Annual Wellness Care

High Blood pressure 

Normal pressure is 120/80 or lower. Your blood pressure is considered high (stage 1) if it reads 130 to 139 mmHg/80 to 89 mmHg. Stage 2 high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you get a blood pressure reading of 180/120 or higher more than once, seek medical treatment right away.

What causes high blood pressure?

Smoking.

Being overweight.

Lack of physical activity.

Too much salt in the diet.

Drinking too much alcohol (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)

Older age.

Family history of high blood pressure (heredity)

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus, or DM, is a chronic metabolic disease that occurs when the body can't produce enough insulin or can't use the insulin it produces effectively. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels, and when it's not working properly, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream. This condition is also known as diabetes. There are several types of DM, including type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes, and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). If left uncontrolled, DM can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. High blood glucose levels can damage the body's tissues and organs, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

Feeling more thirsty than usual.

Urinating often.

Losing weight without trying.

Presence of ketones in the urine. ...

Feeling tired and weak.

Feeling irritable or having other mood changes.

Having blurry vision.

Having slow-healing sores.

There's no cure for DM, but it can be managed by a medical professional. Treatments include:

Losing weight

Eating healthy food

Being active

Taking medicine as prescribed

Getting diabetes self-management education and support

Making and keeping health care appointments

Controlling blood sugar through diet, oral medications, or insulin

Regular screening for complications

Causes of Diabetes / Risk Factors

Ethnicity

Gene / Family history of diabetes

Insulin resistance

Overweight

Prediabetes

Age - 45 or older

Gestational diabetes

Smoking tobacco

Drinking too much alcohol

High blood pressure

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. It is calculated from your height and weight. BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.

How can I lower my chances of developing Type 2 diabetes?

Exercise

Losing weight

Healthy diet

Reduce your total carb intake

Choose healthier snacks

Eat more of fiber

Choose drinks without added sugar

High cholesterol

Smoking cessation

The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase a person’s risk of heart disease. With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries.

High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test. if your cholesterol level is high, this may be because of your age, weight or a condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Getting your cholesterol checked is important. 

The importance of exercise 

Physical activity or exercise can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Most importantly, regular activity can improve your quality of life.

Walking 5-7 days a week for 45-60 minutes at a moderate intensity is necessary for most people to burn enough calories to lose weight

Tips to improve your cholesterol

Eat heart-healthy foods. A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health.

Exercise on most days of the week and increase your physical activity. Exercise can improve cholesterol. 

Quit smoking. 

Lose weigh

Be sure to speak to your doctor about getting your cholesterol, BMI and HbA1c checked

All of these steps, while small can lead to positive change. Start easy, set realistic goals for yourself and find something that motivates you.

Between routine checkups, looking out for some of the signs above and staying on top of your health, you’ll be able to spot any early warning signs of diabetes and take steps to make changes immediately.