My Heart…

I am a healthy woman! I AM a healthy woman! I am a healthy woman!

I feel that way! I look that way! My complete blood assessment and urinalysis says so too!

Yet my little blood pressure machine tells me a different story.

I was mystified. Honestly. My body mass index is perfect which means my height to weight ratio is appropriate. I eat wholesome, nutritious and mostly organic foods. But my blood pressure has consistently been hovering around 160/110. For those unfamiliar with blood pressure numbers, it means that I am classified as Stage 2 Hypertensive with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or kidney damage. I am unimpressed with that. Completely unimpressed. And concerned. Which causes my blood pressure to rise…

My dad and my nonna both took blood pressure medication, and even though I am related to them, my lifestyle is (almost) completely different than theirs was. I receive consistent chiropractic care, I choose to eat well with minimal grains and minimal sugar and minimal high fat animal protein, I don’t smoke, I don’t take any prescription drugs, or use any street drugs, and only enjoy a glass of wine very occasionally. (My son-in-law, Dr. Burns, tells me that could be the problem… I need to drink more! Ha!) I drink coffee, and I like to dine out, but for the most part, I would say, and I do say, that I live a healthy life-style.

Except that nasty blood pressure machine mocks me. Beeping and flashing it’s little heart at me…

So I have been working on a new equation… new chiropractic adjustment, fresh set of supplements, including adrenal support, chlorophyll, and valerian root, breathing music to lower my heart rate…

and these are my new best friends…

Yes… in fact, they are flat shoes. Yes… in fact, they are athletic shoes. Yes… in fact, I have been walking for 5 days now. Simply walking. In my quiet, comfortable neighborhood. For free. Enjoying the fresh air. And the benefits that I have seen in just a very short time.

WALKING. It’s hard to believe that something so simple could be so effective. I thought I was too busy for this in my life. I thought that eating pure and healthy, receiving chiropractic care, taking proper supplementation, and loving on my family, my friends and my God would be enough.

For two months, I resisted those flat walking shoes, giving those other new choices a chance to make a change. And then each day since Saturday, my blood pressure reduced by 5 points! Just from putting on those shoes and walking! Breathing fresh air, and exercising my heart muscle! It is producing what I perceive to be a miracle!

This morning my little BP machine sang out the numbers 130/87. No beeping. No flashing.

And I can live well with that.