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• Quit smoking. Smoking increases blood pressure. Stopping smoking helps lower blood pressure and also reduces the risk of heart disease while improving overall health and life expectancy. • Get a good night’s sleep. Poor sleep quality— getting fewer than six hours of sleep every night for several weeks—can contribute to hypertension. • Reduce stress. Practicing mindful meditation for even 10 minutes a day helps relieve stress. • Monitor your blood pressure at home and get regular checkups. This may be the most important thing you can do to manage your hypertension. Home blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription, but talk to your healthcare provider before starting. • Get support. Supportive family and friends are important to good health. If you find you need support beyond this initial circle, consider joining a support group.

these 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication: • Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline. In general, men are at risk if their waist measurement is more than 40 inches; women if their waist measures more than 35 inches. • Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity can lower high blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg. • Eat a healthy diet. A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fat and cholesterol can lower high blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg. • Reduce salt (sodium) in your diet. Even a small reduction of sodium in the diet can improve heart health and reduce high blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg. • Limit alcohol. Limiting alcohol to less than one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men can help lower blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

To learn how Health Alliance can save your district money, contact your ISEBC agent:

American Central Insurance Services: jeremy@americancentralins.com (Abe Lincoln, Central Illinois Valley,

Clemens and Associates, Inc.: tcockburn@clemensins.com (Egyptian, Shawnee, Kaskaskia, Southwestern and Wabash Valley)

J. Krug: lsimios@jkrug.com

James Unland & Company, Inc.: bshock@unland.com (Western (Knox County) and Central Illinois Valley (Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties)

(Blackhawk, Kishwaukee (Boone, DeKalb and Winnebago counties), Northwest and Starved Rock)

Corn Belt, Illini, Kaskaskia, Two Rivers and Western)

*Health Alliance Medical Plans received the highest score in the Illinois/Indiana Region in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Satisfaction Study of members’ satisfaction with their commercial health plan experience. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.

Podcast:

CEO Programs in High Schools

Looking for a new way to provide entrepreneurial opportunities for students in your district? In this episode, we talk to Curt Nettles, superintendent of Clinton CUSD 15, about the CEO

program. Curt shares how the program works, if there’s a cost for districts and the benefits for students. Click icon to listen ▶

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LM May 2024