The bulk of America’s workforce is found in the services sector. Around 21.5 million Americans work in the professional and business services sector. Additionally, another 16 million Americans are self-employed. This group of people has a unique set of needs when it comes to health care. The working professional needs:

• Health care that is affordable.

• Access to a doctor at their convenience.

• Occasional interaction with a doctor in a non-clinical setting, especially via telehealth. 

• To be able to get access to testing and health monitoring in a convenient manner.

Nearly everyone has experienced a headache at least once or twice, but some people experience them more often and more severely than others. Minor headaches can be ignored or eliminated by over-the-counter pain relievers, food or coffee, or rest. Whereas more severe headaches, including migraines, may not be as easy to get rid of.

Although doctors don’t fully understand what causes most headaches, they do know that the brain tissue and skull are never responsible because they don’t contain any nerves that register pain. However, the blood vessels in the head and neck, the tissues that surround the brain, major nerves that originate in the brain, the scalp, sinuses, muscles and joints of the neck, and teeth can all trigger or signal pain.

There are a number of different types of headaches including migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches, sinus headaches, medication headaches, and many more conditions associated with headaches.

Tension headaches are the most common of all headaches and occur in about three of every four adults. Usually, they are mild to moderate and occur infrequently, but some people do get severe tension headaches many times a week. There are many potential triggers of tension headaches, including stress, diet, alcohol intake, environment, hormones, caffeine withdrawal, and lack of sleep. If you frequently experience headaches, try taking note of your circumstances when a headache starts. Track the day, time, symptoms, and circumstances surrounding the pain (what have you eaten? Are you dealing with a difficult situation or stress?). If you can associate your headache with particular triggers, try to avoid them. If you notice that you tend to have worse headaches when you are stressed, try different types of body and mind relaxation techniques, including yoga and meditation.

Migraines occur much less often that tension headaches but tend to be significantly more severe. They are 2-3x more common in women than men. Neurologists believe that migraines are caused by changes in the brain’s blood flow and nerve cell activity. Approximately 70% of people who experience migraines have at least one close relative that does as well, suggesting genetics play a role in migraines. Migraines can occur out of the blue but are usually set off by a trigger such as changing weather, sleep patterns, emotional stress, fatigue, diet, or sensory triggers. Anyone that experiences migraines understands the severity and difficulty managing them. Everyone’s bodies are different, and a variety of prevention and treatment methods can be prescribed.

Cluster headaches are uncommon but severe and occur 5x more often in men than women. Middle-aged men with a history of smoking are most susceptible to cluster headaches, which tend to appear as 1-8 headaches a day during a 1–3-month period every year or two, often at the same time of year. The headaches start abruptly on one side of the head and lasts about 30-60 minutes. Nausea and sensitivity to light are commonly experienced as well.

Acute sinusitis, an inflammation of the cavities within the bones that surround the nose, can cause pain in the forehead, around the nose and eyes, over the cheeks, and/or in the upper teeth. Typically, bending over or stooping forward makes the pain more significant. Sinus headaches are usually secondary to the other pain one experiences when they have sinusitis.

Medication headaches: Headaches are a very common side effect among medications and some headache medications even cause overuse or rebound headaches. Weird right? Individuals who experience frequent migraines are at highest risk of the vicious cycle of pain of medication headaches, especially if they take medicine more than 10 to 15 days a month.

Headaches are a very common side effect among medications and some headache medications even cause overuse or rebound headaches. Weird right? Individuals who experience frequent migraines are at highest risk of the vicious cycle of pain of medication headaches, especially if they take medicine more than 10 to 15 days a month.

For most of us, an occasional headache is something that (luckily) can easily be treated or prevented with over-the-counter pain relievers, sleep, relaxation measures, or time. However, for those of us that experience frequent headaches, especially migraines, the answer is not so easy. Learn to recognize potential triggers or warning signs of oncoming headaches. Work with us to develop a strategy to prevent and treat migraines and other serious headaches. 

Why is stretching important?

Stretching keeps your muscles flexible, strong, and healthy and increases the range of motion in your joints. Without routine stretching, your muscles shorten and become tight which puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage. Regular stretching becomes more and more important as you age and your muscles lose strength and tone, and ligaments and tendons become tighter. Your shoulders, hips, spine, and knees tend to be the areas that lose the most flexibility as you age. This makes everyday movements, such as reaching overhead, bending over, squatting, and twisting, more difficult. Tight muscles, tendons, and ligaments can also lead to chronic low back pain, neck pain, and poor posture.

How to start

Stretching all of your muscles might sound a little overwhelming at first, especially if your muscles are already pretty tight. It’s important to remember that starting today and taking small steps is better than waiting until the future when you are “ready.” Also, you don’t have to stretch every single muscle in your body. Instead, focus on the key areas, such as your legs, lower back, shoulders, and neck. Try dedicating 10 minutes a couple days a week to do some stretches. Your future body will thank you for it!

Below we will give you a list of stretches to try. Prior to stretching, go for a quick walk to warm up your muscles – it doesn’t have to be more than 5-10 minutes, just something to get your blood flowing. Stretching your muscles before they are warmed up can cause muscle injury because your muscle fibers aren’t prepared to be stretched, especially if they are very tight to begin with.

When stretching, do so until you feel resistance, but not pain. Hold the position for about 10-30 seconds (depending on the stretch). Don’t bounce, pulse or stretch too far – stretching should not feel uncomfortable or painful.

Here is a video we like that covers a lot of basic stretches for beginners:  

If you are looking for more stretches to try, a simple search on YouTube with the type of stretches you are looking for will present you with tons of videos. You can also feel free to reach out to Hannah (hannah@insightlifecare.com) for stretching techniques.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. In order to survive and function properly, our tissues and organs need the oxygenated blood that our circulatory system carries through the body. Not only does our blood deliver oxygen and nutrients, but it also picks up the toxic waste products of metabolism, such as the carbon dioxide we exhale with every breath, and the toxins we clear through our liver and kidneys. When the heart beats, it creates pressure that pushes blood through a network of tube-shaped blood vessels, which include arteries, veins, and capillaries. Blood pressure is the result of two forces: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure reflects the amount of pressure inside the arteries as the heart contracts and blood is pumped into the arteries. Diastolic pressure reflects the pressure inside the arteries during the resting phase between heartbeats. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and is written as two numbers, such as 112/78 mm Hg. The top number is systolic pressure, and the bottom number is diastolic pressure.

Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. If you are an adult and your systolic pressure is 120 to 129 and your diastolic pressure is less than 80, you have elevated blood pressure. If you have a systolic pressure of 130 or higher, and a diastolic pressure of 80 or higher, you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure typically has no signs or symptoms, it is only diagnosed through blood pressure readings. That’s why it is so dangerous, but luckily, it can be managed with lifestyle changes.

Nearly half of the American population over 20 has high blood pressure and many don’t even know it. For most adults, there is no identifiable cause of high blood pressure, and it tends to develop gradually over time. This is called primary (essential) hypertension. Some people, however, have what’s called secondary hypertension which is caused by an underlying condition such as obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disease, adrenal gland tumors, thyroid problems. Secondary hypertension tends to appear suddenly and causes higher blood pressure than primary hypertension.

Although there is no identifiable cause of primary hypertension, there are many risk factors, including:

• Being overweight or obese: The more you weigh, the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. As the amount of blood flow through your vessels increases, so does the pressure on your artery walls.
• Not being physically active: People who are inactive tend to have higher heart rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must work with each contraction and the stronger the force on your arteries.
• Using tobacco: Using tobacco immediately raises your blood pressure temporarily, as well as damages the lining of your artery walls. This can cause your arteries to narrow and increase your risk of heart disease.
• Unhealthy eating habits: Too much sodium and not enough potassium in your diet can cause your body to retain fluid, which increases blood pressure.
• Age: The risk of high blood pressure increases as you age.
• Race: High blood pressure is particularly common among people of African heritage, often developing at an earlier age than it does other races.
• Family history: High blood pressure tends to run in families.

The excessive pressure on your artery walls caused by high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels as well as your organs. The higher your blood pressure and the longer it goes uncontrolled, the greater the damage. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to complications including:

• Heart attack or stroke: High blood pressure can cause hardening and thickening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, or other complications.
• Aneurysm: Increased blood pressure can cause your blood vessels to weaken and bulge, forming an aneurysm which can be life threatening if it ruptures.
• Heart failure: To pump blood against the higher pressure in your vessels, the heart has to work harder. This causes the walls of the hearts pumping chamber to thicken. Eventually, the thickened muscle may have a hard time pumping enough blood to meet your body’s needs, which can lead to heart failure.
• Metabolic syndrome: This syndrome is a group of disorders of your body’s metabolism, including increased waist size, high triglycerides, decreased HDL (good) cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high insulin levels. These conditions make you more likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
• Trouble with memory or understanding: Uncontrolled blood pressure may also affect your ability to think, remember, and learn.
• Dementia: Narrowed or blocked arteries can limit blood flow to the brain, leading to vascular dementia.

So, what can we do to help keep our blood pressure healthy (below 120/80 mm Hg)? Well, basically the same things that we can do to stay healthy in most other aspects. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly in order to keep a healthy body weight. Cut down on processed and heavily salted foods. Increase the amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and other whole foods in your diet. Moderate alcohol and tobacco use. Even if you already are experiencing high blood pressure, it’s not too late to make changes. Try going for a brisk walk every day and adding a couple extra vegetables to your meals. Small steps can create big change, and your health and longevity are worth it.