New Year resolution...

I don't generally do New Year resolutions. I have some goals in mind that generally spans more than one year, hence the idea of resolution over the coming year seems too short term to me. Well, that was in the past anyways. As I get older, maybe I should take things in smaller, bite-sized chunks.

What spurs me into action, is the realization, almost by providence, that I've had high blood pressure. It's surprise to me since I have always had low blood pressure all my life. In fact, I feel just fine, so much so that I've been pushing off the annual medical check-up with my PCP for some five years now.

I was visiting families over the Christmas period. As my mother is getting older, she's very health-conscious. As she settles in her nursing home routines, she's used to taking blood pressure three times a day, and various medications five times a day. During the visit, I took my own blood pressure with her gauge out of curiosity. To my horror, my high readings were well in the hypertension range (more than 190 in upper readings, close to 100 in lower readings, and heart rate of 97). How could I allow myself to sway into such danger zone?

Initially I was in state of denial. I took another readings after a few hours, thinking the earlier readings must have been just anomaly. Not so, unfortunately, as the second readings were almost as high as the first one. I again took it the next day, and the day after that. Over the course of three days, my blood pressure never came down. Worse yet, my readings were higher than those of my mother's (!!).

Something must be done about it.

Lifestyle change is the first order of business. I don't want to reduce myself to a life sustained by medications and machines. As a reminder to myself, I've set a New Year resolution for myself, for a change.

• I don't get addicted to anything easily, but I've started drinking coffee since I was 7. Coffee is a passion that I shared with my dad over many decades, and we loved almost the same kind of food (even the specific part of dish, like the skin of a steamed fish, and sauteed squid). Every time we got together, we would have a good cup of coffee (he liked cappuccino and flat white, so do I). After my dad passed away three years ago, coffee is almost a daily reminder of his presence with me. But, I know it's time to let it go.
• I've always been slender all my life. (I'm the slim one in the family.) My metabolism has always been high. I could eat a lot and never gain weight. But, I've rested on laurel for far too long. Although I still like to move around, it would seem that it's not enough anymore. As I get older, my metabolism is slowing as well. I've noticed my mid-section has been expanding somewhat, and I've gained some 15 pounds in the past 1.5 years, with no change in routines or diet. Others might not have noticed it, but I know it for a fact. It's time for me to seriously pick up daily exercise, rather than relying on the "moving around".
• I need to cut down my periodic cravings for junk food (hello, chips and salami). 

Well before my Christmas vacations with family wraps up, I cut out my daily coffee habits. I check my blood pressure for the next three days. To much pleasant surprise, my blood pressure has gone back to the normal range once I stop my caffeine intake. I deliberately keep everything else in my daily routine the same, except the one (missing) variable of coffee, as a control test. I was truly amazed by how immediate the impact has been. I'm resolved to abstain from caffeine from now on. I've had withdrawal symptoms for some four days, with low-grade headache in the afternoon. But on the fifth day, it's gone. I still get a bit tired in the afternoon, occasional catnap and earlier sleeping habit will suffix.

I've also ordered a blood pressure gauge online, so that when I get home, it'll be there for me to start right on it, checking up everyday.

And, there'll be no more junk food, not even "on occasions." As I age, I don't think I can afford that luxury anymore, thrashing my body like that. 

As to the no-salt diet, it's never been a problem with me since I don't really eat that much salty food anyways, apart from the occasional chips and salami.

I'm still working on a schedule to block out some time everyday to do some power-walking to pump my heart. But I can start on the weights and sit-ups at home everyday, which is easy enough. Workout with the kettlebells isn't hard at all.

Such are my resolutions for 2019 and beyond. My first resolutions ever. It doesn't sound too strenuous or difficult to me. Let's see how I fare when I take stock by end of the year. I'm hopeful of that. :)