The Blood Pressure Book How to Get It Down

Now in its third edition, this basic work explains the latest data on the effects of medication, diet, and exercise on blood pressure. It defines the essential terminology (such as diastolic and systolic), emphasizes stress reduction techniques, and offers science-based insight into the causes and control of this widespread condition.

Stephen P. Fortmann, MD, is the director of the Stanford Heart Disease Prevention Research Center at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Prudence Breitrose, MA, is an editor of health education materials and chief writer for the Stanford Heart Disease Prevention Research Center.

Introduction

1

(1)

About This Book

1

(2)

Part 1: What's Going On?

3

(24)

What Keeps Pressure Too High?

4

(1)

What High Pressure Does To You

5

(3)

Measuring Blood Pressure

8

(4)

Checkup No. 1: Your Pressure

8

(4)

Translating the Numbers

12

(1)

Working with the Doctor

13

(1)

Monitoring Your Pressure

14

(1)

Your Cholesterol

15

(2)

Medication

17

(3)

Blood Pressure Medications

20

(2)

Remembering Your Medication

22

(2)

Checkup No. 2: Your Medication

23

(1)

The Effect of Diet

24

(2)

DASH Diet

26

(1)

Part 2: What Changes Do You Need to Make?

27

(10)

Identifying Your Own Risk

28

(1)

Using the Master Checkup

28

(5)

Checkup No. 3: Master Checkup

29

(4)

Working on Your Attitude

33

(1)

Making a Plan

34

(3)

Part 3: Making Changes

37

(104)

SECTION 1: SODIUM

38

(22)

Step 1: Find Out Your Sodium Intake

42

(1)

Step 2: Add Less Salt at the Table

42

(3)

Checkup No. 4: Sodium Self-Test

43

(2)

Step 3: Cut Down on Salt in Cooking

45

(2)

Flavor Chart: Alternatives to Salt

47

(1)

Step 4: Shop for Food Low in Sodium

48

(3)

Step 5: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

51

(1)

Shopping Guidelines for Sodium Control

52

(1)

Sodium Added During Food Processing

53

(2)

Salads

55

(1)

Step 6: Special Circumstances

55

(2)

Sodium Levels in Some Fast Foods

57

(3)

Checkup No. 5: Final Sodium Self-Test

58

(2)

SECTION 2: WEIGHT

60

(29)

What Kind of Weight

61

(2)

Checkup No. 6: What Have You Got to Lose?

62

(1)

Setting Goals

63

(2)

Step 1: Getting Active

65

(5)

Checkup No. 7: Minutes of Activity

66

(4)

Step 2: Cutting Out the Fat

70

(4)

Fighting Heart Disease

74

(1)

Step 3: Eating Simple Foods

75

(3)

"Meatless" Meals

78

(1)

Step 4: Eating Out

79

(4)

Step 5: Trouble-shooting

83

(2)

Step 6: Keeping the Weight Off

85

(4)

Checkup No. 8: What Have You Lost?

88

(1)

SECTION 3: EXERCISE

89

(26)

Step 1: Understand the Benefits of Exercise

89

(2)

Step 2: Figure Out How Much Exercise You Get Now

91

(2)

Checkup No. 9: Finding Your Starting Point

92

(1)

A Note About Safety

93

(1)

Step 3: Begin a Four-Week Walking Program

93

(9)

Step 4: Consider More Vigorous Forms of Activity

102

(1)

Exercise Selection

103

(3)

Checkup No. 10: Your Physical Condition

105

(1)

Safety Guidelines

106

(1)

Target Heart Rate Range for Different Ages

107

(2)

Warm-ups and Cool-downs

109

(1)

Warm-ups

110

(1)

Injuries

111

(1)

Step 5: See How Far You Have Come

111

(2)

Checkup No. 11: Three-Month Progress Report

112

(1)

Conclusion

113

(2)

SECTION 4: STRESS

115

(18)

How Damaging Is Stress?

115

(1)

The Value of Stress

116

(1)

What Causes Your Stress?

117

(1)

Dealing with Your Own Stress

118

(1)

Step 1: Identify Your Stress

119

(1)

Step 2: Keep Track of Your Stress

119

(6)

Checkup No. 12: What Are Your Symptoms?

120

(8)

Checkup No. 13: Identifying Your Stressors

128

First Aid for Stress

125

(1)

Step 3: Learn to Deal with Stressful Situations

126

(3)

Step 4: Practice Stress-Proofing Your Body (and Mind)

129

(3)

Conclusion

132

(1)

SECTION 5: Fine-tuning Your Life

133

(8)

Alcohol

133

(1)

Nicotine

134

(1)

Caffeine

135

(2)

How Far Have You Come?

137

(1)

Troubleshooting

137

(1)

For the Future...

137

(4)

Checkup No. 14: Measure Your Progress

138

(3)

GLOSSARY

141

(2)

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING

143

(2)

INDEX

145

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The Blood Pressure Book How to Get It Down and Keep It Down

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials