Sunflowers and Their Consequences

Every few months I haul out the Blood Pressure monitoring kit and self diagnose. I consistently get lower readings than my doctor does but there are logical explanations for this. When I tell him that my readings are very low average or optimal, he is OK with that. He agrees that home monitoring is more accurate because it is done in a real life situation, not a stress inducing doctors office where you have just been referred to a proctologist,  for example.  

For the first time since I have been doing this, my blood pressure is in the high normal range. Ordinarily, this would please me as well as most people my age, but there is an upward trend happening here.

So, I tried an experiment. I have begun walking in earnest. Well, on the trails, actually. ( Did hear the one about the two worms who were fighting in dead earnest?)

As much as 10K a day has been my norm.

After the third day, I found that a difference was taking place already. Now, ten days later, my pressure is down to optimal on a consistent basis. ( 117/ 73)

The other technique I have used is to to fool my circulatory system into thinking I am calmer than I really am. We have a wonderful bouquet of Sunflowers on the table where I sit to monitor my BP. Just before I hit the 'on' button, I stare at the mellow yellow blossoms and let them take me to a calm, sunny meadow in the south of France. As I feel my heart rate calm down, I punch the button and hope a stressful thought does not pop into my mind at the last second. I think I have mastered this technique now, and have actually fooled myself into thinking I am young and healthy once again. For your convenience, I have posted photos of the sunflowers so you too can lower your blood pressure in the safety and comfort of your own home. Happy pumping.