Dean French knows a healthy blood pressure brings a smile to your face.
Judy Ondina
Did you know that Living Well offers free blood pressure checks every month by an experienced health professional? Tracy Cook, Nurse Practitioner of Adult Health Services, provides monthly blood pressure checks on the first Thursday of each month between 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Clubhouse. And if you wonder if your home monitor is correct or if you are checking correctly, bring it to the blood pressure check to see. With a healthy heart – the beat goes on.
According to the American Heart Association a healthy blood pressure reading is equal to or less than 120 over 80. The top number refers to systolic pressure, which is the pressure against artery walls when the heart pumps. The bottom number, diastolic pressure, represents pressure between beats.
When measuring blood pressure there are a few things you should do to ensure an accurate reading:
1. Make sure your arm is at the same level as your heart
2. Make sure the size of the cuff matches up with the size of your arm
3. Always measure on bare skin
4. Measure more than once
If the average of three measurements shows a number higher than 120/80, it’s time to take action. You can’t beat a healthy heart. For more information contact Tom Watrak of the Living Well Committee, [email protected].