CEO’s Corner: The Milestone

So, a couple of months ago, I reached 60 years of age, and with that milestone, I have a different perspective than I had in years past. Like many people, I thought myself invincible to disease, illness, and even aging; however, that began to change in my late fifties when I was diagnosed with chronic hypertension and high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia). Like many people, my first response was to think I could make better lifestyle choices to control these illnesses without medication, but I didn’t do well at making changes. I found myself with no choice but to begin medication management, especially when I started getting bad headaches almost daily. Learning that high blood pressure could result in stroke, kidney failure, death, and other debilitating outcomes raised the stakes for me.  

Learning & Changing

I have studied and learned so much about hypertension, including the best diets to help control it, the fact that alcohol and smoking will exacerbate it, and that exercise is important. One of the most recognized diets to control hypertension is the Mediterranean diet. This diet’s emphasis is on plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, as well as the use of olive oil as the main source of fat.

In addition to these plant-based foods, the Mediterranean diet includes moderate amounts of dairy products, fish, poultry, eggs, and limited amounts of red meat. It also consists of a moderate intake of red wine, usually consumed with meals. The Mediterranean diet is known for its health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. This is thought to be due to the high intake of anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and the healthy fats in olive oil and fatty fish. 

Another diet created to control high blood pressure is the DASH diet. DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) emphasizes the consumption of whole, nutrient-rich foods and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The DASH diet includes a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources (like chicken, fish, and beans), and low-fat dairy products. It also includes foods high in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are known to help regulate blood pressure. 

In addition to its blood pressure-lowering benefits, the DASH diet has also been associated with a reduced risk of other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The diet is promoted as a balanced and sustainable way of eating that can be adapted to individual preferences and cultural traditions.  

Various routines that help control blood pressure include aerobic exercise, weight training, and high-intensity interval training. The Mayo Clinic recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. Still, it suggests a combination of aerobic exercise and weight training to provide the best care for your heart.  

It’s A Process & MyCHN Is Here To Help

I struggle daily to make better choices in what I eat, and to ensure I get out and exercise, but it is worth the effort. I have better energy, sleep, and attention during my day. At MyCHN, we are on a mission to bring better healthcare to the people we serve, which means helping improve their health, not just managing their illness. You will see more and more of this in the future as we bring functional medicine to the forefront of our work.