WE’VE ALL been guilty of it at least once before. The New Year comes and goes, and we say to ourselves, “This year will be different. I’m going to get healthy.” And then, inevitably, nothing happens. Why? Because the resolution was so general it is easy to forget or push aside the moment the holidays are behind us!
If you have chronic health conditions, or concerns that could lead to a life-threatening health issue, then it’s even more important to come up with a solid resolution that you can stick with throughout the year and achieve tangible results. Thankfully, a recent study offers a great idea for those patients who need to lower their blood pressure.
According to Heartwire from Medscape, “an international study of 19,000 adults who used a pedometer and smartphone-based blood-pressure monitor, walking an additional 1,000 steps a month was associated with significant improvements in systolic blood pressure.” What’s the important takeaway from this study? More important than the use of technology (which certainly helped confirm the results), the participants simply walked an additional 1,000 steps per month and had positive results. If you have a smartphone, which certainly most of us do, many free apps, such as Lifelog or Endomondo, can track your footsteps for you on walks.
So my challenge to you, as an interventional cardiologist, is to make a resolution to walk at least an additional 1,000 steps per month to get you on the track to a healthier lifestyle. If you follow this simple New Year’s resolution, you’ll be taking tangible steps (pun intended) toward lowering your blood pressure and increasing your overall health! Happy New Year to you, and if you have any more concerns about your heart health, don’t hesitate to contact me.
This column is sponsored by Heart & Vascular Institute of Florida.
CREDIT
by IRFAN SIDDIQUI, DO
BIO: Dr. Irfan Siddiqui is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and a practicing physician at the Heart & Vascular Institute of Florida. Dr. Siddiqui is also an associate professor with UCF College of Medicine. He takes pride in taking an integrated approach for his patients to provide comprehensive, consistent care. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (863) 42-HEART and ask to meet with Dr. Siddiqui.