beginning to look older than her years. There are seven deadly sins that lead to premature aging: Faulty diet, Lack of Exercise, Poor personal hygiene, Lack of sleep, Faulty posture, Negative mental outlook, Bad Habits, If you want to be fit and healthy and enjoy life to the full, then you can make a useful start by turning the seven deadly sins into seven healthgiving virtues.How do you achieve this? By spending just 45 minutes three times a week in the invigorating pursuit of bodybuilding!