Hypertension

Biofeedback therapy is a technique that helps you learn to change your physical response to stress. We all experience stress at one point or another. Stress is our natural body's reaction to a stressor. When we're stressed, our bodies can respond emotionally and physically. Biofeedback therapy can help you learn to manage your body's response to stress. This noninvasive treatment may be able to reduce the effects of stress and help you relax. Although biofeedback isn't very well known, it can be used to help a range of conditions such as asthma, anxiety, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There are several types of biofeedback therapies available. A mental health professional will guide you to the type of therapy best for you and your unique set of symptoms. Biofeedback therapy is a noninvasive treatment that can help you control how your body responds to stressful stimuli. This therapy technique aims to help reduce the impact stress can have on your body and mental he

We all experience stress at one point in our lives. Questioning your stress may help put it into perspective and ease its effects. This is an op-ed article. While we support other perspectives and diverse experiences, the views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent the opinions, voice, or stance of Psych Central. I'll never forget the evening a friend called me, feeling stressed out and guilty. She's a single working mom, and after a long day at work with no time or energy left to cook, she committed a crime . She let her two daughters eat Cheerios for dinner . Gasp! (They were thrilled, by the way.) She felt like a bad mom — like she was failing at life. She felt as if she was the only tired parent on earth who didn't perfectly prepare endless organic, balanced meals. Over the phone, as I felt her stress, my only goal during our chat was to make her laugh by dishing up a dose of perspective. I told her the authorities should be called, pronto. I said, "

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, means that the force of blood against the artery walls is higher than recommended levels. People with a family history of hypertension are more likely to develop the condition. In adults, typical blood pressure measures 120/80 millimeters of mercury . Almost half of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure, which puts them at risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack. Certain factors increase an individual's risk of developing hypertension, including age, weight, diet, and genetics. Hypertension is a widespread problem affecting 47% of adults in the U.S. — a figure that amounts to 116 million people. The condition affects 50% of males and 44% of females. However, only 1 in 4 have their hypertension under control. In 2019, the condition caused or contributed to more than 500,000 deaths. Keep reading to learn more about hypertension, including the role genetics play in its development and other potential

You can calculate total cholesterol by doing a blood test called a lipid panel with your doctor.  Your doctor will evaluate your total cholesterol level, along with each element of your cholesterol — LDL, HDL, and triglycerides — to determine if you need any treatment to lower cholesterol.  Doctors will also take into account your medical history, including any risk factors for heart disease, to get a more complete picture of your cholesterol and heart health.  This article was reviewed by Jason R. McKnight, MD, MS, a family medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine.  This article is part of Insider's guide to High Cholesterol.  High cholesterol causes plaque build-up that can block arteries and lead to a greater risk of heart disease

High Blood Pressure is enemy No. 1 Photo : iStock The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) together are considered the apex knowledge dissemination bodies when it comes to the working of the human heart and the blood circulation system. After maintaining for several years the definition of high blood pressure at 140/90 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg), the ACC and the AHA released new blood pressure guidelines in November 2017, that classified 130/80 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg)That means as elevated blood pressure. That means the new US guidelines lowered the blood pressure range of what is considered normal. That means people whose blood pressure used to be considered high normal or prehypertension now will be considered elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension. If you suddenly find yourself with high blood pressure (hypertension) under the new guidelines, you might be wondering what to do. You are not alone, millions of others in the w

A person may feel anxious about driving for various reasons. Whether they feel fear over the act of driving or being in a vehicle, this anxiety can affect their everyday life. Past experiences or existing anxiety disorders may contribute to driving anxiety. This article discusses driving anxiety and what may cause it. It also explores symptoms, treatments, and alternative strategies that may help someone manage the condition. Fear or phobia of driving a vehicle may cause a person to feel driving anxiety. It can result in significant distress and impact someone's everyday life. A person may experience emotional distress while driving and avoid certain situations on the road or driving in general. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that specific phobia is an intense and irrational fear of something that poses little or no real danger. It estimates that 12.5% of American adults experience a specific phobia at some point in their lives. For someone with driving a

Published on May 20, 2022 If you're dealing with mildly or slightly high blood pressure, yoga may be an effective option to help bring it down. A small pool of research suggests that yoga can help lower blood pressure. The relaxation/meditation activity uses various stretching poses that may positively impact your heart. Advertisement Studies show that yoga can lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and improve quality of life. One study, for example, showed that performing yoga for 12 weeks could lead to clinically meaningful improvements in systolic blood pressure in a 24-hour period. After yoga was performed, the reductions lasted for a day. Systolic blood pressure is the measurement of pressure in blood vessels when the heart beats and the first number in a blood pressure reading. A drop of just 2 mm Hg (the measurement of blood pressure) may reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 7 percent and the risk of dying from a stroke by 10 percent. How might yoga wor

Eggs aren't necessarily bad for cholesterol, even though they contain a lot of dietary cholesterol.  Eggs are often paired with bacon, sausage, and buttered toast in American diets, and these saturated and trans fat are much more likely to cause high cholesterol.  In fact, research has found that eating one egg per day does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.  This article was reviewed by Steven Reisman, MD, a cardiologist and the director of the New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center.  This article is part of Insider's guide to High Cholesterol.  The food you eat plays an important role in your heart health. Certain foods can contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries, causing atherosclerosis and potentially leading to high cholesterol or serious heart problems.  While it's common to limit foods that are high in cholesterol  — like eggs —

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that plays many roles in the body, including synthesizing hormones and vitamin D. It also assists in the transporting of lipids. Cholesterol is found in the foods you eat, but it is also made by the liver. We need some cholesterol to build healthy cells, but an accumulation of the bad kind can be problematic, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries). The recommended ranges for your cholesterol will depend on your age. Find out what cholesterol levels are, why age is a factor, and how to keep your levels within a healthy range. Verywell / Jessica Olah What Are Cholesterol Levels? Cholesterol circulating in the blood is carried by special particles called lipoproteins. The two major cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL): LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol because too much of it

If you have a certain kind of high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, your doctor might suggest Welchol as a treatment option. It's a prescription drug used along with a balanced diet and exercise to: Welchol is available in two forms: a tablet you swallow a powder you mix with liquid to make a suspension you drink The active ingredient in Welchol is colesevelam. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) Colesevelam belongs to a group of drugs called bile acid sequestrants. This medication is also available in generic form. Generic medications have the same active ingredient as brand-name drugs, but usually cost less. This article describes the dosages of Welchol, as well as its strengths and how to take it. To learn more about Welchol, see this in-depth article. Note: This chart highlights the basics of Welchol's dosage. Read on for more detail. And keep in mind that this article covers Welchol's standard dosage schedule, which is provided by the drug's manufactu