On hypertension

Ric Maulion

TIME is fleeting as the wind, and Christmas is already in the air. It’s less than a month more to go before real celebration happens. But let’s accept  that our love for eating meat has been there and part of  our Filipino cuisine even before we start observing the “ber” months.

Food galore, and unlimited? Humba, adobo, lechon and ham with matching sotukil featuring Cagayan de Oro’s famous kinilaw. There is the never-ending and free-flowing supply of hard drinks and beer during this festive season.

The dictum “You are what you eat” makes you feel trapped. There is such a thing as hypertension, high-blood pressure shooting up to an alarming levels. Unfortunately, like death and taxes, it cuts through all sorts of people regardless of rank, status and economic standing.

What is your latest blood pressure? Check it out to avoid complications. In my case, it was an alarming 200/130 the last time I had it checked!

My doctor warned: First, you need to push it down or something will most likely happen.

I would have taken his warning lightly until he unbuttoned his shirt to show the stitch marks on his chest because of an open-heart surgery. “I’m sorry but this is what will happen if you do not follow my advice.”

What I saw sent shivers down my spine and so, I became determined to become fit and healthy so I would not be the next victim.

My younger brother was hospitalized recently, twice in a row. The first left him devastated because of the damage, and he was mumbling incoherent words. He suffered a stroke.

Before the stroke, he was a promising chess player who was already on the road to acquiring a master status. But  his dream was shattered by that stroke. I really hope he could still make it.

Another one I know, someone who once worked with me in the farm, was fortunate. “Ako ra siya gitingal, Sir, ug kutsara niadtong giatake sya,” his younger brother recalled.

Another friend, a lawyer, was rushed to the hospital after he collapsed while eating siopao after a court hearing!  Unfortunately, he didn’t make it — he crossed over to the great beyond.

How do we address this problem?

I read that there are 10 ways to control and lower high blood pressure. Watch that waistline, exercise regularly, eat healthy diet, reduce sodium in diet, limit alcohol intake, quit smoking, cut back on caffeine, reduce stress, monitor blood pressure, and get support from organized support group.

Let me emphasize the need for regular exercise to flush the toxins out of our bodies. This is where my farming becomes a way for me to maintain a healthy lifestyle because it gives me the much needed exercise.

I hope this helps readers avoid hypertension this Christmas.