Search Results for: blog marriage and blood pressure

Four Terrifying Marriage Proposals

While surfing on the Internet I found a list of the “scariest marriage proposals” compiled by MSN. Given that this was just before Halloween, I thought they would have a spooky vibe. Well, I was wrong, though they were certainly scary. The four real-life marriage proposals were as follows: 1) A pilot took his girlfriend up for a ride in his small plane, pretended they were crashing, and handed his girlfriend an emergency checklist. His proposal was written on the list: “initiate ring engagement procedure.” 2) A stuntman faked a car crash and his subsequent death. His girlfriend was called … Continue reading →

Tests, Treatments, and Nerves

In case I haven’t harped upon this enough in the last few days, I’m having an ultrasound this afternoon. And I’m a little nervous. Long story short: after my recent pelvic exam, my doctor suspects I have fibroids. I’m having an ultrasound today to confirm the diagnosis, so we can figure out a treatment plan. I’m glad to know that there’s a reason for my monthly misery — irregular periods, painful cramps, and other symptoms. I’m glad to know there is a wide variety of treatment options available. But I’m still nervous about the test. Let’s be honest: I get … Continue reading →

Health and Gratitude

It’s that time of year: time to start counting our blessings. Holiday season is upon us, with Thanksgiving tomorrow (for U.S. folks) and winter holidays on the horizon. I think gratitude is a healthy thing. It’s so easy to get mired down in what’s wrong, what’s hard, what’s stressful… and forget all the things that are good in our lives. Sometimes, stopping to take stock can be a real eye-opener. It’s a great chance to let the good things shine for a while. I happened to be at the doctor’s office today — my first appointment at a new office. … Continue reading →

Add a Little Nature to Brighten Your Home and Your Mood

When your home is dark and gloomy then chances are that your mood is the same way. Our homes are reflections of ourselves, and then often can determine just how we feel. That is why it is so important to add things to our home that can brighten it up and add to a wonderful sense of comfort and joy. One of the things that can really brighten a home is a commitment to going back to nature. This can be done simply. Treat yourself to some beautiful brightly colored flowers. There has been some research showing that flowers can … Continue reading →

Low Blood Pressure

High blood pressure gets a lot of press — why it’s bad, what you can do about it, and more. But low blood pressure can be a serious problem, too! What can cause low blood pressure? Standing up quickly — this can cause a brief imbalance in your circulatory system that leaves you feeling light-headed for a moment. Eating a large meal. Standing for a long period of time. This can put you at risk for falling if you get light-headed. Certain medications can cause low blood pressure. Dehydration. Diabetes. If you are experiencing low blood pressure frequently, you should … Continue reading →

Why My Husband Didn’t Force Me to Go to the ER

Yesterday I shared why Wayne almost forced me to go to the hospital on Saturday morning. Later in the weekend, he told me what a conundrum he’d been in. As he held me while I bawled because I was alternating between coughing so hard and gasping for breath that I almost passed out, he debated whether he should just sling me over his shoulder, haul me downstairs, toss me in his truck and drive me to the ER. Instead he opted for the bargaining approach. (He feared I’d jump out of the car and get myself killed in traffic if … Continue reading →

Cats (and Dogs) Do a Body Good

I was reading an issue of Woman’s World today that had a blurb called “The purr-fect way to protect your heart!” Of course this caught my eye. “Sorry, dogs, but when it comes to keeping pet owners healthy, cats win paws-down! That’s the news from a recent large-scale study, which found that owning a cat slashes your risk of a heart attack by 40% and reduces your risk of stroke and heart failure by 30% compared to those who’ve never had a cat or dog—and this was true even after accounting for other risk factors, such as age, blood pressure … Continue reading →

New Guidelines for Resistant High Blood Pressure

The American Heart Association has new guidelines for treating resistant high blood pressure. What is resistant high blood pressure (also known as resistant hypertension)? There are two different types. One type of resistant high blood pressure remains above the normal or target level despite using up to three medications. Another type of resistant high blood pressure requires four or more medications to reach a normal or target level. Studies suggest that as many as thirty percent of people with high blood pressure may have resistant hypertension. Resistant high blood pressure isn’t the same as uncontrolled high blood pressure, mind you. … Continue reading →

Marriage Can Make You Smarter

A study from Brigham Young University recently reported that a happy marriage could lower your blood pressure. Now neuroscience is noticing that marriage can make you smarter, too. In the early stages of a relationship (that first, exciting rush of love), your brain might not be in the right state for intellectual pursuits. A lot of the beginnings of love are driven by the euphoric feelings that come from dopamine — a brain chemical that produces powerful, pleasurable feelings. As relationships mature, dopamine levels become less important and other parts of the brain are engaged. In the later stages of … Continue reading →

Marriage and Blood Pressure

Make all the jokes you want about how being married can raise your blood pressure… a new study from Brigham Young University has shown that a happy marriage can lead to lower blood pressure. In fact, a happy marriage seems to have some big health benefits. Study participants included more than two hundred married adults and 99 single adults. All participants wore a blood pressure monitor for a full day and night. Basically, the researchers wanted to see blood pressure levels during a normal day — periodic readings at a clinic don’t give an accurate representation of the changes in … Continue reading →