Even if you love the holidays (and many people don’t), they come with plenty of stress. Your already busy and challenging life gets complicated with travel plans, hosting plans, party plans, gift-buying, budget-balancing, and figuring out how to stay healthy through it all.
It’s enough to raise your blood pressure. But, if you already have high blood pressure (HBP, aka hypertension), doing so can be dangerous. Which just makes you even more stressed.
Dr. Ola Akinboboye, our caring and expert cardiologist, and our entire team wish you a happy — and healthy — holiday season. Between your visits to our office in Rosedale, Queens, New York, we provide you with tips to help keep your heart healthy and maintain healthy blood pressure.
How can you have healthy blood pressure when everything conspires to raise it this holiday season?
There! You’ve already done it.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling completely is a great way to give your nervous system a reset. The armed forces utilize breathing techniques to help military personnel focus, relax, and even (when appropriate) fall asleep.
So, while you may associate deep breathing with woo-woo practices like meditation or yoga, even your personal military heroes have probably indulged. It has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure.
Slowly breathe in through your nose, allowing your abdomen and lungs to inflate. Exhale through your mouth, slowly. Repeat.
Breathe in slowly through your nose to a count of four. Hold for a count of four. Exhale to a count of four. Rest for another four before taking the next breath. Repeat.
Even though you’re on holiday, you can still get enough movement to keep your heart pumping healthily. Take walks whenever you can — ideally with family (or maybe to get away from family if you feel yourself building up steam).
Build a snowman or have a snowball fight with your grandkids. Exercise isn’t just good for your heart; it also relaxes your nervous system and floods you with feel-good endorphins that make it easier to adopt the next step.
As much as possible, avoid the punch bowl, the mugs of eggnog, and other types of alcoholic holiday cheer. Even for healthy women and men, no amount of alcohol is safe for health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
If you must indulge, limit yourself to one or two drinks a day and avoid anything that contains excessive salt. That means, margaritas are a no-no. If you’re hosting or can influence the menu, look online for delicious (and sometimes nutritious) mocktails that use seltzer, veggies, and fruits to whip up holiday happiness in a glass.
When traveling to friends' and family’s homes, you can request low-sodium or no-sodium. Those who want it can then be liberal with the salt shaker.
But not everyone is comfortable cooking without salt. And, of course, if you’re at a workplace party or a restaurant, it may be impossible to avoid excess sodium.
Try to research the menu beforehand. Scan the buffet or menu for low-sodium options, such as fresh vegetables or fruits. Try to avoid dips and sauces, which tend to be high in sodium.
Interacting with loved ones often brings on unwanted side effects, such as colds and flus. Don’t just grab the nearest remedy from the medicine cabinet or the pharmacy aisle. Some cold and flu medications may interact with your HBP meds.
And be sure that you do take any medications that we’ve prescribed. Even though your routine is shaken by travel and visitors, it’s more important than ever to maintain your medicines during times of high stress.
Are you unsure of how to manage your HBP during the holidays? Or do you need to refill your prescriptions before you run out while across the country or the world? Contact our caring team at 718-208-4816 or use our online outreach form today to schedule an appointment before the stress sets in.
