Get heart healthy tips for cold and flu season
(ARA) According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in the course of a year, Americans suffer one billion colds. With statistics like that, one might assume that most Americans know how to treat their cold and flu symptoms.
However, a new national survey commissioned by the makers of Coricidin (R) HBP, a line of cold and flu medications specifically formulated for people with high blood pressure, shows that almost half (45 percent) of Americans complain that the cold and flu aisle is by far the hardest place in a store to find the products they need. This confusion may lead to health trouble for some of the 72 million Americans who suffer from hypertension, since the use of decongestants may raise blood pressure.
Over-the-counter remedies can help relieve the symptoms of the common cold, but it's important to read labels carefully. On average, most people (56 percent) say that they spend more than five minutes looking at the options in the cold and flu aisle before deciding which medication to buy. This might have something to do with the fact that many don't know about the ingredients in their medications. Only one in eight (12 percent) Americans say they can easily explain the difference between an antihistamine and a decongestant, compared to the 52 percent who say they can articulate the difference between regular and diet soda.
While many people may be likely to ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice about over-the-counter cold or flu medications, they need to ask the right questions and make it known if they have high blood pressure.
The American Heart Association reminds people with hypertension to be aware that the use of decongestants may raise blood pressure. Unlike many other cold and flu medications, Coricidin HBP is the only cold brand specially made so it won't raise your blood pressure because it does not contain a decongestant.
As we prepare for the upcoming cold and flu season, it's important to equip your home and your family with tools for boosting your immune system. Lifestyle and diet decisions have an impact on a person's overall health and their ability to fight off the cold and flu.
"Anyone preparing for or living through cold and flu season especially those with high blood pressure needs to make healthy lifestyle choices, including smart nutrition and physical activity routines," says Rovenia Brock, Ph.D., nutritionist and author of the national best-seller, "Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets To Livin' Healthy."
Dr. Ro recommends establishing a daily physical activity routine to help maintain a healthy heart. However, it's critical to ease into an exercise program and consult a physician first. If you haven't been physically active in a while, you can start off slow and work your way up to meeting physical activity recommendations. Intense physical activity, like shoveling snow, should be avoided if you have not been physically active lately.
Dr. Ro also counsels her patients to know their numbers. Having regular doctor's appointments to monitor blood pressure will help you and your doctor monitor your hypertension program and make the necessary adjustments to keep it under control.
For more information, visit www.americanheart.org/hbp or the Coricidin HBP Web site at www.CoricidinHBP.com.
Heart Healthy Shopping Tips from "Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy"
Remember to pick up:
Green leafy vegetables, like spinach for its folate, which fights heart disease.
Fruits like oranges that are rich in vitamin C to fight heart disease and blueberries with flavanoids to fight heart disease and cancer.
Red tomatoes which contain lycopene, the antioxidant that protects against heart disease and certain cancers.
Colorful vegetables like carrots, red and green bell peppers and sweet potatoes which protect against heart disease and fight infections.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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