Health
5 pasos para controlar adecuadamente la presión arterial
Last Updated on May 21, 2025 by Rod Washington
(Family Features) Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, around 75% do not have it under control, and many may not even realize they have it unless they experience other complications.
De hecho, la hipertensión es una de las principales causas y un factor de riesgo controlable de enfermedades cardíacas y accidentes cerebrovasculares, así como de otros problemas, como insuficiencia renal, pérdida de la visión y problemas sexuales. Sin embargo, la Asociación Americana del Corazón recomienda seguir estos sencillos pasos para ayudar a controlar sus niveles y manejar los riesgos.
1. Conozca sus números
En la mayoría de los casos, la presión arterial normal es de 120/80 mm HG o menos. Las lecturas consistentemente superiores a 130/80 se consideran presión arterial alta. Pida a un profesional de la salud que le mida la presión arterial al menos una vez al año y contrólela regularmente en su casa con un monitor validado y luego discuta las lecturas con su médico. Obtener lecturas precisas puede ayudar a garantizar el tratamiento más adecuado en caso de que surja algún problema.
2. Mantenga un peso saludable
Si tiene sobrepeso u obesidad, tiene un mayor riesgo de hipertensión. Perder solo el 3-5% de su peso corporal puede ayudar a mejorar sus números. Hay una gran cantidad de planes y programas disponibles que pueden ayudar con la pérdida de peso, y tomar medidas positivas con un amigo o familiar puede ayudar con la motivación.
3. Manténgase activo
Para maximizar los beneficios para la salud y ayudar a mantener la presión arterial en el rango normal, la Asociación Americana del Corazón recomienda que los adultos realicen al menos 150 minutos por semana de actividad moderada, 75 minutos de actividad intensa o una combinación de ambas. Pruebe actividades como caminar a paso ligero, nadar, montar en bicicleta o bailar. Por ejemplo, la campaña Get Down with Your Blood Pressure usa música y baile para ayudar a recordar los cuatro sencillos pasos para autocontrolarse la presión arterial:
- Tómelo: tome su dispositivo de autocontrol de la presión arterial (SMBP, por sus siglas en inglés)
- Deslícelo: deslice el brazalete SMBP hacia arriba de su brazo
- Envuélvalo: envuelva el brazalete cómodamente, pero no demasiado apretado
- Compruébelo: compruebe su presión arterial en el dispositivo
4. Aliméntese bien
Hacer cambios pequeños y simples en sus hábitos alimenticios puede ser de gran ayuda para que usted y su familia se mantengan saludables. Comer frutas y verduras, como mangos, aguacates y arándanos, puede reducir la presión arterial con el tiempo. Otras opciones inteligentes incluyen frutos secos y semillas, cereales integrales, proteínas magras y pescado.
5. Disminuya el consumo de alcohol y tabaco
Fumar agrava los factores de riesgo de las enfermedades cardíacas, como la presión arterial alta y la diabetes, y las sustancias químicas del humo del tabaco pueden dañar el corazón y los vasos sanguíneos. Asimismo, el consumo excesivo de alcohol (más de dos copas al día) se asocia con la hipertensión arterial. Limitar el consumo de alcohol y dejar de fumar, o evitar el humo de segunda mano, puede ayudar a reducir el riesgo.
Si desarrolla hipertensión, trabaje con un profesional de la salud para controlarla y visite heart.org/hbpcontrol para encontrar recursos locales para la presión arterial, videos de autocontrol paso a paso y más.
Control de su presión arterial en el hogar
Es importante saber cómo controlar correctamente su presión arterial, especialmente si su médico recomienda un autocontrol regular en casa.
- Quédese quieto. No fume, tome cafeína ni haga ejercicio durante los 30 minutos antes de medir su presión arterial. Vacíe su vejiga y tómese al menos 5 minutos de descanso tranquilo antes de medir.
- Siéntese correctamente. Siéntese con la espalda recta y apoyada. Mantenga los pies apoyados en el suelo y las piernas sin cruzar. Apoye su brazo sobre una superficie plana, como una mesa, con su bíceps al nivel del corazón. Coloque la parte inferior del brazalete directamente sobre el pliegue de su codo. Nunca tome medidas sobre las mangas u otra ropa.
- Mida a la misma hora todos los días. Para una mayor consistencia, tome lecturas a la misma hora todos los días, por ejemplo, a una hora determinada por la mañana y por la noche.
- Tome varias lecturas y registre los resultados. Cada vez que mida, tome 2-3 lecturas con aproximadamente 1 minuto de diferencia y registre los resultados para compartirlos con su médico.
Este proyecto cuenta con el apoyo de acuerdos cooperativos (CPIMP211227 y CPIMP211228) con la Oficina de Salud de las Minorías (OMH) del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS) de EE. UU., como parte de una asignación de asistencia financiera por un total de $14.6 millones de dólares en colaboración con la Administración de Recursos y Servicios de Salud (HRSA). El contenido no necesariamente representa las opiniones oficiales de la OMH, la OASH, el HHS ni del Gobierno de EE. UU., ni estos organismos respaldan dicho contenido. Para obtener mayor información, visita https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/.
Fotografías cortesía de Getty Images
SOURCE:
American Heart Association
Health
How Young Adults Can Build a Healthier Future
Bridging national service and public health, the initiative supports a diverse group of early career professionals working to address today’s public health challenges in a range of roles
(Family Features) Shaping the future of public health into an equitable one means ensuring all people and communities have access to the health care and resources they need to live well. The nation requires a strong, diverse public health workforce to accomplish that goal.
That’s why AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched Public Health AmeriCorps – to support the recruitment, training and development of early career public health workers who can serve their local communities.
Bridging national service and public health, the initiative supports a diverse group of early career professionals working to address today’s public health challenges in a range of roles, including:
- Health education and training
- Community outreach and engagement
- System navigation, referrals and linkage to care
- Research, data collection, analysis and assessment
What Members are Saying
Everyone was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic – including Dionne Johnson, who lost a loved one to the virus.
“I had a family member die from COVID-19, and it really touched me,” Johnson said. “That gave me the passion and lit the fire under me to actually pursue a career in public health.”
Now, Johnson is realizing her dreams of transforming public health in her community. In her work, she wants to teach people in Black and brown communities how they can learn to be healthy and advocate for themselves.
Another member, Jaiden Singh, is the son of immigrants. Singh launched a promising career in public health so he can give back to the community where he grew up.
“Being a part of the organization not only has really supplemented my education that I’m working toward in public health and policy, it has also given me the opportunity to do work that I am really passionate about in a community that I have known all my life and really do love,” Singh said. “I would highly recommend being a part of this really valuable and inspiring community.”
Action That Creates Impact
The diverse work of Public Health AmeriCorps benefits not only program members but also the communities they serve. As examples of the program at work, members have:
- Provided overdose rescue education, raised awareness about opioid use disorder and harm reduction strategies and distributed overdose rescue kits containing naloxone (an overdose-reversing nasal spray).
- Held back-to-school COVID-19 testing events, distributed early childhood health education and built community gardens in underserved communities.
- Participated in a community mental health crisis intervention system to assess, stabilize and link people in crisis to follow-up care and services.
- Supported elementary schools as part of a dental hygiene program that sends out staff and volunteers to provide free teeth cleanings to students.
Learn More and Apply
If you want to start your career and make a difference in public health, consider member benefits such as:
- Education awards to apply to higher education or student loan forgiveness
- Student loan deferment and forbearance
- Living allowance
- Hands-on experience
- Training from experts
Visit AmeriCorps.gov/PublicHealth for a list of opportunities to serve and contact your desired opportunity by phone or email to learn more and apply. You can also subscribe to the newsletter to learn more about the initiative.
SOURCE:
AmeriCorps
Lifestyle
Saving a Life This Summer: Ways to Step Up Safety Practices
Regardless of where you are, summer is a reminder that emergencies like cardiac arrest can happen anywhere. Take the safety of those around you into your own hands this summer with this checklist.
(Feature Impact) The busy summer season can take you almost anywhere – baseball fields, backyard cookouts, long workdays or road trips across the country. Regardless of where you are, summer is a reminder that emergencies like cardiac arrest can happen anywhere.
More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and 90% of people will not survive, according to the American Heart Association, a nonprofit organization devoted to changing the future for a world of healthier lives for all. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anytime, anywhere. People often hesitate to step in. In fact, nearly 2 out of 3 adults believe CPR can only be performed by medical professionals. This mistaken belief can cost lives and contributes to the low survival rate.
Ordinary people have extraordinary power. You don’t need to wear scrubs or have a medical background to save a life – you just need the courage to act.
Take the safety of those around you into your own hands this summer with this checklist.
Plan Ahead
Summer is often a time for welcome disruptions, including vacations, camps, sports and parties. Before traveling or attending events, check if your destination has a cardiac emergency response plan, which establishes specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in any setting, from schools and community organizations to workplaces and sports facilities.
Learn CPR
Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere: at home, at work, in schools, at a soccer game or on vacation. When it happens, the first chance for survival often rests with the people nearby.
Anyone can be the difference before professional help arrives. The power to save a life is in your hands. CPR is a human responsibility, not just a medical skill. When friends, family or even strangers step in during cardiac emergencies, survival rates can double or even triple.
Hands-Only CPR for adults consists of two easy steps:
- Call 9-1-1 or shout for someone else to call.
- Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a familiar song that’s 100-120 beats per minute, such as “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.
Share Resources with Your Family and Community
Once you’ve learned simple, two-step Hands-Only CPR, share resources with your community to help expand the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers. Raising awareness with family, neighbors and colleagues can help people feel confident in the face of an emergency.
Families can watch short instructional videos that demonstrate the life-saving steps for adults as well as techniques for infants and children.
Travelers can also get trained in about 5 minutes with a Hands-Only CPR Kiosk, located in many airports and public spaces across the country.
To find more information about learning CPR, visit Heart.org/Nation.
Summer Safety Tips
In addition to learning CPR and sharing valuable resources with your family and community, consider these ways to keep yourself and loved ones safe throughout the summer months.
- Stay Hydrated: High temperatures can quickly lead to dehydration and heat-related illness. Drink water regularly throughout the day, especially during outdoor activities, and pack extra water when away from home.
- Protect Your Skin: Hats, sunglasses and lightweight clothing can protect skin from sun exposure, but it’s important to use broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours.
- Swim with a Buddy: Hopping in a pool, lake or ocean is a hallmark of summer but can be dangerous without precautions. Never swim alone and ensure children are always supervised by an adult near water.
- Identify the Locations of Safety Equipment: When attending camps, heading to a sporting event or enjoying the pool or beach, identify where lifeguards, AEDs and emergency exits are located. Knowing where to find help can save valuable time when every second counts.
- Practice Grill Safety: Some of your most memorable summer moments may happen during a backyard barbecue or cookout, and it’s important to keep those gatherings safe. Use grills away from homes, decks and dry grass. Never leave them unattended while cooking, and be sure kids and pets stay at a safe distance from hot surfaces.
Saving a Life Within 1 Year of Learning CPR
On a chilly Tuesday, dawn was breaking as Matthew Lynch reached his highway exit, but traffic was backed up at a particular intersection. He waited through three cycles before finally getting close enough to see the holdup: a stalled SUV.
While most cars buzzed by, Lynch moved slowly and peered into the vehicle. He saw people inside and parked his sedan, flipped on the hazard lights and ran to the stalled SUV. As he knocked on the driver’s window, there was no response. The doors were locked. Two people – a male driver and female passenger – were unresponsive.
Lynch ran back to his own car and called 9-1-1 before managing to open the driver’s side door. He discovered the driver was not breathing normally, signaling to Lynch he’d need to start CPR – which he’d learned 10 months earlier during a training session he’d helped organize for a work-sponsored men’s group.
Knowing he had to do something, Lynch started pushing hard and fast in the center of the man’s chest. Within a minute, the man gasped for breath.
Just as Lynch leaned over to see if he could help the female passenger, first responders arrived and Lynch backed away, knowing there was nothing more he could do.
“It was just a lot to take in,” said Lynch, a member of the American Heart Association’s 2026 Nation of Lifesavers Class, a small group of volunteers, dedicated to raising awareness of CPR by sharing their own personal stories of survival or rescue. “Mostly I felt an incredible sense of gratitude that I could help someone.”
A strong admirer of the Good Samaritan parable, Lynch is always on the lookout for the opportunity to help others. He learned a lot about himself in that moment and about the importance of learning CPR, along with the confidence that comes from knowing you could be a lifesaver.
“I quickly realized the certification was way less important than the actual CPR training,” he said. “Your ability to help in any capacity is better than doing nothing. If I hadn’t done that training, I probably would not have helped.”
SOURCE:
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News
How healthy is Sodastream?
The SodaStream Sparkling Water Maker is a device that forces carbon dioxide (CO2) gas (stored under pressure in a cylinder) into water, making it sparkling (fizzy)
Sodastream machines have been gaining popularity in recent years as an alternative to store-bought soft drinks. Not only are they more environmentally friendly, but they also offer several health benefits compared to traditional sodas.
Reduced Sugar Intake
One of the most significant health benefits of using a Sodastream machine is reducing sugar intake. Traditional sodas are loaded with sugar, and excessive sugar intake can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health problems such as Type 2 diabetes. With a Sodastream machine, you can control the amount of sugar you add to your drink, allowing you to enjoy a refreshing beverage without the harmful effects of excessive sugar consumption.
No Artificial Sweeteners
Many store-bought soft drinks contain artificial sweeteners, which can have negative health effects such as headaches and digestive problems. Sodastream machines, on the other hand, allow you to use natural sweeteners such as fruit extracts, honey or agave nectar, giving you a healthier and more natural alternative.
No Preservatives
Another advantage of using a Sodastream machine is that you can avoid preservatives commonly found in store-bought soft drinks. Preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate have been linked to health problems such as cancer and allergies. By making your own drinks, you can avoid these harmful additives and enjoy a healthier, preservative-free beverage.
Eco-Friendly
In addition to the health benefits, using a Sodastream machine is also environmentally friendly. Traditional soft drinks are packaged in plastic bottles or cans, which contribute to environmental pollution. With a Sodastream machine, you can reuse the same bottle multiple times, reducing waste and helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
Variety
Finally, Sodastream machines offer a wide variety of flavors and options, allowing you to customize your drink to your liking. You can mix and match different flavors or create your own unique blends, giving you a healthier and more enjoyable alternative to traditional sodas.
In conclusion, Sodastream machines offer several health benefits compared to traditional store-bought soft drinks. By reducing sugar intake, avoiding artificial sweeteners and preservatives, and being eco-friendly, they offer a healthier and more sustainable alternative to traditional soft drinks. Moreover, with a wide variety of flavors and options, you can customize your drink to your liking, making it a fun and enjoyable way to stay healthy.
