Confessions of a Grandma

I'm offereing this guest contribution to my blog today--in honor of the fact that I will not have to go on more blood pressure medications as long as I continue to do well on the DASH diet.  I had a doctor's appointment today and my blood pressure was down from last fall...and I still need to lose a few pounds. Living Healthy: Why It's Easier Than You Think Living healthy is so important to us 'old folks'. I have always been a health advocate, so I've always been interested in living healthy. My husband, however, was a little harder to convince. By the time he was in his 40s, he had high cholesterol and needed to exercise more to lose some weight. He took his cholesterol medication, but kept on with his junk food and sedentary lifestyle. It was when he was 54 that we found out that he had more serious health problems that could have probably been avoided if he would have taken the doctor's advice when he was younger. Living healthy doesn't mean fo...

My first little ripe tomato...almost too cute to eat. Beautiful salads for our lunches Last fall at my annual physical, my doctor was concerned about my blood pressure numbers creeping upwards.  I monitored at home and it seemed fine, but when I went back for a follow-up visit, my blood pressure was high again.  Then at a second follow-up, same results even though I was watching the salt and taking daily dose of atenonol. My doctor wanted to put me on a different medication, but not just before I would be away for three months as it would require monitoring.  A little scary.  My insurance will not pay for doctor's visits in Florida, only trips to an emergency room.  That seems like a not very practical or cost-effective way to monitor blood pressure and the effects of a new medication, so we made an appointment for yet another blood pressure follow-up in April. In the meantime, I have checked and recorded my blood pressure readings for a week in late January ...