Some people think mushrooms are nutritional nothings. But enlivening soup, salads, sandwiches and anything else you can think of with this flavorful fungus could mean something big for your heart.
Mushrooms may be the top source of a compound called ergothioneine. That turns out to be a big word for healthy: In the lab, the substance reigned supreme in inhibiting adhesion molecules -- the bad boys responsible for helping plaque-forming cells latch onto blood vessel walls.
Ergothioneine is found in other foods, too, including wheat germ and chicken liver. But the amount in white button mushrooms is four to 12 times higher, and meaty Portobello mushrooms have even more. Add to that the fact that Portobello shrooms, just 22 calories per raw cupful, often can stand in for fatty meat (far more than 22 calories per cup!) and contain a lot of magnesium too, and you have a tasty recipe for younger arteries and maybe a smaller waistline, too.
Other reasons to choose mushrooms, In another study, the white button variety boosted production of natural killer cells in mice. If the same thing happens in humans, that's great news, because killer cells help defend against tumors and virus-infected cells. The biggest reason to pile them on wherever you can imagine. They taste great.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Two Second Way To Save Your Life
Turn off your phone and put it away when you get in the car. You'll seriously up your odds of a longer and better life.
No, don't switch to a headset; even though some states now mandate them as safer, on the hands-free theory, Washington is the most recent to completely ban driving while holding a cell phone to your ear. Five states and D.C. have nixed it.
But here's the thing, hands-free devices don't necessarily make it safer for you to talk while driving. There's still the brain-free problem. A new study shows that chatting with someone you can't see uses up spatial attention, essential for driving well. Talking, especially the subconscious act of thinking about what you're going to say (even if it doesn't come out so thoughtfully) interferes with your visual attention even more than listening does. So it should be no surprise that driving while phoning gives you a four times higher crash risk than driving with the phone turned off and there only for emergencies.
At all hours of the day and night, 6 percent of American drivers are talking on cell phones. That's another reason to put yours away, someone has to be alert around the people who are talking to their spouses on the phone, watching their kids in the backseat and reaching for their soy latte at the same time.
Believe it or not, whole generations of people used to drive around quite happily without talking on the phone. Try it. You'll like it.
No, don't switch to a headset; even though some states now mandate them as safer, on the hands-free theory, Washington is the most recent to completely ban driving while holding a cell phone to your ear. Five states and D.C. have nixed it.
But here's the thing, hands-free devices don't necessarily make it safer for you to talk while driving. There's still the brain-free problem. A new study shows that chatting with someone you can't see uses up spatial attention, essential for driving well. Talking, especially the subconscious act of thinking about what you're going to say (even if it doesn't come out so thoughtfully) interferes with your visual attention even more than listening does. So it should be no surprise that driving while phoning gives you a four times higher crash risk than driving with the phone turned off and there only for emergencies.
At all hours of the day and night, 6 percent of American drivers are talking on cell phones. That's another reason to put yours away, someone has to be alert around the people who are talking to their spouses on the phone, watching their kids in the backseat and reaching for their soy latte at the same time.
Believe it or not, whole generations of people used to drive around quite happily without talking on the phone. Try it. You'll like it.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Make An Easy Meal Healthier -- Fast
When your schedule has less room on it than the Tokyo subway at rush hour, a bowl of canned soup is a good, quick and easy meal option. But there's one thing that's not so easy about it: Finding the veggies in there.
Here's how to make it easy again, Soup up your soup with fennel. A spice, herb and veggie all rolled into one, fennel complements many soups, from chicken noodle to tomato. And it's loaded with disease stomping flavonoids.
This aromatic, versatile powerhouse knocks food borne bacteria out flat. Which ones? E. coli, Salmonella and certain strains of Staphylococcus that may be hanging out in other food you touch, eat or add to your soup.
Look for fennel, a wholly edible root vegetable, in the produce section, It looks like a bulb with feathered leaves and celerylike stalks. Just chop it and toss some in your bowl before you nuke your soup.
Make the most of your quickie meal by checking that you're having a good soup to begin with. It should contain less than 400 milligrams of sodium (that's how they label salt) per serving. Avoid soups with noodles, since they may be cooked in saturated or trans fats.
If you're having a salad with your soup, spice it up with fennel, too. You don't even need lettuce, Just serve thinly sliced fennel with oranges and toasted nuts.
Here's how to make it easy again, Soup up your soup with fennel. A spice, herb and veggie all rolled into one, fennel complements many soups, from chicken noodle to tomato. And it's loaded with disease stomping flavonoids.
This aromatic, versatile powerhouse knocks food borne bacteria out flat. Which ones? E. coli, Salmonella and certain strains of Staphylococcus that may be hanging out in other food you touch, eat or add to your soup.
Look for fennel, a wholly edible root vegetable, in the produce section, It looks like a bulb with feathered leaves and celerylike stalks. Just chop it and toss some in your bowl before you nuke your soup.
Make the most of your quickie meal by checking that you're having a good soup to begin with. It should contain less than 400 milligrams of sodium (that's how they label salt) per serving. Avoid soups with noodles, since they may be cooked in saturated or trans fats.
If you're having a salad with your soup, spice it up with fennel, too. You don't even need lettuce, Just serve thinly sliced fennel with oranges and toasted nuts.
The Hidden Healer In Your Pasta Sauce
Oregano isn't just a way to add pizza to your pasta sauce. Use it to bring some zing to your salad dressing, chicken marinade or vegetable saute, and your cells may thank you, too. This herb may have the power to prevent damaging inflammation in your body, and that prevents weight gain, not to mention wrinkles, impotence, cancer and more.
The essential oils in this herb contain a tongue-twisting substance called (E) beta caryophyllene; we just call it (E) BCP for short. This compound binds to certain receptors in your cells in a way that means less inflammation. That's the effect it had in mouse studies, and it's likely that (E) BCP has a similar benefit in humans.
What's so bad about inflammation? In your arteries, walls that are inflamed grow fatter and fatter, since inflammatory cells fighting something they want to keep away get bigger and bigger. The cells pile up, eventually rupture and then block the blood flow highway to your heart or brain (definitely not good).
Don't like oregano much? Surprisingly, the lowest dose of the compound tended to be the most effective in a recent study. Don't like it at all? Black pepper, rosemary and cinnamon all contain the compound, too. And if those don't hit the spot, try these other inflammation fighters, cherries and berries, omega-3 rich fish including salmon and tuna (or take DHA from algae in pill form); dark chocolate, and olive oil (the more virgin the oil, the better).
Bottom line, protect yourself from inflammation by adding some extra flavor to your food -- what tastes good is often good for you, too.
The essential oils in this herb contain a tongue-twisting substance called (E) beta caryophyllene; we just call it (E) BCP for short. This compound binds to certain receptors in your cells in a way that means less inflammation. That's the effect it had in mouse studies, and it's likely that (E) BCP has a similar benefit in humans.
What's so bad about inflammation? In your arteries, walls that are inflamed grow fatter and fatter, since inflammatory cells fighting something they want to keep away get bigger and bigger. The cells pile up, eventually rupture and then block the blood flow highway to your heart or brain (definitely not good).
Don't like oregano much? Surprisingly, the lowest dose of the compound tended to be the most effective in a recent study. Don't like it at all? Black pepper, rosemary and cinnamon all contain the compound, too. And if those don't hit the spot, try these other inflammation fighters, cherries and berries, omega-3 rich fish including salmon and tuna (or take DHA from algae in pill form); dark chocolate, and olive oil (the more virgin the oil, the better).
Bottom line, protect yourself from inflammation by adding some extra flavor to your food -- what tastes good is often good for you, too.
How Protein Takes The Pressure Off
Name some great ways to get protein. If no plant products were in your answer, you're missing a great way to keep your blood pressure under control. People who have better blood pressure also have diets high in vegetable, not animal, protein.
Researchers aren't sure why veggie protein lowers this key health measure, but they suspect that the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) in veggies may somehow be kinder to blood pressure than those in animal protein. And the magnesium and other good for you nutrients found in veggies may work with the amino acids to enhance their blood pressure friendly effects. Plus, the lack of saturated fat in veggie protein may allow your arteries to relax, which also lowers blood pressure.
Some top protein-packed veggie favorites, Edamame (soybeans) and kidney beans, both hold more protein per cup (17 g and 16 g, respectively) than a serving of turkey does (12 g in 3 ounces). Green peas are no slouches, either, with 9 g of protein per cup, followed by Portobello mushrooms and spinach (5 g per cup), corn and broccoli (4 g per cup). Other ways to get more protein without reaching for a steak knife, Grab a handful of nuts (4 to 6 g per ounce), and make sure your grains are 100 percent whole grains.
That doesn't mean you can't have any animal products on your plate. Just let the vegetables and grains take center stage and consider the other proteins to be more like accents. Not only will meals be more interesting, but keeping your blood pressure where it should be, at or below 115/76, can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger.
Researchers aren't sure why veggie protein lowers this key health measure, but they suspect that the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) in veggies may somehow be kinder to blood pressure than those in animal protein. And the magnesium and other good for you nutrients found in veggies may work with the amino acids to enhance their blood pressure friendly effects. Plus, the lack of saturated fat in veggie protein may allow your arteries to relax, which also lowers blood pressure.
Some top protein-packed veggie favorites, Edamame (soybeans) and kidney beans, both hold more protein per cup (17 g and 16 g, respectively) than a serving of turkey does (12 g in 3 ounces). Green peas are no slouches, either, with 9 g of protein per cup, followed by Portobello mushrooms and spinach (5 g per cup), corn and broccoli (4 g per cup). Other ways to get more protein without reaching for a steak knife, Grab a handful of nuts (4 to 6 g per ounce), and make sure your grains are 100 percent whole grains.
That doesn't mean you can't have any animal products on your plate. Just let the vegetables and grains take center stage and consider the other proteins to be more like accents. Not only will meals be more interesting, but keeping your blood pressure where it should be, at or below 115/76, can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Feeling Fat Can Make You Sick (Even If You're Thin)
What you think can make you healthy. Or not. Especially when it comes to what you think about your body. It turns out that the higher percentage of weight you want to lose, even if you're not overweight in the first place, the more mentally and physically unhealthy days you have every month. BMI, or actual weight, doesn't have that much to do with it, researchers at Columbia University found. But the desire to lose weight does affect how healthy you are.
How? It's likely that distorted ideas about what an ideal weight is lead to stress, and that stress precipitates bad health days. And distorted ideas are common, especially in women. Only 41 percent of normal weight people say they are happy with their weight (only 20 percent of overweight and 5 percent of obese people do).
So what can you do? If you want an objective view of your body, don't rely on only your eyes. Instead, focus on how you feel. Use your eating habits, exercise patterns and other lifestyle choices to help you feel strong and energized. And keep reminding yourself of all the things your body can do when you are fit and well nourished.
Not working? Try strength training. In one study, women felt more confident about their bodies after a 12-week weight training program even if they gained weight during it. So stop overthinking your body. Save your brainpower for the important stuff, like work, your shopping list and your fantasy basketball league.
How? It's likely that distorted ideas about what an ideal weight is lead to stress, and that stress precipitates bad health days. And distorted ideas are common, especially in women. Only 41 percent of normal weight people say they are happy with their weight (only 20 percent of overweight and 5 percent of obese people do).
So what can you do? If you want an objective view of your body, don't rely on only your eyes. Instead, focus on how you feel. Use your eating habits, exercise patterns and other lifestyle choices to help you feel strong and energized. And keep reminding yourself of all the things your body can do when you are fit and well nourished.
Not working? Try strength training. In one study, women felt more confident about their bodies after a 12-week weight training program even if they gained weight during it. So stop overthinking your body. Save your brainpower for the important stuff, like work, your shopping list and your fantasy basketball league.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Got Burned? Do The Right Thing
What do you do the second after you burn yourself on the saute pan or your grill? (Note: We didn't ask what you say. We want to know what you do).
Leave the butter in the fridge; the best thing you can do is quickly put ice water on it (not ice; ice water). This slows down the rush of inflammatory cells that create blistering and increase the damage of the burn. By the way, if it hurts, that's good. It means you didn't fry the full thickness of your skin. A deep burn kills nerves, so you don't actually feel it.
Next, clean the area with soap and water to remove any dirt and bacteria. Apply a sterile moisturizer, like bacytracyn or Neosporin, twice a day, and don't pop any blisters. They're the ideal sterile biologic dressing over the new skin that's quickly growing over the injured area. Mess with Mother Nature's protective covering, and scarring will be worse. Baby the burn a bit by covering it with fine gauze.
Call the doc if the burn is on your hands, face or genitals (we won't ask) and is bigger than a nickel. She may want to treat it with an antibiotic cream called Silvadene that kills bacteria and keeps the burn moist.
Leave the butter in the fridge; the best thing you can do is quickly put ice water on it (not ice; ice water). This slows down the rush of inflammatory cells that create blistering and increase the damage of the burn. By the way, if it hurts, that's good. It means you didn't fry the full thickness of your skin. A deep burn kills nerves, so you don't actually feel it.
Next, clean the area with soap and water to remove any dirt and bacteria. Apply a sterile moisturizer, like bacytracyn or Neosporin, twice a day, and don't pop any blisters. They're the ideal sterile biologic dressing over the new skin that's quickly growing over the injured area. Mess with Mother Nature's protective covering, and scarring will be worse. Baby the burn a bit by covering it with fine gauze.
Call the doc if the burn is on your hands, face or genitals (we won't ask) and is bigger than a nickel. She may want to treat it with an antibiotic cream called Silvadene that kills bacteria and keeps the burn moist.
The Effortless Way To Eat More Veggies
Make an extra stop on your way home today. Not a pit stop or a pause at the neighborhood bar, but a stop at the deli or the grocery store where they have that luscious-looking produce. It just may make you healthier. People who like where they buy their produce, i.e., they're satisfied with the selection and quality, tend to eat more of it than people who just don't click with their grocery store.
Other ways to ensure you'll eat it, sniff it first, if there's no fresh smell, don't purchase it. And look for the new "country of origin" stickers. Yes, we prefer local food in season. When you get it home, eat it quickly, nutrient content drops the longer produce sits around, even when it's refrigerated (with the exception of dark plums, which might get a little antioxidant boost with short storage). Some fruits hold up better than others: black grapes, apples, oranges and tomatoes (yes, these are fruits!), but it's still best to eat them when they're fresh. And keep them in the crisper, exposure to light can make some nutrients flee.
Know you won't be home much this week? Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables. Some high-end chefs have even recently confessed to using frozen here and there (especially Brussels sprouts, peas, corn and yellow and red bell pepper strips). And us low, end YOU Docs often use frozen fruit in our berry, blaster smoothies. Since it's harvested at its peak, frozen produce may have more nutrients than fresh that has been picked early, then shipped and stored. So learn where your neighborhood fruit and vegetable parlor is, and remember the names of the produce masters. You'll find out from them what's fresh and enjoy their expertise in steering you to the best-tasting foods.
Other ways to ensure you'll eat it, sniff it first, if there's no fresh smell, don't purchase it. And look for the new "country of origin" stickers. Yes, we prefer local food in season. When you get it home, eat it quickly, nutrient content drops the longer produce sits around, even when it's refrigerated (with the exception of dark plums, which might get a little antioxidant boost with short storage). Some fruits hold up better than others: black grapes, apples, oranges and tomatoes (yes, these are fruits!), but it's still best to eat them when they're fresh. And keep them in the crisper, exposure to light can make some nutrients flee.
Know you won't be home much this week? Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables. Some high-end chefs have even recently confessed to using frozen here and there (especially Brussels sprouts, peas, corn and yellow and red bell pepper strips). And us low, end YOU Docs often use frozen fruit in our berry, blaster smoothies. Since it's harvested at its peak, frozen produce may have more nutrients than fresh that has been picked early, then shipped and stored. So learn where your neighborhood fruit and vegetable parlor is, and remember the names of the produce masters. You'll find out from them what's fresh and enjoy their expertise in steering you to the best-tasting foods.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Winter Vegetables That Boost Your Health
You can add color to your next dinner party by inviting the eccentric with the orange hair who lives two doors down. Or you can do it a far quieter and healthier way: By bringing winter squash to the table. This golden-orange vegetable helps you live longer and better even if it won't offer to do the dishes. Here's just part of its healthy resume:
It reduces the rate of aging of your arteries. Varieties such as acorn and butternut are high in potassium, which is part of what makes your nerves and muscles contract when you want them to. It also helps regulate blood pressure, allowing your heart and kidneys to function properly. One cup of cubed squash contains almost 900 mg of this mineral, which gets you a long, tasty way toward the 3,000 mg a day we recommend.
It keeps your knees and hips moving. Winter squash is high in beta cryptoxanthin you don't have to spell it, just eat it and vitamin C, two nutrients credited with helping save joints.
It helps control your appetite. Squash is low in calories if you don't douse it in butter and brown sugar, which you don't need for great taste and high in fiber, so you eat fewer calories and feel fuller longer.
Our favorite ways to get it on your plate:
1. Serve as a side dish: Puree butternut squash with a bit of olive oil, lime juice and nutmeg.
2. Add cubed or mashed squash to stews, casseroles and stir-fries.
3. Cut it into the shape of French fries. Mix with a lot of garlic and a little olive oil and roast. This is a great treat while watching the game, and the taste can be so similar to fries that most guys don't even know that they're eating something that isnfried and is so darn healthy that it could really help them go out and play.
It reduces the rate of aging of your arteries. Varieties such as acorn and butternut are high in potassium, which is part of what makes your nerves and muscles contract when you want them to. It also helps regulate blood pressure, allowing your heart and kidneys to function properly. One cup of cubed squash contains almost 900 mg of this mineral, which gets you a long, tasty way toward the 3,000 mg a day we recommend.
It keeps your knees and hips moving. Winter squash is high in beta cryptoxanthin you don't have to spell it, just eat it and vitamin C, two nutrients credited with helping save joints.
It helps control your appetite. Squash is low in calories if you don't douse it in butter and brown sugar, which you don't need for great taste and high in fiber, so you eat fewer calories and feel fuller longer.
Our favorite ways to get it on your plate:
1. Serve as a side dish: Puree butternut squash with a bit of olive oil, lime juice and nutmeg.
2. Add cubed or mashed squash to stews, casseroles and stir-fries.
3. Cut it into the shape of French fries. Mix with a lot of garlic and a little olive oil and roast. This is a great treat while watching the game, and the taste can be so similar to fries that most guys don't even know that they're eating something that isnfried and is so darn healthy that it could really help them go out and play.
What The 99 Cents Menu Costs You
When the people at the dry cleaner know your name, that's healthy community building. But when they know you at the drive-throught? Not good.
A study of 3,000 young men and women revealed that people who chose fast food two or more times per week gained the most weight over time and were more likely to suffer insulin resistance, a precursor of diabetes.
No wonder: When it comes to fast food, it's not always obvious which items turn you into an Orca lookalike and which leave you thinner than a guppy. Take, for instance, the fact that a reduced-fat blueberry muffin holds 400 calories at Dunkin' Donuts; a glazed doughnut contains 230 ,not that either of them is a good breakfast choice, of course. And would you know that two slices of a large Domino's pizza delivers 360 calories, a Southwest salad with crispy chicken at McDonald's brings you 430, without dressing?
True, these companies have added healthier items to their menus. And New York City, the state of California and the Cleveland Clinic are helping you make good choices by requiring chain restaurants to post their nutrition data.
But it's not that hard to make your own meals at home that taste far better than even the best options at the drive-thru ,and you don't have to breathe the exhaust from the car in front of you. Example: Spread some tomato paste, stir-fried vegetables, olive relish and sun-dried tomato bits on a prepared 100 percent whole-wheat pizza crust. Top with herbs and a touch of shaved smoked mozzarella. Bake at 450 F for 10 to 15 minutes, light a candle and pretend you're at a gourmet restaurant.
A study of 3,000 young men and women revealed that people who chose fast food two or more times per week gained the most weight over time and were more likely to suffer insulin resistance, a precursor of diabetes.
No wonder: When it comes to fast food, it's not always obvious which items turn you into an Orca lookalike and which leave you thinner than a guppy. Take, for instance, the fact that a reduced-fat blueberry muffin holds 400 calories at Dunkin' Donuts; a glazed doughnut contains 230 ,not that either of them is a good breakfast choice, of course. And would you know that two slices of a large Domino's pizza delivers 360 calories, a Southwest salad with crispy chicken at McDonald's brings you 430, without dressing?
True, these companies have added healthier items to their menus. And New York City, the state of California and the Cleveland Clinic are helping you make good choices by requiring chain restaurants to post their nutrition data.
But it's not that hard to make your own meals at home that taste far better than even the best options at the drive-thru ,and you don't have to breathe the exhaust from the car in front of you. Example: Spread some tomato paste, stir-fried vegetables, olive relish and sun-dried tomato bits on a prepared 100 percent whole-wheat pizza crust. Top with herbs and a touch of shaved smoked mozzarella. Bake at 450 F for 10 to 15 minutes, light a candle and pretend you're at a gourmet restaurant.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
This Will Keep You Walking All Winter
Here's one more reason to bring home that sweet Labrador/German shepherd mix from the pound. Yes, the one with that "take me home, I'll be good" look. He may help you get healthier.
Dog owners may walk as much as two hours more a week than people without a furry friend. Apparently, some of the dog's "going for a walk is the coolest thing ever" excitement rubs off on their people. Researchers think that dogs change the owner's beliefs about walking, making them more interested in doing it. And it's good for the dog: One yearlong study found that overweight canines and their people both lost weight from their walks together. But buy and use a pedometer to track your walk with your furry pal. Our patients discovered that they only averaged eight minutes of actual walking in every 60 minutes they were out with the dog.
Of course, if you're not a dog lover, there are plenty of other ways to motivate yourself to walk more:
1.Make a walking date with a friend. It's much harder to talk yourself out of it once you've committed to someone else.
2.Find a virtual exercise buddy (at sites including www.realage.com) and report your walking activities to him or her each day.
3.Splurge on a virtual trainer. There are wristwatch-size GPS devices that do everything from measuring speed, distance, calories burned and heart rate to letting you know when your pace has slacked off.
4.Register for a charity walk (and complete it).
Dog owners may walk as much as two hours more a week than people without a furry friend. Apparently, some of the dog's "going for a walk is the coolest thing ever" excitement rubs off on their people. Researchers think that dogs change the owner's beliefs about walking, making them more interested in doing it. And it's good for the dog: One yearlong study found that overweight canines and their people both lost weight from their walks together. But buy and use a pedometer to track your walk with your furry pal. Our patients discovered that they only averaged eight minutes of actual walking in every 60 minutes they were out with the dog.
Of course, if you're not a dog lover, there are plenty of other ways to motivate yourself to walk more:
1.Make a walking date with a friend. It's much harder to talk yourself out of it once you've committed to someone else.
2.Find a virtual exercise buddy (at sites including www.realage.com) and report your walking activities to him or her each day.
3.Splurge on a virtual trainer. There are wristwatch-size GPS devices that do everything from measuring speed, distance, calories burned and heart rate to letting you know when your pace has slacked off.
4.Register for a charity walk (and complete it).
Are You Getting Meds You Don't Need
It's one thing to guess how much pressure your tires have and another to guess how much your arteries have. High blood pressure is often called the silent killer, because the only way to know you have it is to have your blood pressure taken. Or when you have a stroke, and it's too late then. So know your blood pressure numbers today.
Easier said than done, even if you have an automatic, at-home device and anyone with a question of high blood pressure should have one. Little things like talking or having a full bladder can throw readings off and put you on meds you don't need or leave you without ones you do.
The leading cause of inaccurate measurements? Operator error, even at the doctor's office. Studies show that healthcare professionals rarely follow all the guidelines for accurate blood-pressure monitoring.
Make your next reading right on with these rules:
1. Sit quietly for 3 to 5 minutes before you get measured.
2. Make sure the cuff fits. A too-small cuff will overestimate blood pressure, a too-large one underestimates it.
3. Have your BP measured at least twice. The average should go in your chart.
4. Get support. Sit comfortably in a chair with a backrest with your feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed. Your arm should be supported at heart level.
5. Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring. They can temporarily increase pressure or decrease in alcohol's case.
6. Be consistent. Blood pressure is naturally higher in the morning and lower in the evening. Do readings at home at about the same time each day.
If your reading is not between 100 and 120 for the upper number, or 55 and 80 for the bottom number, talk to your doc about strategies to get it in that range as soon as.
Easier said than done, even if you have an automatic, at-home device and anyone with a question of high blood pressure should have one. Little things like talking or having a full bladder can throw readings off and put you on meds you don't need or leave you without ones you do.
The leading cause of inaccurate measurements? Operator error, even at the doctor's office. Studies show that healthcare professionals rarely follow all the guidelines for accurate blood-pressure monitoring.
Make your next reading right on with these rules:
1. Sit quietly for 3 to 5 minutes before you get measured.
2. Make sure the cuff fits. A too-small cuff will overestimate blood pressure, a too-large one underestimates it.
3. Have your BP measured at least twice. The average should go in your chart.
4. Get support. Sit comfortably in a chair with a backrest with your feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed. Your arm should be supported at heart level.
5. Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring. They can temporarily increase pressure or decrease in alcohol's case.
6. Be consistent. Blood pressure is naturally higher in the morning and lower in the evening. Do readings at home at about the same time each day.
If your reading is not between 100 and 120 for the upper number, or 55 and 80 for the bottom number, talk to your doc about strategies to get it in that range as soon as.
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