Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 284 BOCNEWS.com OCTOBER 2016 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy was acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. — Proverbs 3:5&6 High blood pressure is a major public health problem in our country. 70 million American adults (1 out of 3 Americans) have hypertension. One disturbing fact to note is that only about 52% of people in America have their blood pressure under control. We can get a hint of why this is from the facts noted below. There is no question that we as a nation and as individuals need to take action to improve this situation. I would like to share with you a collection of facts which you need to know, and this information may help you on the road to better health. Blood Pressure varies by Race and Ethnicity: African Americans tend to develop hypertension more often and at an earlier age than Whites and Hispanics. This observation is something which requires a more targeted approach to public health outreach and education. However, there is no doubt that all Americans need education, screening and appropriate treatment for this disorder. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney disease, and some visual impairment: Needless to say these are catastrophic illnesses which can cause death, dis- ability and can have a devastating impact on the quality of life. We need to realize that what we are talking about is a significant amount of preventable suffering and illness. Each individual needs to take responsibility for their health and collaborate with their health care provider. Your blood pressure may tend to rise as you get older: This means that it is important to keep moni- toring your blood pressure as you get older and not assume that because it was normal when one is younger that it will always be normal. About 65% of those greater than 60 may have higher blood pressure, especially the upper number of your blood pressure . (See below) The reason for this is because arteries stiffen with aging and we may have other issues such as weight gain and doing less exercise. One can have dangerously high blood pressure without any symptoms: This may at times be associated with a sud- den severe and catastrophic ill- ness such as a stroke, or heart attack and the person having such a tragic illness had no warning symptoms. You will not know you have hyperten- sion without getting your blood pressure checked. You will not know for sure your blood pres- sure is normal without getting it measured. You should not just assume it is normal. You need to speak with your doctor about what your blood pressure should be: Believe it or not, there has been some disagreement about what the best blood pressure should be. It should be noted however that now the medical authorities due to conclusions of the latest study as of September 2015 (the SPRINT study) think the best reading of the top number of the blood pressure should be about 120 with the blood pressure upper and lower numbers written as: 120/80. Previously 140 was a cutoff for the top number. The optimum number to some extent may have to be individualized, but let your doctor do this. The blood pressure also can be too low especially if the bottom number is in the 70 range or below. You can also pur- chase a blood pressure device to use your upper arm (not your wrist) to check your blood pressure at home and report this number to your doctor. Lifestyle has a critical role to play in blood pressure control: This means a healthy diet with reduced salt, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Talking with a dietician will help. Get into a walking program, get a step counter and walk, build- ing up to 10,000 steps daily if your doctor approves. Weight loss of even 10 pounds may help. Lifestyle changes may be like taking one medication. Use medications as directed by your doctor: It is important to know the names and doses of your medications. Do not be surprised if you have to take more than one medication to control your blood pressure. Remember that medi- cations new on the market are not necessarily bet- ter than older ones. Do not stop your medications and fail to call your doctor. If you have side effects such as dizziness, or rash and you must stop the medication, call the doctor to inform them. If there are no acute problems, it is best to take medication as prescribed and go to see your doctor for follow- up visits as advised. Use with caution over the counter medications and supplements or herbal medication: Some over the counter medications can elevate your blood pressure-such as cold medications, decongestants, and medications that are used to treat pain such as arthritic pain (Advil, Aleve and similar medications). Check with a pharmacist to see if a medications is safe to use if you have high blood pressure. In addi- tion, I have known about people who stopped their regular blood pressure medication to take herbal or "natural medication" and had fatal strokes. Never be talked into doing something like this. May God bless you and help you to be in the best of health. SomeThingsYouMayNotKnow Dr. Conner By Byron E. Conner, M.D. HEALTH One can have dangerously high blood pressure without any symptoms: This may at times be associated with a sudden severe and catastrophic illness such as a stroke, or heart attack and the person having such a tragic illness had no warning symptoms. 1. FRED HAMMOND - WORSHIP JOURNAL LIVE 2. TAMELA MANN - ONE WAY 3. JOE PACE PRESENTS - SHILOH CHURCH CHOIR 4. CASTING CROWNS - THE VERY NEXT THING 5. JOHN P. KEE - THE CHURCH CHOIR 6. PHILLIP CARTER - LIVE FROM ZION 7. LUTHER BARNES - THE FAVOR OF GOD 8. WILLIAM MURPHY - DEMONSTRATE 9. DONNIE MCCLURKIN - THE JOURNEY LIVE 10. HEZEKIAH WALKER - BETTER