"Trucker Steves Your Road Map To Health"
My name is Steve, Trucker Steve, and I have battled high blood pressure and white-coat syndrome for as long as I can remember. I am now 60 years old.
I have spent 35 years behind the windshield and know only too well the stress that a trucker endures daily and how it affects our health.
The down time I had was spent researching medical issues in Pubmed, medical books, magazines looking for answers to resolve my personal medical issues probably the same ones you have.
Hopefully by sharing my research, experiences and hard learned lessons with you I can keep my trucking family on the road and help you take control of your health.
Here are a few things I have learned to do for myself to lower my blood pressure for the DOT physical.
1. Breathe deep for 15 minutes before testing. Shallow breathing increases blood pressure. Deep respiration requires more exhale than the inhale. Inhale through the nose, holding the count to five or six seconds. Let the abdomen expand, rather than the chest, and exhale through the mouth one second longer than the inhale.
2. Drink 20 oz. of beet juice. Beet juice contains nitrate, a component that dilates blood vessels and increased blood flow. Participants in a study conducted by St Bartholomew's Hospital in London showed a decrease in blood pressure in less than one hour after drinking 20 oz. of beet juice. In 2.5 hours, the participants saw a significant reduction in blood pressure. Warning diabetics this is not good for you as beets have a high in sugar content
3. Take a brisk walk for at least 15 to 20 minutes. While at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week can reduce blood pressure overall and is effective for managing hypertension, a patient may not have the time necessary for regular exercise to have a significant effect on blood pressure before a test. However, even a short walk produces rhythmic breathing, which decreases blood pressure by calming the body's stress response. Moreover, the extra oxygen increase helps the heart use oxygen more efficiently, thereby decreasing the stress or pressure on the heart.
4. Drink a glass of water. Water has a calming effect on the nervous system, and water flushes out sodium, an element that increases blood pressure. Drink a larger portion of water at one time, rather than sipping on water at several intervals during the day. Sipping water throughout the day is good for staying hydrated, but for a faster effect on blood pressure, drink a glass of water for direct calming effects and a drop in blood pressure.
5. Eat a banana or other potassium-rich food. Potassium is an electrolyte, and plays a significant role in some of the mechanisms that control blood flow and heartbeat. Potassium supplements may take four to six weeks before having an impact on blood pressure. Depending on how fast the body metabolizes the foods rich in potassium, blood pressure may drop within an hour or two of eating a potassium-rich food.
6. Avoid unhealthy foods and habits before visiting the clinic for testing. Refrain from smoking at least one hour before the appointment, as smoke decreases oxygen intake and makes the heart work harder. Avoid fatty meals, which often contain lots of sodium and increase blood pressure, at least two days before the physical.
7. Avoid soft drinks. Giving up my Mountain Dew and Pepsi was like asking me to give up sex but there’s plenty of evidence that the extra calories may boost blood pressure as well. The risk is not entirely new, but the size of the relationship came as a surprise to the researchers, who published their findings in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. Led by Ian Brown, in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health, the group found that for every extra sugared beverage consumed, blood pressure — a ratio of systolic and diastolic pressure in the vessels — rose by an average of 1.6 mm Hg and 0.8 mm Hg respectively. While that may not seem like much, says Brown, when you consider that many children and adults down several cans of soda or sweetened fruit juices a day, the numbers can creep up
8. Take a nap before testing or visiting the clinic. Research conducted at the Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, U.K., found that naps reduce strain and pressure on the heart. Take a nap, no longer than one hour long, before an appointment for testing.
9. Avoid making a morning appointment and tell the clinician about testing anxiety. Morning hypertension is common, as blood pressure is higher in the morning. More heart attacks occur at 9 am on Monday mornings.
10. Always check with your doctor.
Your feedback on my first article" Your Road Map to Health" is much appreciated
STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY
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