BLOOD PRESSURE UPDATE
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BLOOD PRESSURE is being turned upside down if we’re to believe new studies published recently in the press. While some of them are based on robust evidence, other less-convincing reports have muddied the waters, leaving us confused – and even hopeful that we can double the salt in our food with no ill effects for our health. Before we get to the nitty-gritty of the new studies, there’s one important question to ask yourself: do you know your own blood pressure stats? Many people don’t. We know our height and weight measurements; understand that a poor waist-to-height ratio is bad for our health (ideally our waist should be half our height or less); but most of us don’t bother to get our blood pressure checked, as there are no obvious symptoms. So we won’t necessarily know if we have high blood pressure (hypertension).