Cr Bob's Newsletter - December, 2004 by Robert Roy MD

------------Topics-----------

#1 Don't Ignore High Blood Pressure - Do You Know Yours?

#2 Anti-Oxidants, An Update

#3 Baby Teeth -Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking

#4 Tablet Splitting

#5Grape Juice and Cholesterol

High Blood Pressure And You

Did you know that nearly two thirds, yes

66% of Americans under sixty have or are on the verge of high blood pressure and 

at least 1/3 do not know it. Having this "silent killer" not only

increases there risk of heart disease or stroke but puts them in a higher risk

category for hospitalization and death according to a recent study.

There are new guidelines for high blood

pressure that have been agreed upon over the last several years and you need to

know about them. First the new guidelines are that normal blood pressure is when

the systolic ( top number) is 119 or lower and the bottom number is 79 or less.

In the recent past we felt that abnormal blood pressure was anything that was

140 or above over 90 or above. Now, people who have this are definitely

hypertensive or have high blood pressure.

When the reading is 120 - 139 for the systolic and / or

80 - 89 for the diastolic we are to be considered "pre- hypertension. Each of

needs to know what our blood pressure reading is, so don't be shy, ask your

doctor.

Also, it makes good sense that if your

blood pressure is not normal get a blood pressure cuff in the drug store and

have your spouse, partner or children take it periodically and jot down the

numbers for your doctor. There is such a diagnosis of "white coat" syndrome"

where blood pressure rises when you go to the doctors office.

Dr Bob's Take: It is so important to

know what your blood pressure is and if it is pre-hypertensive or in the

category of high blood pressure (hypertensive) get it treated and you can make a

dramatic difference in your life.

 

Anti-Oxidant Update

Last month we talked about Vitamin E and

the potential for increasing the risk for heart disease. Initially when the

first studies came out about 10-15 years ago it was felt that Vitamin E was

going to be a panacea for "preventing" heart disease.

Well, there are more studies that are being

released which is showing that the herbal remedies that are being touted as

anti-oxidants are not proving very effective in preventing diseases like cancer.

These are substances like beta carotene, vitamin C,  and selenium. The

researchers in France have been looking at this and have concluded that there

may be a small benefit for men (none for women) but that the benefits can

easily be derived by eating a balanced diet. This study was recently

reported in the November issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Dr Bob's Take: as an American I like

you are looking for the "holy grail" which in the US is "take a pill and cure

it" is not the answer here. We need to really eat right and exercise and this

will lead to a healthy "us".

 

Go to Page 2

BIO:

I have several websites, physician-on-health.com and orchids-plus-more.com. A physician by training with 20 yr expereince as a family doc. Developing these websites has been an interest for many years.

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