Category Archives: COVID-19

Key Vitamins for Holiday Meals at Home and during Travel

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Holiday Meals w-Vitamin A&DEating what you like (not what you really need) cheerfully at the Holiday table and/or eating poorly on the road are hazardous for your physical and immune health.

In this holiday season, I’d like to emphasize the importance of dietary vitamin A and vitamin D. Why?

First, it serves an update on some new knowledge of their role in gut health and immunity. Second, it is critical at this time, with ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, yet emerging a new variant “Omicron”. Finally, it is also significant for public health because micronutrient deficiency in children is a serious concern around the world.

Let’s start with the immune health.

Essentially, our immune responses to harmful invasion comprise two types of protection: one is from B cells, they generate antibodies to neutralize a virus or bacteria; and the other is from T cells, they kill virus-infected cells.

Consider this—if T cells can eliminate the human cells infected by the coronavirus, then they help prevent or stop the progression of COVID-19. That’s why your immune function is vital at this time for indulging the holiday season and fending the new variant in COVID transmission.

Now, we move to the gastrointestinal (GI) system.           

GI tract is a large, important organ/system of immunity. T cells, in fact, represent one of the most abundant immune cell population in the gut. In addition, the gut microbiota may be regarded as crucial troupes or team players of the human defense because fundamentally they regulate our GI immune system.

Gut microbiome play an important role in both health and many illnesses such as infection, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and etc., just to name a few.

Another example is functional dyspepsia (upset stomach), which is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurring symptoms of indigestion without obvious cause; it can be long-lasting, and hard to treat. And disturbance of the gut microbiota has been implicated in this problem, so has the immune cells.

Next, what these matters have to do with vitamin A and vitamin D?

A great deal. Diet is a principal regulator of the gut microbiota. Vitamin A and D play an indispensable role in this function and far beyond.

Vitamin D can be obtained from exposure to sunlight through outdoor activity and then followed by biological reaction and conversion in the body, whereas vitamin A is only acquired through diet. They have immunomodulatory effects on controlling acute and chronic inflammations.

Both vitamin A and vitamin D normalize the gut epithelial and mucosal immune functions by regulating gut microbiota, and consequently maintain homeostasis of the body. Deficiency in either one brings about less diverse, more imbalanced microbial communities, weakened defense by mucosal barrier, and increased susceptibility to injury or infection of the GI tract. In other words, the condition alters the microbiome and integrity of the GI epithelial barrier. It’s like the dam—once the gate is broken, the flood can rush in.

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Diet and Deficiency of the vitamins influence changes in your body.

Vitamin A deficiency, especially in childhood, may result in increased mortality related to GI and respiratory infection, cause anemia and blindness, and impair GI immune and/or vaccine responses.

People with autoimmune diseases share a tendency of vitamin D deficiency. A recent finding showed that over 80% of COVID-19 patients (out of 216) had a status of vitamin D deficiency. Evidently, vitamin D deficiency, old age, and obesity—though as independent risk factors, the combination contributed to COVID-19’s severity and unfortunate outcome.

How to turn this knowledge into health benefits for you and yours

Practical advice:

  1. Have fun with colors and immune boosters, along with creativity for flavor or taste in the holiday meals, whether as side dishes, desserts or smoothie. If you and yours are on the road, make sure to integrate carrots, mushrooms, green veggies, colorful fruits, and salmon or tuna into your food.
  2. Pay attention to your daily diet, esp. whether vitamin A and D are insufficient in your food. A healthy and balanced diet should provide you the adequate amount you need.
  3. It’s important that if vitamin A and/or D from foods are insufficient, ensure your infants or kids (6 months to 5 years) have adequate intake of dietary supplements, based on WHO’s recommendation. Keep in mind that liver (e.g., beef liver) is a rich source of both vitamin A and D.
  4. People with some diseases (e.g., those of digestive tract) or with very poor diets may need to take a vitamin A supplement, but it’s wise to consult with your doctor.
  5. If you need to take a supplement for vitamin A or D, make sure to take it with food, because vitamin A and D are fat-soluble.
  6. Don’t take these supplements to prevent or treat cancer. There is no clear evidence; in fact, some evidence suggests harmful effects.

Happy Holiday w-Vitamins_Sm-long for LIIn summation

When you and your family celebrate the holiday time, enjoy the “life-essential vitamin” (=vitamin A) and “sunshine vitamin” (=vitamin D) too!

Additionally, tampering down or subduing your appetite for certain food (i.e., high fat, high sodium, and high sugar) and holding back for another plate or portion, all can go a long way to protect your health and immunity. After all, your immune strength depends on more than antibodies or food alone.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe Holiday season!

 

Image credit: Pixabay and CPD

Masking and Vaccination as a Double Shield against COVID-19

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Mask & Vac as COVID Double Shield_Final_4-21Welcome the spring! What’s on your mind? School reopening? Summer vacation? Imagine hundreds of liberating thoughts on folks’ mind after a challenging year.

But frankly speaking, I’ve been thinking about masking and vaccination.

Despite remarkable national leadership and coronavirus vaccines roll-out progress, we still have a long way to go because of several variants fast-moving in the US, COVID cases surging in certain states, and young people increasingly getting infected. Needless to say, that elusive “herd immunity” remains in the air.

That’s why the issue is pressing on my mind.

I’m not going to reiterate the statistics as the numbers are grim to some and boring to others. Let me just cut to the chase to the practical solutions based on solid statistics and science.

Masking and vaccinating—on the top of COVID protective measures—are irrelevant to intelligence, politics or power control, even though some politicians made it sound so. Currently, a force in defiance of masking or vaccination or both is offsetting our effort and pace to stop the pandemic.

The issue is probably more about understanding, perspectives, safety and wellbeing of everybody.

Here are two outlooks or perspectives:

No. 1. Masking as a life jacket during desperate times

Yes, we are in desperate times. More than 560,000 lives lost; people we love and care are among them. We saw enough, period.

If you’ve been wearing a mask in the public, great! Continue doing so properly and persistently.

If you’ve been vaccinated, congratulations! Don’t let your guard down as you’re still at a potential risk to get infected / contract the disease (though less severe or lethal) and transmit the virus.

If you are one of those mask-defiant and/or vaccine-hesitant individuals, I respect your decision and individualism. However, unless for any specific medical reason, I urge you to take some quiet time reflecting as to WHY—why this is a burden for you instead of a care for yourself and others?
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No. 2. Mask and vaccination as double shield for yourself, your loved ones and for others.

Just like a lifeboat carrying us forward safely, vaccination is a long-term strategy and benefit for public health. COVID vaccination provides not only protection against the pandemic but also a promise of returning to the normal life to which we’re accustomed.

COVID vaccines are very safe and effective to protect you from getting severely sick or death while keeping you from spreading the virus to others. Mass vaccination is also the key that prevents more variants from taking roots and transmitting in the communities.

Even if you are fully vaccinated, masking up further defend you against increased transmission by the coronavirus variants.

Thus, consider this:

If you are devoted to your health, wear your mask and get vaccinated in addition to other protective measures.

If you are devoted to your family and community, help stop community transmission by wearing a mask and getting yourself vaccinated.

If you are devoted to our nation, you should be pride to wear a mask and acquire the vaccination, while counting our blessings for vaccine availability in the US.

If you are devoted to making the world a better place, masking up and rolling up your sleeve to get that shot are small, meaningful acts that contribute to eradicating the COVID-19!

In closing, the Takeaway –

For now, the proven solutions are—wear a mask in the public and get vaccinated. Do so with care and hope. Without doubt, the ultimate result will come with JOY!

Please share this message if you share the same cares and desires. Big Thank You!

 

Image credits: Pixabay, Clipart-Library, CancerPreventionDaily

Transform Your Wellness in Uncertain Time

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Colorful Shapes for Ideas_CPD-Pixabay_2021A new year always marks a new, better beginning. we have new hopes in renewed energy, expecting new accomplishments and new happiness. Yet, 2021 is still an uncertain year; at least for sometimes, we cannot anticipate to return a full sense of normality.

The COVID-19 outbreak, the economic crisis, as well as racial tensions and consequential violence all bring a profound change in our daily life and affect our overall well-being. I’m concerned and wonder, just like many of you, when will most of us get vaccinated? what is the job and finance outlook for many folks experiencing economic hardship? How can our nation’s deep wound be healed? The challenges are in all shapes, but so are solutions.

Whatever you view our situation as a nation in turmoil or in transformation, a welcome opportunity to transform ourselves presents itself in front of us, especially for our health and wellness. I’m going to highlight a few important points.

First, lay the foundation for your health and well-being with three pillars—physical, emotional, and mental—and foster each support. The three pillars function like a tripod that establishes stability and connection. So, personalize your vitality and preventive care around each support. I won’t go through more details, as you can get some ideas from COVID-19 Era Wellbeing and Beyond: Perspectives for Year 2021.

Second, I’d like to talk about a circle of love and support as reinforcers for mental health. Mental health problems are not something new, but the pandemic lockdown and social distancing have exacerbated previous concerns of depression, loneliness and social isolation. This is one of the urgent and critical public health issues in 2021. An underpinning point is that loneliness and social isolation are linked to poor health outcomes, not only in elders but in people of any age. So, developing a circle of love and support is a great promoter of sustainable mental well-being. Even you have a very small family or are alone, you can still make a new friend or re-connect with old pals and your community. Seek for professional help when in need.

Don’t forget school kids and teenagers who are increasingly struggling with distance and disruption created by the pandemic. Their anxiety, loneliness, and social isolation may affect their grades now and result in potential trauma in the long-term. We need to steer them away from an avoidable drive down to a dark path as early as possible.

At this vulnerable time, one area of mental health involves how well your mind processes information and understand facts and data, which is an issue that has been too often overlooked or overwhelmed by disinformation in recent years. However, opening or shutting that flood gate is under your control. So, challenge your ability to detect and assess misinformation and falsehood. Remember that negative beliefs or perceptions influence your behavior and condition physically and emotionally. Consider gaining a fuller or richer understanding of another culture(s), maybe reach out to someone and exchange different worldviews, and maybe find a new meaning in your life.
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My point is that your worldview, spirituality, and personal growth can be an important element in lowering a risk for various diseases and in facing either physical illnesses or psychological sufferings. In other words, the mind and body are closely connected. Therefore, it is essential to illuminate the unattended dark and dusty corners of your mind with newfound knowledge, joy, laughter, and appreciation. All is an integral part of your well-being.

Third, strategize and manage by applying a series of squares/boxes (or areas). One can use boxes and bins for storage or office organization. We can also use them metaphorically to help in the quest for good health. You can do this by envisioning boxes that carry several risk factors of a specific disease, then tackling those areas through resources or actions. Alternatively, target lifestyle factors or areas that you want to improve. For instance, risk factors (boxes) for susceptibility to, severity of, and death due to COVID-19 include old age, obesity, pre-existing chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, lung disorders, chronic kidney diseases, and smoking, to name a few. Do you know—conversely—how COVID-19 can be a risk factor for other health problems? Research and clinical evidence show that this contagious virus can enter the cell and subsequently the body, damage the heart, brain, or multiple organs, causing lung injury and hypoxia as well as systemic inflammation resulting in overreactive immune response (or cytokine storm). There are things you can do to avoid or minimize these damages, and to prevent the transmission of infection, especially from the new coronavirus variants.

Finally, beyond doubt, with heightened fear and stress, some used-to-be top killers are sneaking into our lives. When most of us likely remain homebound for some time due to the pandemic, various health perils are prone to elevate. Unattended yet subsequent components could be high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and harmful cholesterol levels; all damage blood vessels and lead to increased probability of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. So, pay attention to and prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCD), because people with NCD are vulnerable to the devastating impact of COVID infection. Also, climate change is evidently an imminent threat to our well-being in several ways; as detailed in The Climate Crisis Is a Health Crisis and in Key Strategies for Cancer Prevention.

Understandably, change is often not easy or comfortable. However, if you’re determined, you can embrace the process of change. Start with baby steps. The new year could be a nice, fresh point to start. So, gear up!

To your renewed health, happiness and well-being in 2021.

 

Image credit:  Pixabay; CancerPreventionDaily 

COVID-19 Era Wellbeing and Beyond: Perspectives for Year 2021

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Happy & Healthy 2021_CPDAs the end of the year approaches, what are your thoughts?

After all, 2020 has been a tough and unique year for us. For many, many families and friends, it has been very difficult this time around. We end the year with heavy hearts. In an article published on JAMA December, 12 this year, Dr. Woolf and colleagues eloquently capture the sad picture “COVID-19 has become the leading cause of death in the United States (daily mortality rates for heart disease and cancer, which for decades have been the 2 leading causes of death, are approximately 1700 and 1600 deaths per day, respectively). With COVID-19 mortality rates now exceeding these thresholds, this infectious disease has become deadlier than heart disease and cancer, and its lethality may increase further as transmission increases with holiday travel and gatherings and with the intensified indoor exposure that winter brings.”

This should make us all pause and think through how to plan protective and preventive measures for a safe festive season.

Despite all the suffering and pain this year, I hope this blog message helps to wake some folks from any sense of helplessness or hopelessness. It’s crucial to have an empowered mindset in the Year 2021.

I’d like you to consider these few key points of action along with your reflection.

    1. For your physical wellness, practice Wellness Plus. The “Plus” is to emphasize strengthening your immune system. Start with any small step and build on your current healthy habits on a daily or weekly basis. Doing so can be as small as adding one immune-boosting food to your breakfast, exercising 10 minutes more each day, or getting an extra hour of sleep. Then stay on it. The secret is to integrate “at-home-fitness & wellness” into your daily routine.
    2. For mental and emotional health, find ways to reduce stress. Stress is a silent killer, with several leading causes of death being stress related. Specifically, chronic stress can accelerate cancer growth and lower body resistance to bacterial or viral infections. Who among us doesn’t have stress? Even if never before, I’m sure you had it this year. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological wellbeing of virtually everybody is considerable, though it may vary in scope or form. The key is to manage stress. Take advantages of natural resources and ask for help. Among great stress-relief techniques are having gratitude for what is good in your life and looking around to see where you can sow seeds of kindness, joy and love. 
    3. For overall wellbeing, keep and preserve hope, let your dream and joy be rekindled. I understand deeply how you feel if you lost loved ones, lost a job or the house, or maybe have had to endure a serious illness… In the midst of all difficulties, HOPE is not only important, but also imperative. At the end of the day, your physical, emotional, family, career and finance wellbeing are interconnected. Remember—dark days will pass, and a bright path is ahead. Long drought seasons will be replenished with blessed showers or rains. Having a purpose and positive outlooks can help. It may sound easy to say, but this is a life truth.

From CancerPreventionDaily, stay safe and enjoy peaceful, relaxed Holidays!

Best wishes for a spectacular 2021.

 

Image credit: Pixabay; CancerPreventionDaily

Holidays with Cholesterol- and COVID-Conscience

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Veggie plate w-Fruits heartThis holiday season is unique in the unprecedented way that our health, life and family are affected while the COVID-19 pandemic has spiked out of control across the US. That’s why I’m bringing the role of cholesterol into the picture.

Here are what we know about cholesterol:

  1. Almost everybody has the knowledge that cholesterol is bad for your heart (especially those low-density lipoproteins or LDL), because when “bad cholesterol” is excessively high in the blood and produces buildup or plaque in your arteries, it can slow or stop blood flow to vital organs, leading to heart attack or stroke.
  2. The accumulation of cholesterol is a common feature of cancer or malignant tissues. Moreover, cholesterol synthesis is tightly regulated in normal cells for physiological functions but dysregulated in various cancer cell types. Then, cholesterol dynamics in adherence and migration of cancer cells plays a critical role in cancer progression.
  3. Recent studies have shown that hypercholesterolemia (i.e., a high blood cholesterol level) is one of risk factors for hospitalization and severity of COVID-19 in diverse populations of patients infected with coronavirus.

Let me elaborate a little more on how bad cholesterol impacts severity and fatality of COVID-19.

This is possible given several high-risk patient populations associated with coronavirus infection including those with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and cancer. After all, a high cholesterol level is a risk factor in all of these chronic conditions.

Following key points further support the possibility –

a) Alterations in cholesterol level actually occur during other viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis.

b) Membrane cholesterol is an important component to facilitate viral entry into host cells. Because a virus cannot replicate or reproduce itself until it enters your cells, higher membrane cholesterol levels can enhance the virus entering your cells, and enable serious infection.

c) Recent studies have also found that patients with severe COVID-19 have significantly lower HDL cholesterol (i.e., high density lipoproteins or “good cholesterol).

Surely, this virus or the disease is new, so is scientific research at this stage. Nevertheless, careful consideration of these findings can only help you.

So, how do these new findings translate to your benefits?

1)      If you’re on medication such as Statin for your cardiovascular disease, medication adherence is important.

2)      For holiday meals, pay attention to food intake, avoid fatty foods, use other alternative ways to eat less fat, sugar, and refined wheat to lower cholesterol and prevent chronic inflammation.

3)      Focus on lifestyle modification and immune strengthening. (e.g., add more exercise, refrain from tobacco and alcohol, ensure stress relief and enough sleep, in addition to healthy diet.)

As I’ve always emphasized, it’s very important to know your numbers when it comes to cholesterol.

If your awareness and effort are insufficient in this regard, you can start with modifying holiday foods to avoid or minimize cholesterol bump after holiday. Never too late to stay healthy. For instance:

  • Make cranberry sauce yourself to reduce sugar amount in processed can products.
  • Make mashed potatoes with less milk and less/none butter. Then mix with gravy from roast chicken oil or other flavorful item/ingredient to adjust the taste.
  • Replace dinner rolls with whole grain version, because refined wheat would be converted to blood sugar.

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You get the idea.

At this point, you may also be wondering if you should take cholesterol-lowering drugs or supplements? This is a valid thought. However, remember that diet and exercise are proven ways to reduce cholesterol. Unless absolutely necessary, you may get a prescription after consulting with your physician, which needless to say it’s a complex issue. As for cholesterol-lowering supplements, data are not conclusive and formulations are not regulated. So, the best resort advisable is nutrient- and antioxidant-rich foods instead.

Cancer remains a major public health concern too. Controlling dietary fatty components as well as intake can prevent cancer and fight coronavirus infection.

Collectively, it is worth reflecting on your lifestyle and strategizing your plan to optimize your wellness while enjoying Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season.

May abundant love to you and your loved ones, along with cholesterol- and COVID-awareness, bring you safe and joyful holidays!

 

Image credit: pixabay

From Dilemma to Deadly Disease: How Do You Deal with It

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Balance Covid and CancerDo you have a loved one or friend suffering from cancer? How are they doing, particularly regarding wellbeing and cancer treatment aspect during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Also, are you one of the folks whose cancer screening is due or who may experience something uncomfortable, concerned yet reluctant to schedule a hospital visit?

I’m asking these questions because if the answer is yes, you are not alone. This is the reality and challenge we face now.

A dilemma is confronting us. Staying away from the hospitals may delay a critical treatment or a timely diagnosis, which could worsen cancer progression and prognosis; yet visiting the hospital may increase a risk for the coronavirus infection, which can lead to a potentially dangerous or destructive outcome.

So, I’m going to address this struggle and solutions to help you make a better decision about your health.

Balance current situation with long-term gain

Let’s face it. Oncologists have warned that delayed cancer screening and diagnosis during COVID-19 will result in thousands and more avoidable deaths in the coming decade.

The experts’ insight is clear. Although fearing of COVID-19 risk is understandable, there is also unintended consequence in cancer. I cannot emphasize enough that cancer develops through a multistep process over years. Regardless of what’s going on around the world and how many things we put on hold, malignant growth does not stop.

That is why detecting and treating early lesion(s) are critical. Cancelled or delayed cancer screenings suggest some undetected cancers because screening benefits are undeniable. Then undetected cancer that actually exist translate to the delay or loss of interventions, consequently allowing the cancer to grow or metastasize.

So, weigh in benefits and risks, or pros and cons, make cancer care or screening a priority and take COVID-19 precautions at the same time. Fortunately, it can be done safely.

The best example that early detection and treatment save lives is late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s cancer journey, during which she went through successful treatments with colon, lung and pancreatic cancer since 1999. We can take a brief note on what she taught us.

Learn from Justice Ginsburg’s cancer battle

First, we see hope and inspiration from advanced medical therapies, from her personal battles and survivorship. It’s truly extraordinary that Ginsburg fought five bouts of cancer last two decades and lived well to 87 years old.

Second, we learn her resilience and commitment to life, health and work. Ginsburg’s rigorous exercise routine, her dedication to the job she loved, exceptionally she rarely missed work while undergoing cancer treatments, her time with family and friends, all helped her combat cancers.

Finally, we can ascertain that early diagnosis and treatment matter, as they can steer cancer course towards cancer-free direction. In Ginsburg’s case, every time doctors found a new cancer by accident came as a result of her routine checkups or treatments for other conditions. Then immediate surgeries and therapies restored her health. You can view it as luck or timely discovery or both.

Because she recently died from complications of pancreatic cancer, let’s extend to the next point.

Zero in preventing pancreatic cancer
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Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant and lethal diseases. It is highly invasive and can widely metastasize to various organs of the body. It’s also resistant to most treatments, with a poor prognosis (up to now a five-year survival rate is lower than 9%).

But when it comes to pancreatic cancer, it’s easy to permit a blind spot. This is because the disease rarely displays specific early signs and there is no acceptable screening test available at this time.

Even though one may experience some symptoms such as abdominal pain, stomach ache or lower back pain, jaundice, or bloating and weight loss, these indications can easily be brushed off in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And worse, when these sufferings or concerns are presented, individuals already have an advanced pancreatic cancer that’s untreatable or unresectable.

More alarming is that incidence of pancreatic cancer has been increasing in recent years. Based on scientific projection, by 2030 it will end up second deadliest cancer in the U.S. next to lung cancer.

All the above-mentioned aspects, therefore, make the urgent need to understand causes and risk factors of pancreatic cancer. More important, the key is prevention and early detection.

After all, genetic factor is about 10%. Be watchful and eliminate the blind spot. Focus more on modifiable risk factors. Here are actions you can take:

  1. Trust your instinct and science. Don’t put off cancer diagnosis or cancer-related visits. You can always consult via Telemedicine first if any need or troubling concern arises.
  2. Open to necessary hospital/clinic visits. Don’t let fear and anxiety overwhelm you. Hospitals have made stringent protocols to ensure the safety of both patients and staff. I personally witnessed it at different hospitals from recent experience with my family member’s illnesses.
  3. Go for genetic testing if you are a high-risk individual, such as having a family history of pancreatic cancer, other cancers or certain familial syndromes, and hereditary pancreatitis. It can detect a cancer-causing mutation that drives pancreatic tumor growth. Moreover, BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations trigger not only breast and ovarian cancer but also pancreatic cancer.
  4. Beware changes in your body (including subtle ones). Don’t ignore symptoms that may indicate something is wrong.
  5. Pay attention to elderly people. The risk goes up with aging, because ~80% diagnosed are 60 years old and up.
  6. Control diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and obesity, especially childhood obesity—all are well established risk factors.
  7. Live a healthy lifestyle. No smoking, no heavy alcohol drinking, no high fat and high sugar food, and minimize red or processed meat consumption. Be physically active.
  8. Maintain a good oral health. Emerging evidence has linked poor oral hygiene or poor periodontal health to a higher risk for pancreatic cancer. This relation between a chronic oral infection and carcinogenesis should be no surprise, given that chronic inflammation and bacterial/viral infection are underlying mechanisms for cancer development.
  9. Build a powerful immune system. Make it your strong defense and preserve from diet, exercise to mentality and sleep.
  10. Protect yourself, your family and your community whether it’s fighting against carcinogens or the coronavirus. This is a personal responsibility. Before having an effective and safe vaccine to prevent COVID-19, wear a mask when out in public, watch your space at least 6-feet apart from others, wash your hands frequently, and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Conclusion

The fear of COVID-19 has influenced some people’s decision to cancel or act on cancer screening or treatment. However, one should make effort to prioritize cancer screening, diagnosis and care while taking precautions to minimize COVID-19 risk. And become vigilant about pancreatic cancer.

 

Image credit: Scientists & CPD

 

 

Hypertension Can Be Asymptomatic but Potentially Fatal

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

BP Measure & Heart_pixabayWhen is the last time you checked your blood pressure? How is your child or children’s blood pressure?

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a multifaceted issue, and I’d like to address why it matters in several brief, yet key points.

In case you are not aware, high blood pressure is redefined at a reading of 130/80 rather than 140/90 mmHg, according to 2017 guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.

It’s important to pay attention to the new normal—i.e. the reading should be lower than 120/80 mmHg, because when systolic (top) number is 120-129 and diastolic (bottom) number is lower than 80 mmHg, your blood pressure is referred to “elevated status”. So, if your reading exceeds 130/80 mmHg, read further.

Hypertension a common risk factor for various cardiovascular and other chronic illnesses. It often remains overlooked in the absence of symptoms. However, hypertension is a silent killer.

Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular mortality (heart attack and stroke), and can bring about end-organ damage including chronic kidney diseases and renal failure. Even if people survive a life-threatening emergency, many face challenges of disability and complications that reduce the quality of life.

Hypertension is positively associated with some types of cancer, specifically renal cell carcinoma and breast cancer.
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Hypertension is becoming more common in children and adolescents but is under-diagnosed among this population, including those with a normal weight without a family history of hypertension. This is not surprising given the obesity epidemic, which presents alarming statistics—more than 1/3 of youth are overweight or obese and nearly 20% of children/adolescents has obesity. The relationship between hypertension and obesity has been clearly established; both can cause severe long-term health consequences.

As we live at a moment of crises, the compounding effect of COVID-19 reached an out of control point. A recent research published on European Heart Journal (2020 June; 41:2058-2066) reveals that patients with hypertension have a two-fold increase in the risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to those without hypertension. Antihypertensive treatment has lowered the mortality risk significantly compared with those left untreated.

The good news is that high blood pressure is a modifiable risk factor, and many hypertension-associated problems are preventable! So, focus on prevention.

The top strategy for preventing hypertension is lifestyle modification starting from a young age. Treating primary hypertension in children is almost exclusively a matter of an improved dietary and behavior regimen, including a more nutritional diet with reduced sodium intake, increased physical activity, and healthy weight. Pharmacological intervention is secondary strategy if your physician indicates it is needed.

A take-home-message: Watch your blood pressure, control your blood pressure to prevent acute cardiovascular events and help reduce the COVID-19 burden.

 

Image credit: Pixabay