Wellness Wednesday emails are designed to provide you with simple tools, information, and resources to encourage positive and healthy lifestyle choices. As a proud recipient of The Healthy Arizona Worksite Award, The Be Kind People Project is committed to the health and wellness of its employees, friends, and family.
Under Pressure!
Your heart pumps blood throughout your entire body and delivers oxygen to your vital organs. This rhythmic flow is your blood pressure. Your blood pressure reading consists of two numbers indicating different pressures: systolic and diastolic. Your systolic pressure, the first and higher number, is caused by your heart’s contraction. While your diastolic pressure, the second and lower number, is the amount of pressure in your arteries during resting periods between heartbeats.
Heart-Healthy Foods
Our diets play a huge role in our overall blood pressure. Therefore, incorporating heart-healthy foods into your daily routine can help reduce your risk of developing hypertension, or high blood pressure. Here are some foods to start adding today!
- Citrus: Grapefruits, oranges, and lemons are loaded with vitamins and minerals that help reduce high blood pressure.
- Pistachios: Pistachios contain an amino acid that helps improve blood vessel health and lowers blood pressure.
- Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are packed with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.
- Edamame: Popular in Asian culture, edamame is rich in a flavonoid that lowers cholesterol. Edamame also contains soy protein that reduces cardiovascular disease risk.
- Beets: Beets are high in nitrates, which are great at relaxing blood vessels to help lower your blood pressure.
Rethink Your Drink!
What you drink also plays a role in your overall heart health, energy drinks and alcohol cause an increase in blood pressure. Decreasing or cutting out consumption leads to a decreased risk of complications. Choosing to rethink your drink can help reduce blood pressure, here are some great swaps to try today!
- Matcha tea: Matcha powder is ground-up green tea leaves that are covered about a month before harvesting to boost chlorophyll production and amino acid content. The antioxidants found in matcha prevent the oxidation of LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease.
- Citrus water: Adding a couple of slices to your water can help lower blood pressure by increasing fluid intake.
- Coffee: Certain studies show that drinking coffee can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure.
- Tomato juice: Studies show that drinking a glass of unsalted tomato juice every once a day can improve blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
Heart-Healthy Habits!
Almost half of adults in America have high blood pressure. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to naturally lower your blood pressure. Here are some ways you can get relief!
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping less than 5 hours is linked to an increase in blood pressure. So it’s important to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night!
- Stop the smoke. Chemicals found in tobacco cause damage inflammation to your blood vessels. So it’s vital to practice safe smoking cessation!
- Take a break. Practicing mindfulness via meditation or yoga can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Taking a moment of silence is great for your physical and mental health!
American Heart Health Month!
Be sure to take care of your heart today and every day! This American Heart Month, be sure to check out the American Heart Association for helpful resources to take care of YOU. There’s even a resource on how to find certified heart-healthy foods in your local grocery store, click here for more!
Published on February 2, 2022
By Krysta Flores, National Manager of Online Learning
Questions? Comments? Want to contribute to the Wellness Wednesday Bulletin?
Send your ideas to Krysta Flores at krysta@bkpp.org.
