You probably don't give your blood pressure much thought, except when your doctor wraps that velcro cuff around your arm, and pumps it full of air until you feel like your bicep is about to explode. The the doc will tell you it's low, or normal, or if your blood pressure is high, they'll tell you to keep an eye on it. Then you leave, and don't think about it until the next time you have it checked, right? I am hear to tell you that it is never to early to think about your blood pressure. High blood pressure from your young years 20s, 30s, and 40s can cause a slew of health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure later in life. Since you're all such health-conscious folks, here are so simple things you can do to maintain a healthy blood pressure:

1. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Your shooting for the top number (Systolic) to be 120 or less, and the lower number (Diastolic) to be 80 or less. Normal blood pressure is read as 120 over 80, but as soon as those numbers start to increase, you're on your way to high blood pressure.
2. Think about your diet. I'm with you when it comes to craving salty foods, but too much sodium is no good. Shoot for a total of 2,300 mg or less (that's equal to 1 teaspoon of salt). Be on the lookout for pre-packaged foods, soups, sauces, and cheese (they have obnoxiously high amounts of sodium). Instead of sprinkling mountains of salt on your food, add flavor with herbs, spices, lemon juice, garlic, or ginger instead.

Your heart wants to know what else you should do so read more

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If you've been relying on cardio as your main form of exercise, it's time you think about stepping it up, especially if you suffer from neck and/or shoulder pain.

Recent research has found that women with work related neck pain (often a result of poor posture from sitting all day) experienced significant relief by regularly practicing strengthening exercises that work the neck and/or upper back. So add resistance exercises such as reverse flies, lateral raises, and rows to your plan and you'll not only tone your upper body, but you could also reap the benefits of being free of aches and pains in the long run.

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Taking care of your gums is about so much more than having pretty teeth. Having healthy gums may help prevent pancreatic cancer. I thought it would be worthwhile to review good flossing technique.

• You should floss daily. Keep floss in your purse or desk drawer as well as your medicine cabinet at home. Easy access to floss is key to getting the job done.
• Guide the floss between your teeth and rub up and down the side of each tooth.
• Gently slide the floss between the gum and the tooth, with the emphasis on the word gently. Ramming the floss up against the gum will only irritate it.
• Use a fresh bit of floss for each tooth.
• Don't forget to floss the backside of your last molar and to gently massage between the gum and tooth there as well.

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