Nearly 1 in 2 Adults Classified with High Blood Pressure, New Guidelines to Consider

Nearly 1 in 2 Adults Classified with High Blood Pressure, New Guidelines to Consider

by | Nov 17, 2017 | All, Fitness, Home, Wellness

Are you in the danger zone? Nearly half of all U.S. adults are identified as having high blood pressure, or hypertension, but what does this mean exactly? Imagine it like this, hypertension can easily be compared to having a piping system where the pressure is slowly increasing. Over time, this pressure wears on the machinery (“your heart”) and affects the overall system of equipment (“your body”). When blood pushes too hard against the blood vessels of the body, it damages the tissues of the arteries over time, weakening the heart and overall circulatory system. The good news is, there are ways to manage, and even prevent, this from occurring.

The American Heart Association (AHA) sets guidelines of what a healthy blood pressure should be. The new guidelines lower the blood pressure at which a person is considered to have high blood pressure. Under the previous definition, 32% of American adults were considered to have high blood pressure. The change to the guidelines changes the definition, with the result that 46% of U.S. adults are now identified as having high blood pressure. According to the AHA, “a blood pressure of less than 120/80 still will be considered normal, but levels at or above that, to 129, will be called ‘elevated’.”1 Having these new guidelines in place will allow doctors to better detect, treat and prevent hypertension in their patients.

The new guidelines can be thought of as a preventive measure. By monitoring and recognizing moderate to high blood pressure sooner, individuals will be able to take steps to control their blood pressure earlier. With implementation of healthy lifestyle changes, the risk of heart disease and stroke diminishes, giving those with hypertension a chance to get a better hold on their health. In fact, not only can early detection possibly help prevent stroke and cardiovascular issues, but it may also help prevent kidney failure. The new guidelines can help doctors detect, treat and prevent the results of hypertension.

The AHA’s journal, Hypertension emphasizes, “that doctors need to focus on a whole framework of healthier lifestyle changes for [their] patients,”2 which may be easier to do if they are able to start educating their patients earlier on. Paul Whelton, M.D., who chaired the guideline writing committee said, “I’m not saying it’s easy to change our lifestyles, but that should be first and foremost.”3

Paul Whelton, M.D., chaired the committee that wrote the new high blood pressure guidelines.

Heart Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Tips from the AHA

  • Reduce salt intake
  • Incorporate potassium-rich foods
    • i.e. bananas, potatoes, avocados, and dark leafy vegetables
  • Cut back on alcohol consumption
  • Healthy weight loss
  • Quit smoking cigarettes
  • Increase physical activity

Oftentimes, people with high blood pressure may not even realize they have it, and because of this it has become known as the “silent killer.” There are usually no obvious symptoms, making hypertension the main culprit for “more heart disease and stroke deaths than almost all other preventable causes,”4 falling second only to smoking. Check out the guide below to see where you fall on the scale, and make it a priority to live a healthy life to help build a healthy future.

If you think you may be at risk of high blood pressure or hypertension, consult with your doctor. This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.

Sources:

  1. “Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Could Now Be Classified with High Blood Pressure, under New Definitions.” News on Heart.org, 14 Nov. 2017, news.heart.org/nearly-half-u-s-adults-now-classified-high-blood-pressure-new-definitions/.
  2. Ibid
  3. Ibid
  4. Ibid

Referenced:

http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/early/2017/11/10/HYP.000000000000006

Recommended Reading

It’s LA Fitness’ 33rd Anniversary!

It’s LA Fitness’ 33rd Anniversary!

by | Nov 8, 2017 | All, Community, Fitness, Home, News

As LA Fitness celebrates its 33rd anniversary, we are sharing our top 33 articles for your enjoyment! Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comment section below, we would love to hear from you!

Below are some of our favorite fitness articles, which range from top sport and fitness trends from around the world, to an interactive LA Fitness quiz, and even the first episode of our recently launched Ask A Trainer series! Check out the posts below for some helpful fitness tips and advice to keep your fitness game strong and your knowledge of fitness even stronger.

Fitness –

  1. How Well Do You Know Your LA Fitness?
  2. Top Sports & Odd Fitness Trends from Around the World
  3. 11 Ways to Make Working Out More Fun
  4. Health Tip: Rest Days Are Crucial
  5. Is Stress Negatively Affecting Your Weight?
  6. Is Running Negatively Affecting Your Knees?
  7. Are You Weight Training? Here’s Why You Should Be!
  8. ASK A TRAINER: Ep. 5 – What’s the Best Way for Toning the Tummy Area?

Who doesn’t love food? It’s tasty, it’s necessary, and we need it to sustain healthy lives. However, most of us lack a deeper understanding of how food actually affects our body. Our registered dietitian, along with a staff of knowledgeable writers, work on providing nutrition articles to help bridge the gap between food fact and fiction. Check out some of our top nutrition articles below, and if you’re still left with nutrition questions of your own, don’t hesitate to ask your own here!

Nutrition –

  1. Carbs: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
  2. Treat Yourself – Healthy Indulgences
  3. Tips to Help Quit Unhealthy Snacking Habits
  4. How to Eat Healthy When Dining Out
  5. Natural Energy Foods to Help Replace Caffeine
  6. Should I Be Eating Breakfast in the Morning?
  7. Soups For Every Season
  8. Food Options to Drop Weight & Tone | Q+A

Health and wellness directly correlate with fitness and nutrition, so what can you do to help promote a healthy body? Check out our wellness articles below for helpful tips on keeping your body at its best, both inside and out.

Health & Wellness –

  1. Living Healthy – Tips to Manage Stress from Dr. Daneshmand, M.D.
  2. Namaste Healthy
  3. The Happiness Factor: How Happiness Affects Health
  4. Augie: A Film by James Keach | LA Fitness Recap
  5. This is Your Body on an Alcohol Binge
  6. The Benefits of Living an Active Lifestyle
  7. What Is World Health Day?
  8. What Exactly Is Diabetes?

We all have our days where it seems like heading to the gym and eating healthy seems harder than others. Use the inspirational member spotlight stories below to help keep you feeling motivated to hit your fitness goals – we believe in you!

Member Stories –

  1. Member Spotlight | Age Is Just A Number
  2. Member Spotlight | Face Your Fears
  3. Member Spotlight | Never Give Up
  4. Member Spotlight | When Life Throws a Curveball
  5. Member Spotlight | A Will to Live Longer
  6. Member Spotlight | Hoops and Heart
  7. Member Spotlight | The Man Who Learned to Stand Again
  8. Member Spotlight | Do What You Love
  9. Member Spotlight | Mini and Mighty

Recommended Reading

Member Spotlight | Finding Your Inner Superhero

Member Spotlight | Finding Your Inner Superhero

by | Nov 6, 2017 | All, Fitness, Home, Member Stories

My story begins a year before I actually joined LA Fitness. In 2016, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. After consulting at length with my doctor about how I could have contracted diabetes, we settled on two things: I was probably already pre-diabetic, and most importantly, the stress of my mother’s death probably led me there.

In February of 2016, my mother’s doctors informed her and our family that she had only 6 weeks to live and subsequently set us up with a home hospice care provider. As time progressed, she deteriorated and so as predicted, she passed in her sleep at home on April 11th 2017. In large part, it was due to a bad heart but she had diabetes as well.

It took a while to process all of that and then a couple of months later I found out about my own diabetes. Working with my doctor, I started a regimen of prescription medication to get my diabetes under control. I went to special classes that talked about diabetes and special diets. One thing that was stressed in the classes was that losing weight would aid in my treatment. I tried doing things at home for several months but I wasn’t all that successful. I finally broke down and decided to visit my local LA Fitness in La Habra, CA.

I meet with one of their representatives, and we settled on a membership with the addition of a trainer as well. There must have been an angel looking out for me when I got assigned my trainer. Her name is Brianna H., or Bree as she likes to be called. I cannot tell you have happy I am to have Bree as my trainer. She is a huge reason that since I have started I have lost 10 lbs. as well as 3 inches from my waist. I have also gained muscle mass and have become toned – I love to flex my biceps now!

Bree is completely invested in my success. She’s my drill sergeant and cheerleader combined. She has me working hard and I like that because I know she wants me to succeed. I will work out at times by myself as well and I can see the difference. I’m just not as determined without her constant encouragement urging me on. She corrects my posture and reinforces my positive outlook and is always checking in to make I can handle the weight. She knows that I am sixty years old and that I hadn’t worked out literally for decades, so while she pushes me onward she’s also sensitive to where I’m at as I progress in my workouts. I consider her to be not just my personal trainer but also more like my personal superhero.

Through her strong suggestions, I have even begun to change my eating habits. I’ve added salads to my diet and I try to manage portion controls better. I still need to get better but with Bree’s input I hope to make more strides and improvements in my overall health. I will forever be grateful to Bree and LA Fitness for the help that I have received and will continue to receive as time goes on. If I were to offer anyone advice, I would say that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and it’s okay to ask for help. Get a trainer and trust that they really want to help you succeed. It’s hard at times but anything that’s worth it is. I know that I’m worth the effort that I put into my workouts and I know that my Mom is smiling down on me on my journey.

Disclaimer: Some slight adjustments have been made to the member’s story for grammatical reasons, length, and/or clarity.

LA Fitness Living Healthy subscribe button

Want more? SUBSCRIBE to receive the latest Living Healthy articles right in your inbox!

Recommended Reading

ASK A TRAINER: Ep. 12 – How Often Should I Incorporate A Rest Day In My Routine?

ASK A TRAINER: Ep. 12 – How Often Should I Incorporate A Rest Day In My Routine?

by | Nov 3, 2017 | All, Ask A Trainer, Community, Exercises, Fitness, Home, Workouts

Ask A Trainer: Featured Question of the Week

LA Fitness Pro Results® Master Trainer, Geoff F., explains the importance of rest days and how often you should be taking them a week. Find out the answer in the video below!

Do you have a fitness question? Ask one of our certified Pro Results® trainers here! Your question may be featured in an upcoming Ask Our Trainer video.**

1 + 3 =

**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.

Recommended 'Ask A Trainer' Videos

What Exactly Is Diabetes?

What Exactly Is Diabetes?

by | Nov 1, 2017 | All, Fitness, Home, Wellness

November 1st marks the start of American Diabetes Month, which draws nationwide attention to a disease that affects far too many. According to the Centers for Disease Control (the CDC), “more than 29 million people in the United States have diabetes.”1 What may even be more alarming is the fact that “one in four people with diabetes [doesn’t even] know he or she has it.” 2 This opens the door to many questions: Why is this? What is diabetes? What can we do to help prevent it?

Diabetes: A Deeper Look

If you feel like diabetes isn’t a health issue you have to worry about, you may be incorrect. More than 1 in 3 U.S. adults are considered prediabetic.3 That equates to roughly 86 million American adults. When you consider the fact that 29 million have already been diagnosed, and 86 million are on the borderline, that’s about 115 million Americans that are struggling with blood sugar levels. However, the diabetes epidemic isn’t just confined to the U.S. About 11 million Canadians are living with the disease or are considered pre-diabetic.4

 

The American Diabetes Association shares some common diabetes symptoms5:

  • Urinating often
  • Feeling very thirsty
  • Feeling very hungry – even though you are eating
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Blurry vision
  • Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
  • Weight loss – even though you are eating more (type 1)
  • Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

 

If you notice yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, or you have an increased risk of diabetes due to family history, consult your doctor or local physician. It never hurts to be proactive and get tested. In fact, the earlier you recognize the signs, the sooner you can begin making healthy changes, which may help save your life.

Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes, typically affects children and young adults and continues into adulthood. This type of diabetes affects the body’s ability to produce insulin, and insulin is necessary to help get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. Insulin therapy can help with this.

Type 2 diabetes is when the body causes blood sugar levels to rise higher than normal. This is also known as hyperglycemia. This is the most common form of diabetes. If you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the body struggles with insulin resistance. While the pancreas attempts to make extra insulin to make up for it, over time it is unable to keep up, and the body’s insulin levels can’t keep the blood glucose at normal levels.

It’s Not Too Late

The good news is diabetes is not the end all – though that’s not to say it shouldn’t be taken seriously. Diabetes can be managed through a healthy change in diet, physical activity, and the use of medications that help regulate and lower blood sugar levels. If you are diabetic or were recently diagnosed with diabetes and want more information after consulting with your physician, check out the extremely helpful Food & Fitness tips shared by the American Diabetes Association. You may also want to look into investing into a CGM (continuous glucose monitor), FDA approved, which tracks your blood sugar levels both day and night. Readings are collected every 5 to 15 minutes and the device helps you stay up-to-date on your blood sugar levels. The data collected can better help its users manage their condition. Some monitors still require a finger stick to help the monitor stay accurate. The best way to find what’s right for you is to consult your doctor or physician.

How Physical Activity Helps

Exercise of any form helps reduce your risk for diabetes, and can help reduce symptoms in those who already have it. That’s right, exercise of any form! The key is movement. Keep your body moving. Staying active helps burn calories and keeps the body feeling good. No, you don’t have to run a marathon, or climb to the top of Mount Hood in Oregon (but hey, those could be future goals) — start with little exercises you enjoy. Do you not really enjoy the thought of exercising? Well, did you know that taking the dog for a walk counts? Walking through the mall counts, pushing your child on the swing counts, and even household chores like painting a room, or raking the leaves counts!

If you feel like stepping up your physical fitness game, try an aerobics class.* LA Fitness offers plenty of Group Fitness classes, all varying in exercises types, some of which cover cardio, while others work on strength training – some even cover both! Find a class that fits you and your personality here. A quick reminder you may find helpful is this: You’re not in this alone. Have friends and family join you at the gym. Establish a network that is going to help positively influence your life. Fitness starts with you, but can spread like wildfire among those you associate with.

You can take steps to take control of your health. Never forget that.

Feel like committing today to a new and healthy life? Share it with our community, here! Who knows, you could be the next LA Fitness Member Spotlight success story. We believe in you, now are you ready to believe in yourself?

*Class offerings vary by facility.

 

Sources:

  1. “Diabetes Latest.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 June 2014, www.cdc.gov/features/diabetesfactsheet/.
  2. Ibid
  3. Ibid
  4. “About Diabetes.” Canadian Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes.
  5. “Diabetes Symptoms.” American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/symptoms/?loc=db-slabnav.

Recommended Reading

SUBSCRIBE TO

LIVING HEALTHY

Be the first to know about exclusive

content, deals and promotions

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest