Recently OMRON teamed up with health and wellness influencers to promote the 90 Day Blood Pressure Challenge. The basic idea is simple: check your blood pressure every day and record and track your numbers.
The 90 Day Challenge is a way to introduce more fitness, nutrition and balance into your life. If you haven’t started the challenge or are considering it, here’s a preview of the first couple weeks.
Week 1
- Pick 1 to 3 times a day to check your blood pressure
- Set aside 5 minutes of quiet time each day to practice staying present
Week 2
- Introduce 30 minutes of exercise into 1 or 2 days of each week
- Ease into it
Visit the calendar for more suggestions on getting the most out of the challenge.
Checking in with the influencers
Frederick J. Goodall, Dr. Sonali Ruder and Michelle Rivas are three of the talented bloggers leading the way on the blood pressure challenge.
The importance of goals
Frederick J. Goodall, publisher and editor-in-chief of Mocha Man Style, has outlined some specific goals on his path to Going for Zero.
- Reduce salt, sugar and cholesterol
- Bike at least three times a week
- Shoot for at least 8,500 steps per day
- Meditate daily to reduce stress
- Enjoy more time with friends and family
As you start out on your own effort to lower or maintain your blood pressure, identifying specific and measurable goals will make your bigger goal easier to obtain. This is the difference between “getting more steps” and identifying a specific number of steps, for example.
Healthy recipes from The Foodie Physician
Dr. Sonali Ruder is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and trained chef whose website, The Foodie Physician, features delicious and healthy recipes for meals, starters and healthy substitutions. “Eating smart” is among her top recommended tips for a healthy blood pressure. This means:
- Eating the right food and cooking at home
- Watching your sodium intake
- Including foods with nutrients like potassium, calcium, magnesium and fiber in your diet
Click here to see more ways to eat smart from The Foodie Physician.
6 ways to get a more accurate blood pressure reading
One month into the 90 Day Blood Pressure Challenge, Michelle Rivas, creator of The Healthy Latina, has discovered a few ways to get more accurate readings during her daily blood pressure checks.
- Avoid caffeine before the test
- Sit quietly to help your body relax before the test
- Sit up straight in a chair, keep your feet flat on the floor and make sure your elbow is at heart level while checking your blood pressure
- Wear short sleeves
- Don’t talk during the time it takes to get a blood pressure reading
- Take your blood pressure on both arms and use the higher reading
Why blood pressure?
The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology shared updated guidelines for hypertension in November, and revealed that nearly 1 in 2 U.S. adults has high blood pressure. The 90 Day Blood Pressure Challenge health bloggers and influencers are using the Evolv home blood pressure monitor to track their blood pressure on a daily basis. Taking your blood pressure is one way to bring the “silent killer” into the light, moving closer to a world without heart attacks or strokes.
How does the challenge work?
There are no rules or requirements to take the 90-Day Blood Pressure Challenge. It’s a simple but powerful effort to stay in touch with your health. But you can definitely take it further.
The 90-Day Challenge Calendar
You can know your numbers, but you can also take positive steps to maintain them. The 90 Day Challenge Calendar is a low-impact guide to making big impact changes in your life.
How do I take my blood pressure?
A home blood pressure monitor is a convenient and accurate way to join the challenge. The health bloggers and influencers joining the challenge are using the Evolv. Many pharmacy chains also offer blood pressure monitoring.
Who else is involved?
Meet our 90-day challenge leaders!
Is that it?
That’s far from it. Taking your blood pressure regularly is an important step. But taking action is even better. You can:
- Make a plan to boost your heart-healthy lifestyle
- Share your experience and tips with friends and family
- Join the movement on social media with #GoingforZero #90toZero #Evolv #BPChallenge #healthyliving and #bloodpressure
The Evolv
Simple, portable technology will be the next evolution in health awareness. Meet the Evolv.
Going for ZeroTM
Taking the 90-Day Blood Pressure Challenge can change your life. Sharing your story moves all of us closer to a world with zero heart attacks and strokes.