Before age 55, men have a greater chance of having high blood pressure. Women are more likely to have high blood pressure after menopause.

While we can't control the fact that we're all getting older (and with that little fact comes the good, the difficult to accept and the down right ridiculous), we can, to a large degree...work to improve our stress level.

You See, blood pressure depends on a combination of two factors:

1) How forcefully the heart pumps blood around the body and

2) How narrowed or relaxed your arteries are.

Hypertension occurs when blood is forced through the arteries at an increased pressure and guess what...STRESS plays a HUGE ROLE in how this will increase your numbers. Now, BEING THE HEALTH AND FITNESS DIVA...I have an option for you to try. IT worked for me. I was always running a 'CHECK HER PULSE AND SEE IF SHE'S ALIVE" ..108/60ish blood pressure for most of my adult life UNTIL..you guessed it, My early 40's and up it TRIED TO CREEP.

Until that is,refusing defeat, I dug my heals in ... did my research and realized that the only thing that 'could' make a difference that I wasn't attending to, was My STRESS LEVEL.

SO, I researched more, read more, learned about and BOUGHT a unit called RESPERATE! A lovely .."makes you feel euphoric" deep breathing machine that with the melody of what sounds like Pachelbel's Canon, slowly lowers your breathing rate to 10 breaths per minute or LESS! It's based on the fact that breathing deeply and mindfully helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to trigger a relaxation response throughout the body. Like all exercise, when repeated enough, the body responds and it's ability to reduce its destructive effects of stress are strengthened. Your body's ability to lower it's blood pressure often follows suit as it falls in line with the parasympathetic parade. If your doctor is concerned and suggests medicaiton, by all means, avail yourself of its benefits. BUT why not( while doing so), also invest in a time tested exercise that may just give the body a chance to eventually regulate this on it's own. If not, you'll be healther all the way around by lower your stress levels... period! We'll discuss more on this matter on other Wellness Wednesdays but take it to the bank and cash the check now,STRESS KILLS...END OF DISCUSSION!

RESPERATE did work for me and It brough me right back down to yesterdays reading of 110/72...I'll take it. NO i DO NOT have a deal with the company. Kinda wish I did cause this sucker works. Use it a few times a week...lying down..quiet music.guided deep breathing....ahhhh. Now that's what I call a tip worth taking.

Go to www.Resperate.com  for details and if you get the same result, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

I'll leave you with my favorite quote of all, The last sentence ever spoken by Mattie Stepanek....

"Choose to inhale, don't breathe simply to exist." -Mattie J.T. Stepanek (1990-2004), Poet and Peacemaker

Until Next Time,

Breath.....

Candace

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