Saturday, May 28, 2011

Pulse Pressure

I personally have borderline hypertension, but not very concerning (per doctor). When trying the Digital BP instrument I got from the US, I checked my own BP. As one would expect the systolic pressure came to around 130. The diastolic was well within the normal range. It was around 72. As a layman I would have just left it there. I however, decided to research it over the internet. What I found, freaked me out. Its called Pulse Pressure. Basically its Systolic pressure - Diastolic pressure. For normal people its around 40. For me it was 60. So what? It seems some research shows that high pulse pressure increases stroke risk. 20% more risk for every 10 points beyond 40. Ouch!

Since I stopped running this spring, I am worried about my weight gain. I usually ran 25 KMs a week burning about 2500 cal. As I stopped running, I was fearing the worst. I was researching the net one day when I read about Green Tea and its benefits. It helps in burning fat and reducing weight. One of the several benefits was reducing heart problems. Its Godsent. I've started taking it regularly despite its taste. Its helped me keep my weight in check. I haven't gained a single pound in the last month despite stopping running. Yesterday, I measured my BP and was surprised to see my pulse pressure coming down to ~50.

This habit is for keeps. Green Tea. 1 liter of it every day. Served chilled in a bottle. Its worked wonders.

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