This World AIDS Day, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is announcing the timely theme – “AIDS: The Other Pandemic.” This new theme and corresponding logo serve as a reminder to the world that even in times of a new pandemic, HIV/AIDS remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases in history and must be kept high on the global public health agenda.

AHF welcomes everyone worldwide – organizations and individuals alike – to utilize the theme “AIDS: The Other Pandemic.” Feel free to access the high-resolution logos here!

Even though HIV/AIDS is treatable and preventable, 38 million people are still living with HIV worldwide. There are 1.7 million new infections annually, and an estimated 690,000 people still die from HIV/AIDS-related causes every year. Millions of people living with HIV/AIDS are still not accessing lifesaving treatment.

“COVID-19 has stolen the headlines and devastated communities worldwide, but we must not forget the pandemic that has been raging for more than 30 years and still affects millions of people globally,” said Terri Ford, AHF Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy. “It’s absolutely vital that world leaders also keep their attention on HIV this World AIDS Day and beyond—and campaigns like ‘AIDS: The Other Pandemic’ are just one way to urge them to keep the promise on AIDS.”

The global AIDS response still consistently falls short each year by up to $6 billion of what is needed to sufficiently fund efforts around the world – this gap will likely widen futher with the COVID-19 pandemic. Government donors must give their fair share to improve on and continue HIV prevention efforts and ensure everyone who needs it has equitable access to lifesaving care and treatment.

“Even though we have made great strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa and around the world, we still have a long way to go,” added Dr. Penninah Iutung, AHF’s Africa Bureau Chief. “It is simply unacceptable that people living with HIV in many parts of the world still struggle to get free or affordable testing and antiretroviral therapy. Condoms are even hard to come by in many countries, though they are the most effective way to stop HIV transmission and extremely cost effective. Whether rich or poor, everyone deserves the ability to obtain lifesaving medicines, including generic drugs, regardless of their economic standing. As there is still no HIV vaccine on the horizon, guaranteeing prevention and treatment for all is the only way we’ll bring the virus under control and eventually end this pandemic.”

On World AIDS Day 2020, AHF will be hosting a multitude of virtual and a few social-distanced live events. Be sure to be on the lookout and join us to help ensure the world never forgets “AIDS: The Other Pandemic.”

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The MGM Healthcare Hospital launched Cochlear Implant Programme after the completion of a successful bilateral cochlear implantation surgery performed on a child.

CHENNAI: The MGM Healthcare Hospital launched Cochlear Implant Programme after the completion of a successful bilateral cochlear implantation surgery performed on a child. The child was diagnosed with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder and had trouble with communication after birth.

The nerve of hearing was then stimulated audiological inputs by constant use of the bilateral use of programmable hearing aids for a few years with little improvement, a press release from the hospital said.
The child then went through multiple audiological tests which showed signs of stagnation.

The family then approached the MGM Healthcare Hospital, where doctors discovered that only a cochlear implant could help. The child was implanted hearing device, Cochlear profile 632 perimodiolar slim wireless Kanso 2 speech processor, which was launched recently, the release added.

The wireless sound processor (off the ear) is functional under water and has bluetooth connectivity and can be programmed with rechargeable batteries, the release said. The child has recovered well.

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A group of Pakistani doctors blames a recent outbreak of HIV among children in a southern city on poor healthcare practices such as using dirty needles and contaminated blood, according to a statement released Friday.

The doctors are also urging Pakistan’s government to do more to understand how the virus went from high-risk groups such as drug users and sex workers to the general population.

They also warned that there isn’t enough medication in the city of Ratodero, in southern Sindh province, where 591 children need medical treatment.

The outbreak is extremely worrying, said the doctors, calling it “one of the worst” in Pakistan. They studied medical data of 31,239 people in Ratodero, where the HIV outbreak took place and who agreed to the study.

Out of that group, 930 were positive for HIV, with 604 of them being younger than 5 years of age and 763 younger than 16 years, according to the study published the international Lancet Infectious Disease Journal.

By the end of July when the study was being completed, only one in three children had started antiretroviral treatment “due to an inadequate supply of drugs and a lack of trained staff”, the statement said.

The study said 50 of the children examined are showing signs of “severe immunodeficiency” but did not specify if they have full-blown AIDS.

“The results, which are the first scientific report on the outbreak, appear to confirm observations … that HIV was mostly transmitted to children as a result of health care providers using contaminated needles and blood products,” said the statement.

“Pakistan has experienced a series of HIV outbreaks over the past two decades, but we’ve never before seen this many young children infected or so many health facilities involved,” said Dr Fatima Mir from The Aga Khan University in Karachi, the Sindh provincial capital, one of the authors of the study quoted in the statement.

About 70 per cent of Pakistan’s 220 million people use private health care sector, which is mostly unregulated and rarely monitored for cleanliness and safety. Among many Pakistanis, popular belief holds that intravenous or intramuscular injections are more effective that medicine taken by mouth, which has increased the use of syringes across the country and the likelihood of dirty needles being used.

In the immediate aftermath of the HIV outbreak in Ratodero, the government did act quickly, closing three blood banks as well as 300 clinics run by untrained medical staff, the statement said.

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LONDON (Reuters) – British drugmaker GSK applied on Friday for a license to market its HIV drug dolutegravir in a formulation designed to be easier for babies and children who are living with the virus to swallow.

About 1.7 million children have HIV, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa, the United Nations agency UNAIDS says.

If approved by regulators, the medicine will be the first new generation HIV medicine available in baby-friendly form.

Doctors wanting to use dolutegravir in children with HIV have had no licensed child formulations, meaning they often have to prescribe older HIV medicines that can be less potent, harder for children to take, and have more side effects.

“Children in today’s world, still have fewer options in terms of HIV therapies compared to adults,” said Harmony Garges, chief medical officer for ViiV Healthcare, GSK’s HIV drugs division. She said she hoped the license application would “enable approval of dolutegravir across the pediatric spectrum”.

ViiV’s CEO Deborah Waterhouse added in a statement: “For parents living in resource-poor countries, the ability to give medicine to children in a format that they can swallow and tolerate can mean the difference between life and death.”

Dolutegravir is a so-called integrase inhibitor and was originally developed by ViiV, in which Pfizer Inc and Shionogi & Co have small stakes. For the adult formulation, ViiV has already agreed licensing deals with generic companies to sell low-cost versions in poor countries.

New HIV infections among children have fallen by 41% since 2010, but there were 160,000 new cases in babies and children in 2018, and 100,000 children died of AIDS last year, partly due to lack of access to HIV medicines.

Helen McDowell, ViiV’s head of government affairs and global public health, said that subject to licenses being granted by U.S. and European drug regulators, the company was planning for an initial roll-out in sub-Saharan Africa next year.

ViiV’s version of the child formulation will be priced at “cost of production” she said but declined to give more detail.

ViiV is planning licensing agreements with two generic drugmakers, Mylan Laboratories and Macleods Pharmaceuticals, who aim to make cheaper generic versions of the dispersible pill available within months of ViiV’s coming to market, she added.

Indian generic drugmaker Cipla said last month it was seeking regulatory approval for a four-in-one HIV drug combination called Quadimmune, which it promised to price at below $1 a day.

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High blood pressure aka hypertension is one of the leading preventable causes of early deaths across the world. More than 1.5 billion worldwide are suffering from the same. High blood pressure is when the pressure of the circulating blood against the arteries is higher than the normal. If not controlled, one can also suffer from heart complications, strokes, kidney, eyes, and brain disorders. Common causes of high blood pressure are genetics, obesity, poor lifestyle, high levels of junk food consumption, sleep apnea and no physical activity among others.  The normal BP is around 120/80 mm Hg. So, if your reading is between 120/80 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg then you are at the risk of developing hypertension. If the readings are more than 140/90 mm Hg then you are having high BP.

As per the latest study, people who live in coastal regions in Bangladesh showed lower BP when they consumed drinking water which had higher levels of salinity. Yes, that’s right! As we know that higher salinity will, of course, have more sodium which leads to higher BP, however, it also has more calcium and magnesium as well.

As per one of the studies, people who drank the water of mild or moderate level salinity had more sodium in their urine than people who drank freshwater of low salinity. However, the calcium and magnesium levels of the water had shown lower levels of systolic and diastolic pressure as the mineral counteract the sodium, as mentioned earlier. However, one of the researchers confirmed that the studies didn’t show that the addition of calcium and magnesium to drinking water lowers BP or not.

As per AHA, people should get vitamins and minerals via their diet. Unfortunately, many of us are deficient when it comes to minerals and vitamins as a healthy diet is followed by few. Ideally, one should get adequate amounts of minerals and vitamins on a daily basis. Again, as per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, they don’t recommend the use of supplements as a way to protect against diseases.

Speaking of how one can curb or prevent hypertension, one should increase the intake of potassium-rich food items, include physical activity on a daily basis, weight management, stress management, reduce the consumption of sodium-rich foodstuffs, alcohol, and smoking as well.

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DECEMBER 4 — Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a most common chronic health disorder amongst Malaysians. Some healthcare professionals argue that blood pressure goes up as part of the ageing process, whereas many believe that it’s linked more closely to lifestyle and dietary habits. Conventional treatment focuses on controlling blood pressure, where complementary therapies seek to reverse hypertension by natural means over time.

Health Dangers

Risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney damage is significantly increased when blood pressure is highly elevated.  Some of the longest living individuals have blood pressure of around 115/75 in their 60s. Health problems may appear when blood pressure is above 130/90. Hypertension is widely recognised as a silent killer since this disorder takes years to develop and it can eventually trigger a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.

Adequate rest

Chronic sleep deprivation is a risk factor for hypertension, besides promoting diabetes, weight gain, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Less than five-hours sleep has been linked to 73 per cent increased risk of obesity, which condition can itself lead to hypertension. A four-hour sleep per night raises the hormone GHrelin, which increases appetite for food. It also lowers the hormone leptin, which helps us to suppress our appetite. Insomnia increases your stress hormone cortisol while raising inflammatory markers such IL-6 and C – reactive protein.  Chronic inflammation has been linked to most modern-day chronic health disorders including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune disease, obesity, and most types of cancer.  Foods that promote sleep would include those rich in the amino acid L-tryptophan such as from soy isolate, egg white, fresh corn, peanut, pecan nut,  almond, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, seaweeds, wheat bran, wheat germ,  wild rice, and cheeses.

Lower sodium intake

The major food sources for sodium include table salt (in any form), MSG, soy sauce, canned or preserved foods, packaged food, and processed meat/vegetable products. Only a very small amount of sodium may be needed daily for non-physically active individuals. If excess sodium is a major cause of your hypertension, then foods rich in the mineral potassium may lower it and these include tapioca leaf, Sengkuang, tomato, potato skin, white mushroom, beans, dark green vegetables, dried apricot, prune, raisin, avocado, and banana.

Sugary foods

The list includes soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, and food items made from refined flour such as white bread, buns, pastry, biscuits, breakfast cereals, roti, and noodles. They promote rapid insulin response leading to weight gain. Consuming more complex carbohydrates such as those from vegetables, seeds, nuts, and unrefined whole grains can lead to better weight management.

Deep-fried foods

Except for virgin coconut oil and perhaps palm oil, vegetable-based cooking oils (corn, sunflower, soy, safflower, olive) tend to easily oxidize (degenerate) and may form dangerous trans fats when fried at high temperatures. 

Lifestyles & dietary habits recommended

• Use sesame oil and/or extra virgin coconut oil in food preparation;
• Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake from strong coffee, strong tea, or soft drinks;
• Quit smoking;
• Avoid fruits high in fructose;
• Avoid food products with hydrogenated or partly hydrogenated fats;
• Reduce intake of red meat, organ meat, or preserved meat products;
• Avoid salted fish, egg, meat, and vegetables as well as miso soup, unless you perspire a lot daily;
• Higher daily intake of fresh organic vegetables;
• Add generous amount of spices such as turmeric, ginger, garlic and chili to your cooking;
• Avoid having supper, but have nutritious breakfast with little or no processed food items;
• Have a cup of warm Malaysian cocoa (rich in magnesium) at bedtime;
• Add unsalted and non-deep-fried nuts and seeds to your diets;
• Adequate daily intake of plain (slightly alkaline) water;
• Regular exercises including walking, jogging, aerobic, treadmill, and supervised resistance training;
• Incorporate regular relaxation programmes such as reading, deep breathing, meditation, music therapy, massage therapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, self-hypnosis, far infra-ray, qigong, yoga, and mid-day napping (especially for senior citizens);
• Get involved in a useful hobby or joining a support group or social club;
• Develop a habit of learning more self-help techniques for coping with your own chronic health conditions; and
• Maintain a relaxing, pleasing, and positive attitude toward life.

Therapeutic Foods

A principal vegetable for lowering hypertension is fresh celery. Besides potassium-rich foods, other helpful food items include star fruit, guava, almond, water cress, bell pepper, cocoa powder, coconut meat, garlic, fatty fish and dark green vegetables such as spinach and kailan.

Nutraceuticals

After carefully evaluating your overall health conditions, the qualified nutritional medicine practitioner may supervise your controlled intake of nutrients such as L-arginine, L-citrulline, L-glutamine, L-tryptophan, EPA/DHA, B’s vitamins, ginsenosides, magnesium citrate, and potassium citrate. Do not self-treat. Seek competent advice on reducing abdominal fat. Hypertension may also have a genetic link (eg. Asians carrying the ApoE4 allele). If you’re already on medication(s), you must not stop on your own accord without seeking medical advice.  

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Fears over deportation could double the risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a new study.

Researchers followed 572 women from Mexico who were living in the Salinas Valley region of California. After four years, participants who did not initially have high blood pressure were twice as likely to be diagnosed with the condition if they had reported moderate or significant worries about deportation compared to those who had little worry.

“Our findings suggest that the concerns around immigration policies and enforcement may have potentially negative impacts on the long-term cardiovascular health of immigrants and their families and community,” said Jacqueline M. Torres, lead author of the study and assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco.

The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, comes as news of deportations frequently makes headlines. These events could be causing fear that could lead to long-term, life-altering health effects, according to researchers.

In 2012-2014, the participants were asked to rate their concern about deportation for themselves or others. Nearly half of participants said they were very worried, while about a quarter of the women said they were moderately worried and 28% said they were not very worried. At the time of the initial assessment, there was no significant difference in the proportion of women diagnosed with high blood pressure.

After four years, there was no change in the association between deportation worry and higher body mass index and waist circumference.

High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood flowing through the vessels is too high. The health consequences can include a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and heart failure.

According to researchers, the study may not capture the full extent of the health dangers associated with deportation fears.

“The women in this study are living in a welcoming, largely Latino community, and they’re also in California, where they may have less fear of being deported because it’s a sanctuary state,” said senior author Brenda Eskenazi, who directs the Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health at the University of California, Berkeley. “These results may be magnified in other regions in the United States.”

For participants’ six-year follow-up visit, the investigators are expanding the list of questions, and plan to measure the impact of deportation worries on outcomes related to the women’s well-being as they enter middle age.

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Benson Hungwe, 32, has dedicated his life to helping patients suffering from HIV and AIDS in the Zimbabwean capital.

The alleys of Epworth, a slum settlement east of Harare, echo with stories of people who are too poor to seek treatment for the disease they have contracted.

Hungwe for much of his life juggled between taking care of his siblings and completing his medical education after the death of his parents from AIDS.

He is now a revered medical practitioner and the hope for the local community of Epworth.

“With help from well-wishers and undertaking menial jobs, I did succeed to feed my brothers and also continue my education,” he said.

But, everybody is not so lucky, he confesses. For him, the fortunate part was that his parents had not passed HIV to their children.

After getting himself a job, Hungwe moved from Epworth in pursuit of an improved standard of life to Braeside, a suburb east of Harare. He would visit communities in Epworth often, helping out HIV and AIDS patients.

“Lot of people are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in Epworth; I know this because I have grown up in the area and I mingle with local HIV/AIDS support groups here made up of both young and old living with the disease, volunteering my time counselling them and helping source some nutritious food stuffs for them,” Hungwe told Anadolu Agency.

“I know the pain of watching a loved one dying from AIDS; I watched my parents dying during our days in Epworth; I’m a living testimony of how AIDS hurts,” said Hungwe.

Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence in the sub-Saharan Africa. A staggering 1.3 million people, comprising 12.7% of total population, are living with HIV as of last year, according to the UNAIDS.

Hungwe said he at times helps out in the fight against AIDS through voluntarily working with some non-governmental organizations.

In 2006, Doctors Without Borders in particular, working in partnership with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care, established the Epworth Clinic, which has focused on the treatment of more than 30,000 HIV patients.

Over the years, Hungwe said he has seen the pressure mounting on healthcare facilities like Epworth Clinic, and felt he had to step in and assist.

Thanks particularly to efforts by many individuals like Hungwe, today, the number of people who are HIV positive in Zimbabwe has reduced to 15% although major gaps in treatment remain, according to the National AIDS Council.

“I don’t seek popularity, but my work should leave an indelible mark, not for pay or recognition, but for the good of humanity,” said Hungwe.

World AIDS Day is being marked on Sunday to stress the role of communities to fight the deadly disease.

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High blood pressure (hypertension) affects more than one in four adults in the UK, increasing their risk of serious conditions including heart attack and stroke. One of the biggest problems with high blood pressure is that it virtually never causes any short term symptoms, so the only way to find out if you have it is to have it measured.

The first piece of good news is that taking a blood pressure reading is a really quick and easy thing for your GP or practice nurse to do; you can even do it yourself at home using a blood pressure monitor, a wide range of which are freely available at larger pharmacies or online.

The other good news is that high blood pressure can be treated, through lifestyle changes, or medication if required. We’ll come back to how you can help lower your blood pressure, and the risks associated with it later. First here are some key facts about high blood pressure and tips for taking an accurate reading at home.

What is high blood pressure?

Ideal blood pressure in a healthy adult is below 120 over 80 (120/80mmHg).

Most adults in the UK have a blood pressure of between 120/80 and 140/90.

Blood pressure that is consistently* over 140/90 is considered ‘high’ and needs to be addressed – through diet, physical activity and other lifestyle changes and/or taking regular medication. However, anyone with a reading above 120/80 would benefit from bringing it down if possible, or at least taking steps to prevent it getting any higher.

Blood pressure of 90/60 or less is considered low. Low blood pressure isn’t typically a cause for concern but see you’re GP if you’re at all concerned.

* Note that your blood pressure naturally varies throughout the day, and can be affected in the short term by a number of factors, including drinking caffeine, smoking, exercise, needing to use the toilet and worrying about your blood pressure! So a one-off reading that’s unexpectedly high may be nothing to worry about. What’s important is finding out your average reading over a number of days. If it remains high, it’s worth a trip to your GP.

What do the numbers mean?

Blood pressure readings have two numbers, for example 140/90mmHg, where mmHg stands for mmHg stands for millimetres of mercury (the unit of measurement we use for blood pressure).

The top number is your systolic blood pressure (the highest pressure when your heart beats and pushes the blood round your body). The bottom one is your diastolic blood pressure (the lowest pressure when your heart relaxes between beats).

For simplicity and as in this article, people often refer just to the numbers, leaving off the ‘mmHg’ part.

What if only one of the numbers is higher (or lower) than it should be?

It’s important to know that only one number needs to be higher or lower than it should be to count as high or low blood pressure. For example:

You may have high blood pressure if your top number is 140 or more OR your bottom number is 90 or more, regardless of the other number.

Similarly, if your top number is 90 or less OR your bottom number is 60 or less, you may have low blood pressure, regardless of the other number.

Is measuring blood pressure at home as accurate as having it done by a GP or nurse?

Home monitoring can actually be more accurate than having your blood pressure measured at your doctor’s surgery because you’re more likely to be relaxed in your own environment. Known as the ‘white coat’ effect, most of us experience a heightened level of anxiety in a medical setting – whether we realise it or not – resulting in a higher reading than you’d get at home. According to Blood Pressure UK the average increase in measurements taken by a doctor or nurse compared to those taken at home is 10mmHg in the top (systolic) number and 5mmHg in the bottom (diastolic) number. The other benefit of home monitoring is that it enables you to take readings at different times of the day and monitor your condition more easily in the long term, so you can identify what affects your reading and see for yourself the difference that changes to your diet and lifestyle can make.

If you choose to monitor your blood pressure at home, follow the tips below for the best results

Top tips for ensuring your blood pressure reading is accurate

• Before you take your readings, rest for five minutes.
• If possible, use the arm that your doctor or nurse uses when measuring your blood pressure.
• You should be sitting down in a quiet place, preferably at a desk or table, with your arm resting on a firm surface.
• Support the arm as close to heart level as possible.
• Place the feet flat on the floor and sit up straight while measuring the blood pressure.
• Avoid checking blood pressure in a cold room.
• Measure the blood pressure at a few different times during the day.

Ten top tips for achieving (or maintaining) a healthy blood pressure

Prevention is always better than cure, so whether you’re suffering from high blood pressure and want to reduce it, or are looking to boost your overall wellbeing, the following steps can help you make the right choices to take control of your heart health and benefit in the long term.

1. Add flavour, not salt

Salt increases your blood pressure, so avoid adding it to your food, especially at the table. There are lots of other ways to add flavour in cooking – use a splash of red wine in stews and casseroles, sprinkle herbs, spices and a drizzle of honey on your roast vegetables, or add balsamic or rice vinegar to salads. Always check your food for salt content, especially in everyday items like cereal or bread. Find out the recommended daily salt intake for both adults and children in our article How much salt should you eat per day?

2. Lose five pounds

Weight is a big risk factor for developing high blood pressure. But losing just five pounds can make a big difference. Try swapping your frying pan for a grill when cooking meat, sprinkle dried fruit on your cereal instead of sugar, and have a glass of water instead of that sugary drink.

3. Be full of beans

Eating potassium-rich foods like white beans, dark leafy greens, tuna, bananas and potatoes (with skin on) will help your kidneys get rid of excess fluid and sodium from your bloodstream, reducing your blood pressure.

4. Walk it off

Taking regular exercise helps to lower your blood pressure and strengthen your heart. Walking, jogging, dancing, swimming or cycling are all good ways to get your recommended 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. Check out our article Health benefits of walking for more reasons to get active!

5. Take deep breaths

Stress causes temporary spikes in your blood pressure, which is best avoided, especially if your pressure is high anyway. Try a few relaxation techniques, like deep breathing. Exercise and sleep are also great ways to reduce stress. You can find more suggestions for managing stress in our Mental health hub.

6. Stick to just the limit

Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure over time. But you don’t have to give up – sticking to the limit of up to 14 units for women and 21 units for men, in addition to taking an alcohol-free ‘mini-break’ for a couple of days midweek can be enough to reduce your health risks. For the lowdown on how alcohol affects different part of the body and tips for cutting down check out our article How much is too much?

7. Get it checked

If you don’t know your blood pressure, get it checked. It’s recommended that healthy adults aged over 40 should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years. Your doctor can advise if you need any treatment or medication.

8. Stop smoking

High blood pressure reduces blood flow through your body. Smoking makes this even worse by clogging up your arteries. As soon as you stop smoking, you’ll notice the health benefits, and your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. See our article for more benefits of stopping smoking.

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One of the most common heart diseases is high blood pressure. Fortunately, one of the changes that can be made to reduce the risk is by avoiding certain types of food.

Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is referring to the pressure of your blood cells against the artery walls. It can later result in heart disease due to the damage in blood vessels as well as kidney disease and stroke, among other dangerous diseases. Unfortunately, hypertension is very, very subtle as it has no symptoms, so a person will not be able to notice they have hypertension until later on.

Another thing to note about high blood pressure is that a lot of factors that can result in it are beyond our control. High blood pressure can happen due to age, family history, gender, as well as ethnicity. Fortunately, diet and exercise are factors that can be controlled, diet being the main factor most of all. A diet that is low in sodium and high in fiber, potassium, and magnesium can help keep blood pressure in check.

That being said, here are some of the food and drinks to avoid or at least eat less of to reduce the risk of high blood pressure happening or happening again.

First is salt or sodium in general. Salt and sodium are the big bad when it comes to people who are already suffering from high blood pressure, so limiting sodium intake is very important to reduce the risks. High levels of sodium can be found in processed food as well as the meat in the deli and the salt added in the food served in restaurants and the like.

The second kind of food to avoid or limit is sugar. While excessive sugar is mainly known to result in weight gain and obesity, sugar is also actually something to limit when it comes to high blood pressure. So, carbonated drinks or sugar-sweetened drinks, among many others, are something to limit or avoid as much as possible to reduce the risk of high blood pressure or the dangerous complications that come with it.

The third kind of food to avoid or limit is chicken skin or processed/packaged food. These types of food are high in trans fats and saturated fats. It is best to avoid trans fats and minimize the intake of saturated fats. These can be found in full-fat dairy and red meat, aside from chicken skin.

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High Blood Pressure aka Hypertension is, unfortunately, one of the common ailments across the world. Smoking, being overweight, lack of physical activity, too much salt intake, stress, old age, genetics and too much alcohol intake among others are the causes of hypertension. Some of the common signs of high BP are fatigue, blurred vision, chest pain, breathing issues and pounding of ears, neck and chest among others. 

If you are suffering from the same or have some knowledge about the health disorder then you must be aware of how potassium-rich food items’ intake is often recommended by the doctor. However, do you know why they are advised? Read on to know more. In an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, Founder & Chief Surgeon at Digestive Health Institute by Dr. Muffi revealed the importance of potassium-rich food items to lower elevated levels of high blood pressure.

Dr. Lakdawala first revealed how the high levels of sodium directly related to high blood pressure. He said, “Sodium and potassium are electrolytes that regulate the fluid balance in the body. Studies show that excessive sodium intake is a risk factor for hypertension. A large amount of salt (18 g/day) is positively correlated with higher blood pressure levels as high sodium intake causes retention of water, which in turn adds to excess fluid in the body. Thereby, putting extra pressure on the artery walls.” 

“On the other hand, a diet rich in potassium and low in sodium and saturated fat has been recommended to prevent and reduce hypertension. A diet rich in potassium foods can help reduce water retention in the body by increasing urine production and reducing the sodium levels. Potassium also helps to ease the tension in the blood vessel walls, which helps further reduction in blood pressure. A high potassium intake also improves, compliance with a low salt regimen, prevents the rise in plasma catecholamines induced by a low salt diet, increases the sensitivity of the baroreceptor reflex.”

Speaking of the foods high in potassium:

• Coconut water 

• Fruits: Bananas, avocado, apricots, kiwi, oranges, and pineapples

• Vegetables: spinach, fenugreek leaves, carrots, and potatoes

• Dry fruits: Prunes, dates, raisins 

• Whole grains

• Mushrooms 

• Beans (kidney beans, lentils)

• Nuts

Aside from the intake of potassium-rich food items, simple lifestyle tweaks such as exercising, losing weight, eating only healthy food and not junk and processed food items, stress management and less salt intake will help to keep high BP under control. Many people also follow Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension aka DASH diet as well. Click here to read on to know more about this diet.

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Livongo is touting new data regarding the efficacy of its device-and-coaching disease management platform, this time among those using its Livongo for Hypertension and Livongo for Diabetes products together.

The results, which are set to be formally presented this weekend at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2019, identified significant decreases in hypertensive blood pressure as soon as four weeks, with greater improvements to follow at 12 weeks of treatment.

“More frequent HBPM is associated with improved HTN control in a 12-week period demonstrating the benefit of remote monitoring,” the researchers wrote in an abstract. “Further analyses are required to better understand the associations of education and coaching provided by the remote monitoring system to improve the frequency of HBPM.”

TOPLINE DATA

The study examined a cohort of 1,690 Livongo members with a diabetes diagnosis and hypertension. These participants, of whom 47% were female, were a mean 54 years of age and had a BMI of 33.3.

Sixty-three percent, or 1,065 participants) had a blood pressure reading greater than 130/80 at baseline, denoted as uncontrolled hypertension. The average baseline blood pressure of these patients was 139/86, while those with controlled hypertension averaged at 118/72.

After 12 weeks of Livongo’s testing and coaching program, those whose hypertension was uncontrolled recorded decreases of 7.2 mmHg for systolic blood pressure, and 4.0 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (P < .001). Among a subset who began the study with stage 2 hypertension (defined as blood pressure greater than 140/90), the researchers saw a 10.2 mmHg improvement in systolic blood pressure at the four-week mark, as well as a 12.7 mmHg improvement by week 12.

Across the full cohort, a multivariable regression analysis found age, baseline blood pressure, and the number of at-home blood pressure monitor uses to each be significantly associated with blood pressure declines.

HOW IT WAS DONE

Between April 2018 and May 2019, researchers monitored members of Livongo’s program. Each was provided with an app-connected blood pressure monitoring device and cuff, as well as health coaching and hypertension management education through the company’s digital platform. Researchers monitored the recorded blood pressures of these patients from baseline to 12 weeks, as well as the number of times they recorded a new blood pressure reading with the device.

THE LARGER TREND

These data follow the trend of early study results reported by the disease management company earlier this year, which also saw blood pressure drops and behavior change after just six weeks of the management program. It’s another spate of good news for the newly public disease management platform, which just recently adjusted its revenue guidance upward following a third quarter headlined by new partnerships.

ON THE RECORD

“This study shows that by providing people with connected technology, insights, access to coaching, and the ability manage their conditions outside of the four walls of the doctor’s office, we can drive sustained outcomes, but even more impressive is that we can document outcomes through our integrated platform across conditions,” Dr. Bimal R. Shah, Livongo’s chief medical officer and the senior author of the study, said in a statement. “At Livongo, we have one of the largest blood pressure data sets in the consumer digital health industry and this study demonstrates our results at scale. By creating a world-class member experience, we can effectively improve program utilization, checking frequency and continue to provide our proven digital and personalized coaching to amplify our impact.”

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The co-conveners of the Global HIV Prevention Coalition, UNAIDS and the United Nations Population Fund, have launched a new report on progress made in reducing new HIV infections across 28 countries that have been particularly affected by HIV. The report was launched at the High-Level Meeting of the Global HIV Prevention Coalition, held on 12 November on the sidelines of the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25.

Together, the 28 countries account for 75% of all new HIV infections globally—1.2 million of the 1.7 million new HIV infections among adults in 2018. The report, Implementation of the HIV prevention 2020 road map, shows that among the coalition countries new HIV infections among adults declined on average by 17% since 2010, slightly higher than the global decline of 13%, but far short of the 60% decline needed in 2018 to meet global HIV prevention targets.

“We are nearly 40 years into the HIV epidemic and it is unacceptable that governments and leadership are still shying away from sensitive issues,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Investments in HIV prevention do not match the needs of our people; in some countries, even the basic commodities like condoms are not available, accessible or affordable in rural areas, for young people or key populations.”  

The report shows that some countries have made significant progress, with 12 countries reducing new adult HIV infections by 26% or more since 2010. They include countries with major epidemics, such as South Africa, with a 39% decline, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a 37% decline, Uganda, with a 36% decline, and Zimbabwe, with a 28% decline.

Some coalition countries, however, experienced concerning increases in new adult HIV infections, including Nigeria, where new adult HIV infections increased by 8%, and Pakistan, which is experiencing a rapidly growing HIV epidemic among key populations, where new adult HIV infections rose by a staggering 56%. On average, new HIV infections in non-coalition countries remained relatively stable between 2010 and 2018.

The report shows that while there has been some progress in developing programmes for adolescent girls and young women, the Global HIV Prevention Coalition estimates that in 2018 only 34% of the areas with high HIV prevalence had dedicated comprehensive HIV prevention programmes for women and girls—far short of the global target of reaching 90% of adolescent girls and women with these services by 2020. During the meeting, Nyasha Sithole, from the Athena Network, made a strong call for investment and engagement of adolescent girls and young women in HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health programming.

The Global HIV Prevention Coalition was established in 2017 to galvanize greater commitment and investment in HIV prevention in order to achieve the 2020 prevention target of reducing new HIV infections among adults by 75% by 2020 (against the 2010 baseline). Its added value is clearly visible in a number of focus countries and beyond. Countries confirm that it has promoted a more systematic and structured approach to HIV prevention programming and built momentum in most of the 28 countries; however, much more needs to be done to meet global commitments.

“The coalition has been working as an important platform for countries to share their progress and experiences in HIV prevention, providing a very good opportunity for us to take joint actions to reduce new infections and curb the spread of the disease. This is the key to realize the Sustainable Development Goal target on ending AIDS by 2030,” said Yu Xuejun, Vice-Minister of Health of China and current Chair of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board.

To accelerate progress in stopping new HIV infections, momentum urgently needs to be stepped up by increasing investment, addressing HIV-related stigma and discrimination, addressing the legal, policy and structural barriers to HIV prevention, especially for adolescent girls and young women, key populations and their sexual partners, and taking measures to expand community-based responses.

“I am convinced that community action is the key not only to HIV prevention, but prevention of all ill health. It is for this reason that we have made primary health care the focus of universal health coverage in Kenya,” said Sicily Kariuki, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Kenya.

By taking these critical steps and increasing efforts to address persistent gaps in programme coverage and ensuring that services and community programmes are available to everyone in need, significant progress can be made towards ending AIDS.

During the meeting, which was chaired by the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Kenya and the Minister of Health of Zambia, representatives of the coalition countries made bold commitments and pledges to scale up HIV prevention in their respective countries.

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Almost 25 per cent of the people tested during the Big Blood Pressure Check in South Canterbury last month were referred to a general practitioner due to a high blood pressure reading, the Stroke Foundation says.

The Foundation’s health promotion manager, Julia Rout, said a free blood pressure check testing site was set up on October 5, and as high blood pressure was one of the leading causes of stroke this information could have saved lives, she said.

“Timaru saw 253 people had their blood pressure tested at the Timaru Pak ‘n Save and of those, 63 were referred to a GP for a high reading.

“While this is a high figure, we can see that the work we are doing is having a positive impact. We have been able to help more people to better manage their health and equip them with the tools and knowledge to reduce their risk of stroke.”

Of the 12,000 people tested by Stroke Foundation volunteers nationally, one in six had to be referred to a GP due to a high blood pressure reading, she said.

Rout said a person with high blood pressure is up to seven times more likely to have a stroke than someone with normal or low blood pressure which was why check ups were vital.

“This is why the work that we do is so important in reducing the devastation stroke can cause, especially for those communities most at risk.

“High blood pressure doesn’t have any symptoms, so having an annual check is incredibly important, much like a car warrant of fitness. Our focus for the coming year will be around building our engagement with these communities, so we can better equip them with the tools to reduce their risk of stroke.”

High blood pressure was the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke, but could be managed and controlled with regular check ups, Rout said.

The Big Blood Pressure Check was launched 11 years ago and for the first time this year the campaign was extended to last the whole of October.

“The Stroke Foundation encourages everyone over the age of 45 to have an annual blood pressure check. Getting a check is a quick and simple step to help avoid a stroke.” 

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Referred to as the “silent killer,” high blood pressure can affect anyone. But, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ National Institute on Aging, age is a common cause.

According to Courtney Catherine, admissions director at Landerbrook Transitional Care in Mayfield Heights, and Dr. David Gutman, founder of Cleveland Nutrition in Beachwood, high blood pressure in older individuals stems from many causes, including lifestyle choices.

“High blood pressure does not occur overnight – it occurs because of prolonged damage to blood vessels,” Gutman explained. “Blood pressure increases because blood vessels get stiff. They’re supposed to be elastic and stretch out to accommodate blood when your heart pumps and recoils when your heart takes a break. You have to have elastic arteries for that to happen.”

But when they become stiff, Gutman said, they don’t dilate correctly, which is what causes blood pressure to rise. According to the American Heart Association, one has high blood pressure when the first number reads 130 and the second is 80 or higher.

“This is because cholesterol plaque buildup in the arteries becomes calcified and stiff,” Gutman said. “That tends to take a while, and that’s why elderly individuals have it more than young people.”

Catherine said lifestyle choices can add to one’s chances of developing high blood pressure.

“One of which is smoking,” she said. “Another is a diet high in salts. And a lot of times, if they have been eating a certain diet their whole life, it’s harder to change when they’re 75 or 80 years old. Other chronic conditions can cause high blood pressure as well, such as a kidney or hormone problem, as well as general family history.”

When someone is experiencing high blood pressure, Gutman said it generally goes on unnoticed since there aren’t any major symptoms.

“It causes damage to organs but it’s unrecognized until the tipping point,” he said. “But high blood pressure does increase the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack, heart failure, heart arrhythmias, kidney failure, eye problems like blindness and even dementia.”

Catherine noted some physical symptoms may occur that one wouldn’t immediately associate with a blood pressure problem, like a pounding feeling in their chest, a feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness.

With a condition like high blood pressure, Catherine said it’s important to keep an eye on one’s health. That starts in knowing how to manage it.

“One thing we do when we are getting ready to discharge residents after therapy is make sure they are already on their blood pressure medications and that it’s good,” she said. “Also, if you’re able to have a blood pressure monitor at home, that’s great. But, if not, we can do free blood pressure checks when needed.”

Having an at-home monitor allows individuals to self check, Catherine said.

“You need to do it many times to establish a baseline and to get that average,” she explained.

Gutman also said medications are an important treatment option, but stressed the importance of keeping track of the side effects.

“Medications themselves have a lot of side effects that can be very serious,” he noted. “And most people have to be on many medications, so they have even more side effects. The reason is that pills aren’t addressing the underlying problem.”

In addition to medication, individuals should consider diet and exercise changes to help manage their blood pressure.

“Alongside medications, it would mean completely changing what you’re eating,” Gutman suggested. “If you’re still eating what you always have, the disease will progress no matter what pills you throw at it. Consider cutting out salt and reducing animal products.”

But for any health condition, management and recovery is not a straight line. It’s different for everyone, the professionals said.

“You’re not going to fix blood pressure problems overnight,” Catherine said. “It’s more of a journey. But if you believe you have high blood pressure, make an appointment with your doctor and get their opinion. It’s worth trying.”

Gutman noted, “(Changing your lifestyle) may come across as extreme, but that’s the challenge. You have to decide what is important to you. At the end of the day, (patients) have to make a decision. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, but the more they can make the shift, the better the outcome will be.”

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