• Top 17 Foods to Help Manage High Blood Pressure

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    High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common preventable risk factor for heart disease, affecting over 1 billion people globally. It’s defined as having a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 130 mm Hg or higher, a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) above 80 mm Hg, or both. Lifestyle changes, including dietary adjustments, can help lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease risk. Medications like ACE inhibitors are often prescribed for this purpose. Incorporating certain nutrient-rich foods, particularly those high in potassium and magnesium, may also help control blood pressure.

    1. Citrus Fruits
      Loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges, and lemons can help maintain heart health. A 2021 study found that consuming 530-600 grams of fruit daily (about four oranges) benefits blood pressure. However, grapefruit can interact with certain medications, so consult your doctor before adding it to your diet.
    2. Salmon and Fatty Fish
      Fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, known to reduce inflammation and blood pressure. A 2022 review of 71 studies indicated that consuming 2-3 grams of omega-3s daily (about 3.5 ounces of salmon) can significantly lower blood pressure. Higher omega-3 intake also benefits young adults without heart disease or diabetes history.
    3. Leafy Greens
      Leafy greens like Swiss chard and spinach provide potassium and magnesium, essential for blood pressure regulation. For example, one cup of cooked Swiss chard offers about 20% and 36% of daily
      potassium and magnesium needs, respectively. Studies show that higher potassium intake can lower blood pressure, especially when dietary sodium is high.
    4. Nuts and Seeds
      Nuts and seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, pistachios, walnuts, and almonds, are nutrient-dense sources of fiber and arginine. These nutrients support blood vessel relaxation and help reduce blood pressure. However, evidence from clinical studies remains mixed, and longer-term research is needed.
    5. Legumes
      Rich in magnesium and potassium, legumes like lentils, beans, and peas have shown potential for lowering blood pressure in observational studies. However, a 2023 review of clinical trials found no consistent link, suggesting more extensive and longer studies are needed.
    6. Berries
      Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries, are rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure. A 2020 review found that berry consumption lowered SBP by more than 3 mm Hg, with cranberry juice showing the most substantial effect.
    7. Amaranth
      Whole grains, including amaranth, may lower blood pressure. A 38-gram daily increase in whole grains can reduce the risk of hypertension by 8%. Amaranth is particularly rich in magnesium, providing 38% of daily needs in one cooked cup.
    8. Olive Oil
      Olive oil contains heart-healthy compounds like oleic acid and polyphenols. A 2020 review confirmed its role in reducing blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors.
    9. Carrots
      Carrots are rich in plant compounds that help regulate blood pressure. A 2023 study found a 10% lower hypertension risk for every 100 grams (about 1 cup) consumed daily.
    10. Eggs
      Eggs are nutrient-dense and linked to better blood pressure management. A 2023 study found that eating five or more eggs per week was associated with lower SBP and a reduced long-term risk of hypertension.
    11. Tomatoes
      Tomatoes and tomato products contain potassium and lycopene, which support heart health. Some studies show a link between tomato consumption and lower blood pressure, but results are inconsistent.
    12. Broccoli
      Rich in flavonoid antioxidants, broccoli may help lower blood pressure by improving blood vessel function. Studies suggest that consuming broccoli four times a week reduces hypertension risk.
    13. Yogurt
      Packed with potassium and calcium, yogurt supports blood pressure regulation. A review linked three daily servings of dairy with a 13% lower risk of hypertension. Daily yogurt consumption may reduce SBP in people with high blood pressure.
    14. Herbs and Spices
      Herbs and spices like garlic, cilantro, and saffron may help lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels. A 2021 study found that daily intake of a spice blend reduced blood pressure after four weeks.
    15. Potatoes
      Potatoes are high in potassium, which helps manage blood pressure. A medium baked potato provides 20% of the daily potassium requirement. Studies show that potassium-rich diets, including potatoes, lower SBP.
    16. Kiwifruit
      Kiwis are rich in vitamin C and other nutrients involved in blood pressure control. In a 2022 study, eating two kiwis daily for seven weeks reduced SBP by 2.7 mm Hg. More research is needed to confirm these findings.
    17. Lean Meats
      Lean meats like skinless chicken, beef sirloin, and pork tenderloin provide high-quality protein. Research suggests that varying protein sources, including lean meats, can reduce hypertension risk when part of a balanced diet.
    • References:
    • Rd, J. K. M. (2023, June 20). The 17 best foods for high blood Pressure. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-blood-pressure#citrus
    • https://www.freepik.com (for images)

  • Asthma

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    What is Asthma?

    Asthma is a long-term lung disease, that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing.

    Caring for patients with respiratory problems is a challenge for the nurse, especially since there are many needs that the nurse must prioritize. Patients with asthma are part of the group of patients in which the nurse must ensure that in addition to meeting the patient’s needs for air and efficient gas exchange, there is a need to meet the physiological and psychological needs of society. However, before prioritizing which nursing problem the patient should address first, the nurse should be familiar with the course of the disease and how it affects the patient in general.

    Asthma or bronchial asthma is a chronic airway disease that is usually caused by an allergic reaction to a stimulus. This response leads to inflammation of the airways, bronchoconstriction, and the production of strong, thick sputum. All of this indicates that the airway is narrowing, causing wheezing to be heard among asthma patients. Patients also experience shortness of breath, unproductive cough, opening of the nostrils, and intolerance to activity.

    Because asthma is a stressful and / or inflammatory reaction to a stimulus, seizures are usually accompanied by stimuli such as extreme temperatures (extreme heat or extreme cold), sudden changes in temperature, dust, pollen, smoke, exercise, emotions, Or pressure. In some cases, seizures can begin when patients are diagnosed with another type of respiratory illness or experience complications from other illnesses. The symptoms are almost always the same, regardless of the stimuli.

    Manage Asthma attacks

    A medication regimen is usually prescribed when the disease worsens. The type of medication given to patients depends on the symptoms presented, the priority of care, and the age of the individual. These are also compared to the results of other tests performed on the patient.

    Due to the chronic nature of the disease, patients with asthma are also provided with health education to help them take responsibility for their condition and reduce the risk of exacerbation. Common non-pharmacological interventions such as deep breathing and coughing exercises, relaxation and meditation therapy, and ensuring that the patient receives proper nutrition should also be considered. In addition, allowing the patient to know exactly what triggers their seizures helps them to avoid these seizures and reduce the incidence of asthma.

    Asthma Nursing Care Program

    Patients with asthma mainly suffer from respiratory symptoms and the nurse should eliminate these symptoms as soon as they are identified. Nursing diagnoses for patients with asthma focus primarily on airway clearance, breathing patterns, and gas exchange, but also include other issues related to endurance, anxiety, and even nutritional status. This section presents some of the most common nursing diagnoses and their care plans to help better care for patients with asthma. The following nursing diagnoses are more common among patients with asthma:

    • Inefficient airway clearance

    Dysfunctional breathing patterns

    • Disruption of gas exchange

    • Intolerance of activity

    • Anxiety

    • Lack of knowledge

    • Risk for / nutritional imbalance: more / less than the body needs

    Ineffective airway clearance 

    Ineffective airway clearance related to (indicate one or more of the following related factors: airway spasm, production of thick tenacious sputum, retention of sputum, etc.) secondary to the diagnosis of asthma as evidenced by (include assessment findings specific to which particular symptoms the patient is manifesting such as:

    • Wheezes and rhonchi heard upon auscultation
    • Coughing (indicate whether productive or unproductive)
    • Dyspnea
    • Orthopnea
    • Changes in rate, depth, and rhythm of respiration

    Desired Outcomes

    After nursing interventions, the patient is expected to:

    • Exhibit easy, effortless breathing
    • Decreased severity and incidence of wheezing
    • Increased airway patency

    Ineffective/impaired breathing patterns

    Ineffective/impaired breathing patterns related to (indicate one or more of the following related factors: spasms of the bronchial tubes, swelling of the bronchial tubes, irritating biological agents, etc.) secondary to diagnosis of asthma as evidenced by (include assessment findings specific to which particular symptoms the patient is manifesting such as:

    • Patient complaints of dyspnea, primarily upon exertion
    • Coughing (indicate whether productive or unproductive)
    • Flaring of the nares
    • Changes in respiratory rate, depth and rhythm
    • Use of accessory muscles in respiration

    Desired Outcomes

    After nursing interventions, the patient is expected to:

    • Exhibit easy, effortless breathing
    • Improved breathing pattern
    • Reports of the absence of dyspnea

    Activity Intolerance

    Activity intolerance related to insufficient physiologic energy secondary to diagnosis of asthma as evidenced by (include assessment findings specific to which particular symptoms the patient is manifesting such as:

    • Patient verbalization of weakness and shortness of breath
    • Hesitation in engaging in physical activities
    • Alterations in vital signs: increased heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure
    • Dyspnea upon exertion
    • Changes in ECG readings

    Desired Outcomes

    After nursing interventions, the patient is expected to:

    • Exhibit easy, effortless breathing
    • Display willingness to perform activities of daily living
    • Increased activity tolerance

  • The Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model

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    The biopsychosocial approach involves three key systems that affect a person’s recovery: biological, psychological, and social. This model, also known as the biopsychosocial model, helps care providers look beyond just the diagnosis to create more comprehensive treatment plans. By understanding how these systems overlap and interact, care plans can be customized to meet each patient’s specific needs.
    Health care providers often can’t be physically present for all patient care and recovery programs. Fortunately, advancements in HealthTech are bridging the gap between home and clinic care, with our Recovery+ program being a prime example. Recovery+ is a health coaching platform that uses a psychosocial framework to speed up recovery and improve the return-to-work process for injured workers. Although learning about the biopsychosocial framework and its role in employee recovery might seem overwhelming at first, it is quite beneficial.
    The three systems of the biopsychosocial model are:

    • Biological : Factors like pain and movement disorders.
    • Psychological : Elements such as avoidance behaviors and anxiety.
    • Social : Issues like financial worries and isolation.


    The Recovery+ program uses Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) assessments to gather feedback on patients’ emotional and physical states. This data helps coaches identify relevant activities and provides therapists with crucial insights to ensure recovery milestones are achieved.


    The 5 P’s of the biopsychosocial model, while not originally part of it, offer a way to further categorize the three systems (biological, psychological, and social) to help clinicians and researchers consider various factors affecting health and well-being. These categories help in addressing patient needs more effectively.

    1. Presentation of the Problem : This refers to the main health issue or condition a person is struggling with, which could be a physical illness, mental health concern, or social challenge.
    2. Predisposing Factors : These are characteristics that make a person more susceptible to certain diseases, including genetic predispositions, early life experiences, and personality traits.
    3. Precipitating Factors : These are events or conditions that trigger the onset of a health condition or worsen existing symptoms, such as life stressors, traumatic events, or changes in health status.
    4. Perpetuating Factors : These factors maintain or prolong a health condition once it has developed, often categorized as psychological or social. Examples include persistent stressors, maladaptive coping mechanisms, and environmental factors.
    5. Protective Factors : These factors enhance resilience and improve health, such as social support, positive coping skills, and access to resources.

    The biopsychosocial model offers a more holistic understanding of health and illness compared to the traditional biomedical model, which only considers biological factors. It fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, supports preventive care, and enhances overall well-being.

      Biopsychosocial Model: an Overlapping system

      Biological Factors

      • General medical history
      • Substances & medications
      • Genetic predisposition (family history)
      • Disturbances of the biochemical, neuroendocrine, or immune systems

      Psychological Factors

      • Psychodynamic factors; childhood experiences
      • Childhood abuse history
      • Psychological traumas
      • Temperament
      • Personality disorders

      Social Factors

      • Employment
      • Finances
      • Relationships
      • Housing
      • Legal issues
      • Religion
      • Culture
      • Education

      The Biopsychosocial Approach to Treat Depression

      Biological models view depression as a consequence of genetic vulnerability or biological disturbances of the biochemical, neuroendocrine, or immune systems.


      Psychological models highlight the importance of cognitive and behavioral schemas. These schemas reflect the individual’s fundamental views and may represent earlier experiences in life that dominate information processing at the present time.


      Sociocultural risk factors include changes and instability of many societal aspects that may have an impact on the vulnerability of the individual.


      Biological

      • Treating and stabilizing underlying medical problems.
      • Treating substance abuse disorders with goal of achieving sobriety.
      • Treating primary psychiatric symptoms with known biological treatments including: psychotropic medications, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).


      Psychological

      • Psychotherapy modalities including but not limited to: Cognitive-Behavioral, Psychodynamic, Supportive, Dialectical Behavioral, etc.


      Social Interventions

      • Initiating referrals
      • Assessing support systems
      • Advocating for your patients
      • Accessing community resources
      • Funding
      • Insurance coverage
      • Case managers
      • Social workers

    1. Why is injury prevention technology used by athletes so effective in the workplace

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      1. Evidence-Based Approaches

      These technologies are developed based on extensive research and data from sports science, which translates well to workplace injury prevention. They are tested in high-demand environments, ensuring robustness and effectiveness.

      2. Real-Time Monitoring and Feedback

      Technologies like wearable sensors and motion tracking provide real-time data on physical activities, helping workers maintain proper form and avoid injury. This immediate feedback is valuable in preventing repetitive strain injuries and other workplace accidents.

      3. Ergonomic Enhancements

      Equipment and tools designed for athletes often focus on ergonomics, ensuring that movements and postures are optimized to reduce strain. When applied in the workplace, these principles help reduce musculoskeletal injuries.

      4. Training and Conditioning

      Programs developed for athletes to enhance strength, flexibility, and overall fitness can be adapted for workers, helping them to be physically prepared for the demands of their jobs.

      5. Personalization

      Injury prevention technology often includes personalized assessments and interventions. This customization ensures that individual workers receive tailored solutions that address their specific risk factors.

      6. Proactive Injury Prevention

      Proactive Injury Prevention: Just as these technologies are used to prevent injuries before they occur in sports, they can be used to identify and mitigate potential risks in the workplace, promoting a proactive rather than reactive approach to injury prevention.

      7. Comprehensive Data Analysis

      The use of advanced analytics in sports technology helps in identifying patterns and trends that may lead to injuries. When applied to workplace safety, this can result in more targeted and effective prevention strategies.

      Physically demanding jobs can be healthy with proper safety parameters. In fact, most blue-collar workers enjoy above-average cardiovascular health. However, these workers also have a much higher rate of musculoskeletal injury. The second leading cause of injuries resulting from several days away from work is excessive stress and body reaction, which accounts for 22% of all non-fatal injuries. Therefore, workers must find a balance between doing enough physical work for their cardiovascular health while avoiding overexertion and injury. This begs the question: Can we reduce harm and maintain the benefits of active work? In elite sports, athletes are well-optimized against injuries with health on and off the field. So, why are we lagging behind in preventing injury and promoting better health for everyday, active workers?


      Traditional workplace injury prevention is less effective than sports injury prevention.


      Unfortunately, research has shown that most workplace injury prevention programs are ineffective in reducing injury risks. Workplace injury prevention programs are not designed to engage and coach workers. This is because they consist of instruction-based instruction (classroom-style delivery) rather than behavior-based learning strategies and personal, data-driven coaching. Traditional workplace injury prevention solutions are also too general and often fail to address the unique injury risks associated with each job, different workplaces, and individual workers. The most effective injury prevention training requires workers to be aware of when they are moving in ways that increase their risk and learn from their movements so they can correct them. Many injury prevention programs also fail to personalize alerts and guide each worker to optimize their movement for their specific job. There are countless variables within each worker and work environment that are critical to risk identification but are often overlooked.

      Accelerometer: Accelerator damage prevention technology Unlike most workplace injury prevention (IP) solutions, sports technology is highly personalized. Elite athletes use wearable technology, analyzing their movement and receiving alerts that reduce the risk of injury and improve individual performance. The high costs of elite-level athletes unable to perform due to injury have led to the development of injury prevention technology. Among the research and innovations carried out by elite sports is the wearable accelerometer. There is a high level of reliability and validity using accelerometers worn on the person to collect movement data over long periods. These data accurately represent measures of injury risk—including the athlete’s fatigue threshold, motion control, and muscle soreness. Bringing sports technology to the workplace When we bring advanced sports technologies into the workplace, we can personalize at scale, in real time, over time for each worker. Wearable technology increases the range and eliminates the risk of reliability-based errors when identifying damage hazards. In both sport and the workplace, it is impossible to assess injury risks for each individual over long periods using the traditional observation and opinion approach. Historically, in professional sports, a coach would spend time observing athletes with a physical therapist or physician. They manually assess a person’s movements to identify risks of injury. However, this manual method, involving one or more experts, is not only costly but also subjective in nature.

      Video analysis for the 3D world Video analysis and motion capture are widely used for sports injury risk assessment and prevention, but there is a common fatal flaw. Single-camera video analysis is rarely used because of the risk of parallax error. Parallax error refers to when the observer’s eye (or camera) does not match the measuring instrument and what is being measured. This can happen when measurements are taken from only one 2D moving plane. This is very inaccurate when an athlete (or worker) is always moving in 3D. While the use of workplace video technology to assess injury risk has increased over the past few years, the only way to accurately measure the movements of athletes and workers to assess injury risk is through multi-camera video analysis or wearable technology. Sports injury prevention programs combine data from wearable technology with video as an effective training tool to demonstrate high- or low-load movements. This process can be transferred to the workplace. By using wearable devices and capturing motion data with video motion, better training and observation can be done for specific job tasks. This allows individual feedback to guide the worker’s movements.

      Using sports injury prevention methods to prevent workplace injuries.


      For any injury prevention program to be successful, it must address the needs of two primary stakeholders: the target group (athletes or workers) and the individuals delivering the program (sports medicine team or safety professionals). Implementing a sports-inspired injury prevention program in the workplace should engage workers and safety professionals in several key ways. For workers, a successful exercise-based injury prevention program should: Treat workers like industrial athletes. Many workers in physically demanding roles love to exercise, and most people know that professional athletes receive quality care. Promoting an injury prevention program to workers as an opportunity to use the same injury prevention technology as sports champions shows that their employer treats them like athletes and values their health and well-being.

      Give positive feedback. Providing feedback to workers using language such as “dangers” or “dangers” associated with their work tasks has a negative effect, because no one wants to feel that they are performing dangerous or risky tasks. However, giving them feedback using the same data, technology, and (load) terminology used in elite athletes allows them to become aware of when they are moving in a way that puts a lot of load on their body without fear of injury. Engage workers in real time. The most effective way to reduce stress-related injuries for workers is to provide them with feedback at the most appropriate time—while they are performing their job duties.

      Using wearable technology that provides alerts to alert workers when they are performing “high-load” movements helps them understand what movements they need to change to avoid injury.

      Provide strategic and bite-sized training. Educational content should also be provided on time in appropriate amounts. Small training modules using video and images presented periodically throughout the year are much more effective than a one-hour classroom presentation.

      For professional safety: Keep data collection simple. Safety professionals are often the busiest people in the workplace, so an injury prevention program must be easy to use and time efficient. A safety professional can use a simple process, place sensors on a worker while they perform their tasks and collect footage using their smartphone. Data from sensors and video are automatically combined into a simple platform to show which components of tasks can be modified or performed with different techniques to reduce the risk of injury. Make it easy to review data. Analyzing data from wearable technology can be very difficult. Teams of sports scientists are required to process and analyze data from wearable technology in professional sports. However, safety professionals do not have that luxury, so workplace injury prevention data must be presented in an easy-to-use format to enable them to see where the risks are and what they need to prioritize their time on.

    2. Diabetes: The Syndrome, Symptoms, and How to Control It

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      ‍Let’s cut to the chase: If you’re reading this, it means you’re concerned about diabetes. Maybe you know someone with diabetes, or maybe you have it yourself. Maybe you just want to learn more about the disease and how to prevent or manage it. If your blood sugar is too high, you have type 2 diabetes; if your blood sugar is too low and you need insulin shots, that would be type 1 diabetes. In both cases — and any combination of them — being informed will help. Even if you don’t know exactly what type of diabetes you have right now, let us help put you on the path to a healthier life.

      Continue reading Diabetes: The Syndrome, Symptoms, and How to Control It

    3. What You Need to Know About ASD & ADHD and How to Help Your Child Stand Up to This Condition

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      ASD and ADHD are a complicated combination. For example, both of these conditions can result from a number of different factors, including genetics, prenatal and postnatal stressors, anxiety or depression, and other mental health issues. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t hope for children with these disorders. Once you understand the differences between ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), you’ll be better equipped to help your child while they navigate these challenges — and learn how to stand up to them on their own terms. This article will introduce you to the most important terms you’ll need to know about ASD & ADHD in order to better understand this challenging relationship.

      Continue reading What You Need to Know About ASD & ADHD and How to Help Your Child Stand Up to This Condition

    4. The Mindful Eating Journey: A Guide to Living a Healthier Lifestyle

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      Have you ever wondered why you keep repeating old patterns with your diet? Do you long for a change? Do you crave something different? Do you crave a healthier life? Do you feel like you are on an endless cycle of yo-yo dieting? If yes, you are not alone. Many people have struggled with their eating habits and weight. The good news is that changing your habits is easier than you think. Society has become obsessed with counting calories and losing weight. As a result, most people have lost sight of what it means to eat healthily. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be a nutritionist to follow the mindful eating journey. All you need is a little bit of motivation. The mindful eating journey is a structured plan that guides you through changing your patterns with your diet. It provides you with self-awareness, skills, support, and an understanding that you are not alone on your journey.

      Continue reading The Mindful Eating Journey: A Guide to Living a Healthier Lifestyle

    6. What are the consequences of not having enough sleep and what you should do about it?

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      It is a common misconception among many people that sleeping excessively is the solution to not being able to sleep at night. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, too much sleep during the day can leave you feeling lethargic and sluggish throughout the next day, not to mention that it can also make it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. So what do you do? Find out what effects lack of sleep has on your body, how it affects your mental health, and what you should do about it.

      Continue reading What are the consequences of not having enough sleep and what you should do about it?