Everyone at
Pathfinder Produce sends out greetings to all, after the brief hiatus for the
Thanksgiving holiday! The market will be
open this Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m. Come on down and visit with our friendly
staff and get some great deals on all your fresh vegetable and fruit
favorites.
In December, our
Edmeston market will be open each Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. for our customers’
convenience and to assist in their holiday meal and party preparations.
***
As we head
into December and all the great gatherings that the month has in store, it’s
always a good time to remind ourselves to watch how much we eat and drink to prevent the “holiday 10.” Of course, if one snacks on fresh fruits and
vegetables at parties, that’s always a great strategy. And it is also good to sip low-cal beverages,
like unsweetened seltzers or other non-alcoholic drinks, whenever
possible.
The end of
the year is also a good time to make an appointment for an annual health
check-up if you haven’t had one over the preceding 12 months. Most physicals for adults these days include
testing for things like sugar and lipid levels, cholesterol, and other health
markers; knowing your numbers at year’s end can also serve as a reminder not to
over indulge and to start planning health maintenance goals for the New Year.
One health
indicator that may come into play this holiday season for many adults is being
diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Earlier in November, the American Heart Association and the American
College of Cardiology announced lower blood pressure readings will now be used as part of
physicians’ diagnoses for high blood pressure.
According to the website of the Foundation for the ACC:
High blood pressure should be treated earlier
with lifestyle changes and in some patients with medication – at 130/80 mm Hg
rather than 140/90 – based on new ACC and American Heart Association (AHA)
guidelines for the detection, prevention, management and treatment of high
blood pressure.
The new guidelines – the first comprehensive
set since 2003 – lower the definition of high blood pressure to account for
complications that can occur at lower numbers and to allow for earlier
intervention. The new definition will result in nearly half of the U.S. adult
population (46 percent) having high blood pressure, with the greatest impact
expected among younger people. Additionally, the prevalence of high blood
pressure is expected to triple among men under age 45, and double among women
under 45, the guideline authors note. However, only a small increase is
expected in the number of adults requiring antihypertensive medication.
Even if you
don’t go in for a physical, it is now possible to get a general idea of where
your blood pressure numbers are by using a home BP kit or stopping by your
local pharmacy to use their free in-store sphygmomanometers. (I’ve always been impressed by that word,
ever since I was first heard it as a kid).
Then, once you have a read-out of your numbers, you can enter them
online at the American Heart Association’s webpage that describes what blood
pressure numbers actually mean.
Based on
your read-out, the AHA page can calculate if your BP is normal, or if you
should follow-up with your medical professional to take control of your health.
If your numbers are just slightly high, you can start getting them under
control through dietary changes, getting in more moderate exercise, managing
stress, and by other pro-active methods.
During the
holidays, it’s important to take the initiative to take care of yourself,
despite all the planning, shopping, preparing, wrapping, traveling, etc. that
you may need to focus on. Remember, the
best gift you can give to yourself, your friends, and loved ones in the New
Year is your continued good health.
Until next
time, eat well and be well!
Lori
