PETER'S PRINCIPLES - June 25 -
June 29, 2007
Dave from Wyandotte is concerned about his high blood pressure, what can he do to bring it down?
High blood pressure is a very serious condition which affects 1 in three american adults. It can cause serious health problems even death.
- Here are 3 simple things you can do.
- First-exercise! Regular exercise can lower blood pressure by 10 points. It can even prevent the onset of hypertension.
- Next-eat right! A landmark study called dietary approaches to stop hypertension- or dash - showed a diet full of fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, poultry, fish, nuts and whole grains can lower your blood presure.
- The third step-control your weight. Just losing 10 percent of your current weight or even 10 pounds can dramatically reduce your blood pressure.
Rosie from Allen Park suffers from allergies, she doesn't want to rely on medication what can she do?
Rosie you're not alone-about 50 million people suffer with allergies. Its the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.
More than half of those who battle with allergies suffer with hay fever or "pollen" allergy. It causes more than 16 million doctor visits each year.
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The key is to avoid pollen exposure.
- Try to stay indoors when the pollen count is high. This includes dry, windy days or between the hours of 5 and 10am.
- Keep your windows closed in your home and car-use the air conditioning instead.
- Don't cut the grass-have someone do it for you.
- Finally don't hang clothes and bedding outside to dry.
Ann from Mount Clemens heard that not brushing her teeth could actually be bad for her heart. Is this true?
It may be! A new study found the billions of bacteria that live in the mouth could cause problems for the heart and blood vessels.
During a recent oral health study, researchers found several species of oral bacteria in plaque in arteries of the heart. This plaque can lead to a heart attack or stroke. These oral bacteria could also harm blood vessels or cause blood clots.
So what can you do to prevent these bacteria? Experts recommend brushing and flossing everyday and seeing your dentist for regular checkups twice a year. It could save your life!
Robert from Farmington Hills emails saying he has high cholesterol. How important is it for him to lower it?
It's extremely important. A number of studies proved lowering your overall cholesterol can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. More than 100 million americans suffer with high cholesterol and experts found what you eat is a major cause of the condition.
So what can you do? Cut down on saturated fat and avoid trans fat. Research found trans fats increase your LDL - the bad cholesterol and decreases your HDL -the good kind. So avoid it.
Limit you daily cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams a day and increase your complex carbohydrates and fiber, which includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Frank from Novi says he's having a hard time remembering things he never used to forget-like telephone numbers. What can he do?
Well Frank, the first thing you need to do is exercise your brain. That's right, just like you exercise your body you need to do aerobics for your brain.
Researchers studied thousands of patients suffering with memory loss and found three things you can do right now to improve your memory.
- First - expand your brain. You can widen your brain regions by reading aloud, drawing a picture or writing down information. It will help you remember it later.
- Next - repeat, repeat, repeat. When you want to remember something you just heard, repeat it out loud.
- Finally - challenge yourself. Do activities that force you to concentrate like crossword puzzles or try a new hobby or project which require skills you aren't familiar with.
Do you have a question you've been working on? Send me an email!
