Is CoQ 10 effective for control of blood pressure?

One of the most widely sold medicinal product is CoQ 10. Almost everything under the sun has been claimed to be cured by this product.  As far as blood pressure is concerned, there are no good trials that show its effectiveness. A few studies have shown that CoQ 10 can lower blood pressure, but these studies were flawed and only followed up individuals for 12 weeks. Plus, the studies were sponsored by the makers of CoQ 10. At present if you have high blood pressure and want to live a long healthy life without complications, take the medications your doctor prescribed. All CoQ 10 will do for you is bring misery.

Can alcohol affect my blood pressure. I am 33-year-old female and drink an average of 3 drinks a day.

Drinking too much alcohol is not good for health. It is highly recommended that people consume less alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol cannot only increase your blood pressure but can ruin your liver and brain. If you already have high blood pressure, then you should cut back on your drinking. In general, one drink a day or about 12 ounces is fine. If you are on the heavy side, start walking since alcohol also contains many calories, which also worsens blood pressure.

I have just bought a wrist blood pressure machine but have been told that these are not as accurate as the arm device. Is this true?

Wrist blood pressure devices are readily available and offer convenience and portability. They definitely are not as accurate as the arm devices. However, if you use the device as instructed then they are fine. To ensure proper reading, measure your blood pressure in the same position each time, because wrist devices are sensitive to changes in body position. 

Next write down your blood pressure readings and compare them to what you get in the doctor’s office. If the readings are within 5-10 mm, you are doing fine. Do not be alarmed if the results are not exactly same as in the doctor's office-, sometimes it is the doctors’ machine that is crap.

Can whole grain foods lower my blood cholesterol or blood pressure? I prefer foods to drugs

Whole grains are widely hyped up to be the panacea for good health. There is some evidence that regular consumption of whole grains can lead to lowering of blood pressure and decrease blood sugars. Whole grains are foods that have not been processed and retain their fiber and bran. These foods are usually rich in potassium fiber, magnesium and a variety of other minerals. 

Evidence indicates that people who eat whole grains generally have lower blood pressure, and low incidence of diabetes. The only thing about whole grains is that they are not very palatable. The American Dietary guidelines insist that everyone eat about 90 grs of whole grains daily. Alternatively, this amounts to 3-4 slices of whole wheat bread.

Why should I monitor my blood pressure all the time?

Many individuals have high blood pressure in our society. The majority of individuals only get their blood pressure measured when they visit their physician, which may average about 1-3 times a year. Most of these individuals take several medications to help control the blood pressure but have little idea what the blood pressure is like on a daily basis. High blood pressure is a silent disease and there are generally no symptoms. When high blood pressure is not adequately treated, serious complications can occur.

Measuring blood pressure at home has many advantages including making an early diagnosis. Individuals who have had a diagnosis of borderline hypertension,  diabetes or kidney problems are always at risk for developing full blown hypertension in the future. Routinely measuring blood pressure can help one make the diagnosis much earlier.

What should I do if I have no access to a blood pressure device at home?

Individuals who routinely rely on outdoor devices for blood pressure monitoring should always write down the number and compare it with the number obtained in the physicians’ office. If there is a difference of more than 10 mmHg, then the outside machines are useless. For machines to be valid, the difference in blood pressure must be less than 5 mmHg.

Many studies have indicated that automated blood pressure devices in the malls do not meet the criteria in terms of accuracy or reliability of measurements. Those individuals who have high blood pressure should get their measurements done at a health clinic or an outpatient medical facility.

I want to buy a Blood pressure measuring device, is there anything I should know?

Measuring blood pressure with a small sized cuff in a large individual always gives erroneously low readings. To ensure that you are getting a reliable reading, the inflatable portion of the cuff should cover more than ¾ of the upper arm.

Today, there are a wide variety of blood pressure monitors available for home use. 

All blood pressure monitors are available without a physicians’ prescription. However before you buy a blood pressure device, it is essential to buy the right device and develop the proper technique of measuring blood pressure. Speak to your doctor and get him/her to teach you how to measure blood pressure the right way.

Are Blood Pressure Measurement Devices in Malls and Pharmacies reliable?

Besides doctor’s office, blood pressure machines are often found in malls, pharmacies and health food stores. Even though these machines are for free usage, they are simply not maintained, calibrated and have cuffs of only one size. Right off the bat, these devices are useless for measuring blood pressure in children (or those individuals with a small body size) and large or overweight individuals.

The manufacturers of these outdoor automated blood pressure devices install them all over the place and rarely come back to service them. In some cases, parts are missing or the cuffs are ripped. So to summarize- these devices suck.