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Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common condition medical professionals call the silent killer. Silent because having elevated blood pressure often goes undetected for years or decades as it slowly causes fatal changes throughout the body, leading to death.
Common comorbidities of prolonged hypertension include: kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, angina, dementia, vision loss, blindness, sexual dysfunction, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, fatigue, artery damage, blood clots, and much more.
Unfortunately, many individuals do not know or treat hypertension until the damage has already taken place. But it's not too late. There are many methods and options available to treat and eliminate this life threatening condition.
The traditional method of treating hypertension consists of a doctor's visit, finding of hypertension, a series of cardiac studies, and then being prescribed medication.
Often this is accompanied by a diagnosis of genetic hypertension, familial hypertension, secondary hypertension or idiopathic hypertension (unknown cause). Regardless of the diagnosis, the underlying cause can go unnoticed and untreated. Frankly, because there is not enough time and individuality to this approach.
The band aid approach.
So what's a normal blood pressure? Ideally 120/60.
When does blood pressure become dangerous? When your systolic pressure (the first number) rises above and sustains above 150 you should be concerned.
Long term effects of elevated blood pressure leads to interior vessel damage and therefore creates even more of a risk to you such as narrowing of the blood vessel, clotting and arteriosclerosis.
So what generally leads to hypertension?
Some causes for hypertension include obesity, hypernatremia or high sodium, lack of exercise, elevated homocysteine, sleep deprivation, substance use, smoking, stress, hypercholesterol or high fats in the blood, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, lung disease, diet and age.
Getting to the core issue and addressing the primary cause or causes of hypertension is the ideal treatment.
Unfortunately this is often challenging and time consuming for individuals to navigate themselves. They find there is no direct guidance from medical professionals. Instead the medication seems to be the end all be all approach.
Most providers are unfortunately taught this method in school and are not programmed to use a holistic approach.
Depending on the cause of hypertension, there are methods and scientifically proven lifestyle changes that can eliminate the silent killer in your life, without having to take medication with harmful side effects.
Here are some general non-specific ways to treat hypertension:
1. Sodium. Water follows salt. The more salt you digest, the more water that attaches to it. This fills up the veins and arteries, and the pressure makes the heart have to work harder to pump. By reducing sodium intake, we reduce the amount of fluid in our vascular space and lessen the workload of the heart.
2. Quit smoking. Smoking causes damage to the inside of our vessels, contributes to blood clotting, and damages your lungs. The damage in your lungs causes a backup of blood flow.
3. Exercise. Your heart is its own muscle and requires exercise. When we exercise, we require the heart to improve endurance. Therefore when we are at rest, it has an easier time pumping blood.
4. Diet. Eating a well balanced diet can reduce excess cholesterol. Bad cholesterol component that accumulates inside your vessels. When this happens, the opening becomes smaller making the heart have to pump harder to push through.
5. Weight loss. Losing excess weight means the body needs less blood to feed extra tissue. When we lose weight, we reduce the need for the heart to pump harder to feed the excess mass. The extra pumping causes the heart muscle to become large then sets into other diseases, such as heart failure.
6. Stress reduction. Stress induces a response in our body, causing inflammation, increasing our heart rate and narrowing our vessels. This again causes the heart to have to pump harder and thus increases our blood pressure.
Utilizing an experienced certified nurse and wellness coach can bridge the gap between lifestyle modification and optimal health. By utilizing this approach, you can obtain a personal and individualized plan and treatment for hypertension and other ailments concurrently.
To learn more about a specific plan designed for you or to schedule a free consultation, click below. I would be happy to see if we are a good fit to work together and begin living the life you were designed for and the care you deserve.
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About Us Welcome to Ona Solutions, where we specialize in providing housing for independent adults and assisting individuals in finding affordable housing options. Our dedicated team is committed to creating safe, supportive, and sustainable living environments that empower individuals to thrive. We operate with a foundation of compassion and a strong sense of community, working tirelessly to ensure everyone has access to a place they can call home. At Ona Solutions, we firmly believe that housing is a fundamental human right and strive to make this belief a reality for all.Mission At Ona Solutions, our mission is to transform lives by offering secure, affordable, and dignified housing solutions for independent adults and those seeking affordable living options. Our goal is to foster a supportive community where individuals can regain stability, independence, and hope. Through our dedicated efforts, we aim to address the housing deficit and ensure that every person we serve has the opportunity to lead a better, more fulfilling life.Vision Our vision at Ona Solutions is a world where affordable housing is accessible to all. We envision a society where everyone has a place to call home, enabling them to lead fulfilling and independent lives. By continuously innovating and advocating for sustainable housing solutions, we aspire to be a leader in creating lasting change and brighter futures for individuals and communities alike.Why Choose Ona Solutions?Commitment to Community: We prioritize creating a sense of belonging by fostering supportive and inclusive housing environments.Affordability: We are dedicated to providing cost-effective housing solutions to help individuals maintain financial stability.Sustainability: Our focus on sustainable practices ensures long-term housing security and positive environmental impact.Empowerment: We empower residents by offering resources and support systems that encourage personal growth and independence.Get Involved At Ona Solutions, we believe positive change happens when communities come together. Whether you are seeking affordable housing or want to support our mission, we welcome you to join our efforts in making housing accessible for all. Together, we can create a brighter future where everyone has a place to call home.
Sometimes it feels as if your bereavement will never end. You feel as if youd give anything to have the pain go away; to have the long lonely hours between nightfall and dawn pass without heartache. You are not the only grieving person who has longed for some measure of relief.In the novel, My Sisters Keeper, author Jodi Picoult wrote, There should be a statute of limitations on grief. A rule book that says it is all right to wake up crying, but only for a month. That after 42 days you will no longer turn with your heart racing, certain you have heard her call out your name.No such rule book exists. Grief counselors and therapists tell us that the length of time it takes anyone to grieve the loss of someone they held dear to them is dependent on the situation, how attached you were to the deceased, how they died, your age and gender. So many variables exist and theres absolutely no way to predict how long it will take for you to adapt to your loss.The Difference Between Normal and Complicated GriefResearch findings have led experts to come up with many differing categories of grief experience ranging from normal to complicated. Normal (or uncomplicated) grief has no timeline and encompasses a range of feelings and behaviors common after loss such as bodily distress, guilt, hostility, preoccupation with the image of the deceased, and the inability to function as one had before the loss. All are normal and present us with profound, and seemingly endless, challenges. Yet, Katherine Walsh says, Over the course of time, with average social supportmost individuals will gradually experience a diminishment of these feelings, behaviors, and sensations. So, how can you know if your bereavement is no longer within the range of normal? Ms. Walsh goes on to say, While there is no definitive time period by which this happens, if an individual or members of a family continue to experience distress intensely or for a prolonged periodor even unexpectedly years after a lossthey may benefit from treatment for complicated grief.A Useful Model for Assessment: Wordens Four Tasks of MourningThere are certain tasks that, when achieved during your bereavement, can successfully allow you to emerge on the other side of loss as a better, stronger, and more resilient individual. James Worden proposed these four tasks: To accept the reality of the loss To process the pain of grief To adjust to a world without the deceased To find an enduring connection with the deceased in the midst of embarking on a new life Instead of focusing on your bodily discomforts, feelings, and common behaviors, this model allows you to better see where you may be stuck or stalled in the adaptive process. Fortunately, Worden also gives us a list of indicators advising that "any one of these clues in and of itself may not be sufficient" for a diagnosis of complicated grief. "However," he continues, "any of theseshould be taken seriously, and the diagnosis of complicated grief should be considered when they appear."12 Clues... 12 InsightsWhile grief educators and theorists tell us that a diagnosis of complicated grief should not even be attempted until after the first anniversary of the death, if any one of the following symptomatic clues exists for longer than six months, you may want to consider grief counseling or grief therapy: You cannot speak of the deceased without experiencing intense and fresh grief long after the loss. A relatively minor event triggers an intense grief reaction. Your conversations with others are littered with references to loss. In other words, loss is an ever-present motif in your world view. You have issues related to your loved one's possessions. Keeping everything the same as before their death could indicate trouble just as tossing out everything right away can also be a clue to disordered mourning. (You also need to factor in your cultural and religious background) You have developed physical symptoms similar to those of the deceased before their death. Sometimes these symptoms recur annually, on the anniversary of the death, or on holidays. An increased susceptibility to illness or the development of a chronic physical complaint can also be an indicator. If you have made radical changes to your lifestyle, or excluded friends, family members, or even activities associated with the deceased, it may indicate unresolved grief. A long history of depression, often marked by guilt or low self-esteem, can reveal disordered mourning. The opposite is also true: a person experiencing a false sense of happiness or elation could be experiencing unresolved grief. A compulsion to imitate the deceased, in personality or behavior, can be a sign of complicated mourning. Having self-destructive impulses or exhibiting self-destructive behaviors can be significant. These can range from substance abuse, engaging in self-harm, developing eating disorders and suicidal tendencies. A sense of unexplained sadness occurring at a certain time each year (holidays, anniversaries, or birthdays) can also be a clue to unresolved grief. Developing a strong fear about dying, especially when it relates to the illness that took the life of your loved one, is an important clue. If you have avoided visiting your loved one's grave or if you are still unwilling to discuss the circumstances of their death, this could indicate complications in your bereavement. There are many types of complicated grief; it can be delayed, masked, exaggerated, or chronic. Self-diagnosis is without purpose. A year after the death, if you feel your grief symptoms worsening, we advise that you seek a referral from your family physician for professional grief counseling or therapy.Sources: Walsh, Katherine, Grief and Loss: Theories and Skills for the Helping Professions, 2nd Edition, 2012 Worden, James, Grief Counseling & Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, 4th Edition, 2009
Your Nurse Champions: Your Dedicated Nurse Patient AdvocatesAt Your Nurse Champions, we focus on what truly matters: your health, your voice, and your peace of mind. Navigating the healthcare system can feel overwhelming, but you dont have to go through it alone. Our experienced nurse patient advocates are here to support, guide, and empower you every step of the way.What is a Nurse Patient Advocate?A nurse patient advocate, or healthcare advocate, is a skilled registered nurse who helps you and your loved ones understand and navigate the complexities of healthcare. At Your Nurse Champions, our advocates are passionate professionals dedicated to ensuring that you receive the highest quality care, understand your treatment options, and have a strong voice in your healthcare decisions.Why Choose Your Nurse Champions? Personalized Support: We tailor our services to meet your unique needs and preferences. Empowerment: We provide education and guidance to help you make informed decisions about your health. Advocacy: We attend medical appointments, interpret medical jargon, and ensure your concerns are addressed. Compassionate Care: Our nurse advocates are dedicated to promoting your rights and overall well-being.Free 30-Minute Phone ConsultationTake the first step in taking control of your healthcare journey. Call us today at 239-427-2112 to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.Let Your Nurse Champions bridge the gap and navigate healthcare with you. Together, we can ensure your voice is heard, your rights are protected, and your healthcare journey is less stressful and more informed.
Your Nurse Champions: Your Dedicated Nurse Patient AdvocatesAt Your Nurse Champions, we focus on what truly matters: your health, your voice, and your peace of mind. Navigating the healthcare system can feel overwhelming, but you dont have to go through it alone. Our experienced nurse patient advocates are here to support, guide, and empower you every step of the way.What is a Nurse Patient Advocate?A nurse patient advocate, or healthcare advocate, is a skilled registered nurse who helps you and your loved ones understand and navigate the complexities of healthcare. At Your Nurse Champions, our advocates are passionate professionals dedicated to ensuring that you receive the highest quality care, understand your treatment options, and have a strong voice in your healthcare decisions.Why Choose Your Nurse Champions? Personalized Support: We tailor our services to meet your unique needs and preferences. Empowerment: We provide education and guidance to help you make informed decisions about your health. Advocacy: We attend medical appointments, interpret medical jargon, and ensure your concerns are addressed. Compassionate Care: Our nurse advocates are dedicated to promoting your rights and overall well-being.Free 30-Minute Phone ConsultationTake the first step in taking control of your healthcare journey. Call us today at 239-427-2112 to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.Let Your Nurse Champions bridge the gap and navigate healthcare with you. Together, we can ensure your voice is heard, your rights are protected, and your healthcare journey is less stressful and more informed.
Your Nurse Champions: Your Dedicated Nurse Patient AdvocatesAt Your Nurse Champions, we focus on what truly matters: your health, your voice, and your peace of mind. Navigating the healthcare system can feel overwhelming, but you dont have to go through it alone. Our experienced nurse patient advocates are here to support, guide, and empower you every step of the way.What is a Nurse Patient Advocate?A nurse patient advocate, or healthcare advocate, is a skilled registered nurse who helps you and your loved ones understand and navigate the complexities of healthcare. At Your Nurse Champions, our advocates are passionate professionals dedicated to ensuring that you receive the highest quality care, understand your treatment options, and have a strong voice in your healthcare decisions.Why Choose Your Nurse Champions? Personalized Support: We tailor our services to meet your unique needs and preferences. Empowerment: We provide education and guidance to help you make informed decisions about your health. Advocacy: We attend medical appointments, interpret medical jargon, and ensure your concerns are addressed. Compassionate Care: Our nurse advocates are dedicated to promoting your rights and overall well-being.Free 30-Minute Phone ConsultationTake the first step in taking control of your healthcare journey. Call us today at 239-427-2112 to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.Let Your Nurse Champions bridge the gap and navigate healthcare with you. Together, we can ensure your voice is heard, your rights are protected, and your healthcare journey is less stressful and more informed.