FALL 2021
News from your Primary Care Team and eBrightHealth ACO
at home! Cut salt, not flavor
3 THINGS TO DO IF YOUR
BP IS TOO HIGH
Know your numbers Hypertension & Blood Pressure Monitoring
One in every three American adults has hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure (BP). Your brain and heart receive nutrients and oxygen through your blood flow, so when your blood pressure rises, so does your risk for heart attack and stroke. Tracking your blood pressure should be as routine as checking height, weight and temperature. Track yours regularly at home — and at every health care appointment. If your blood pressure starts creeping up, it’s time to get down to business and make some simple, yet effective changes to your diet and activity level to Be Well. Stay Well.
Check out the My Blood Pressure Journal inside this issue.
IN GENERAL, AIM FOR A BLOOD PRESSURE LESS THAN 130/80. Talk to your Primary Care Team about what numbers are right for you and the best plan to get — and keep — a healthy heart. 1
Blood pressure numbers matter!
Write it down to keep it down
Your blood pressure reading includes two numbers:
What causes high blood pressure?
• The systolic (first or top) number shows how hard the blood pushes when your heart is pumping.
Being overweight, drinking too much alcohol, having a family history of high blood pressure or eating too much salt and getting older may all be culprits when it comes to a rise in your blood pressure. Your blood pressure may also rise if you are not very active, if you don’t eat enough potassium and calcium, or if you have a condition called insulin resistance.
• The diastolic (second or bottom) number shows how hard the blood pushes between heartbeats when your heart is relaxed and filling with blood. Both numbers are equally important, but a higher systolic, or top, number may point to a greater risk of stroke or heart disease.
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SET A GOAL AND MAKE A PLAN
Partner with your Primary Care Team to manage your blood pressure for good health.
Keep those numbers from climbing: • Maintain a healthy weight or lose extra weight. • Eat fresh or frozen heart-healthy foods and limit sodium (salt). • Exercise regularly. • Quit smoking. • Cut back on caffeine and limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women.
Losing just 10 lbs may be enough to bring your blood pressure down. Talk to your Primary Care Team about a healthy goal weight for you.
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Choosing a home blood pressure monitor Choose a cuff type bicep (upper arm) monitor that properly fits your upper arm. Avoid wrist and finger monitors; their readings are less reliable. Find a list of devices validated for accuracy at validatebp.org. Bring your monitor to your next medical appointment to make sure you are using it correctly and that its readings are accurate. Losing more may help even more!
Cut salt, not flavor Here’s how to shake the salt habit:
Choose low- or no-sodium options.
Limit soy sauce, salad
dressings, sauces, dips and condiments that contain sodium.
Use herbs, spices and citrus zest to season meals.
Use salt-substitutes wisely.
You may end up using more than regular table salt and get more sodium than you bargained for. The potassium in salt substitutes can also
be harmful if you have kidney problems or take medications for congestive heart failure or high blood pressure.
bicarbonate), baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate, sodium citrate and sodium nitrate.
Read food labels for hidden sodium.
If you are trying to follow a low-salt diet, you’ll want to cut down or avoid these ingredients, too: monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda (also known as sodium
The right way to take your blood pressure (BP) Don’t smoke, eat, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise 30 minutes before taking BP. Empty your bladder and relax for five minutes before taking the measurement. Sit with your back straight and supported, feet flat on the floor and uncross your legs. Support your arm on a flat surface at heart level. Place the bottom of the cuff directly above the bend of your elbow (not over clothing).
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Keep a blood pressure journal and share it with your health care team at every appointment.
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3 things
to do if your blood pressure is high
—1—
Rest for 5 minutes and retake it. Have you taken your medications as prescribed? If BP remains elevated, ask your Primary Care Team about lifestyle or medication changes.
—3—
Call 911 if your BP is elevated and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness/weakness, change in vision or difficulty speaking!
“Life isn’t measured in minutes, but in heartbeats.” JOAN LOWERY NIXON
Aim for less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day in your diet.
—2—
Take your blood pressure at the same time each day.
TIP: Try to avoid products with more than 200 mg of sodium per serving. And be sure you know how many servings are in a package. Salt can add up quickly! Cut back on salt slowly and soon you may not miss it at all! In fact, some foods may start to taste too salty.
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Be Well. Stay Well.
at home!
Word Find Puzzle
B F Y H T L A E H R S S H X Z B F N E A R T E R
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SODIUM BEAT PUMP HEALTHY SLEEP ARTERIES NUTRITION EXERCISE RELAX HYDRATE CUFF SYSTOLIC DIASTOLIC NORMAL ELEVATED HYPERTENSION
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and eBrightHealth ACO
Working together with your Primary Care Team to help you Be Well. Stay Well. From helping you manage a chronic condition like high blood pressure to making sure every member of your health care team is up-to-date with how you’re doing, CareVio is another great benefit of your Primary Care Team’s partnership with eBrightHealth ACO. When CareVio calls, be sure to answer!
Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period October 15 – December 7 2021
Beneficiary to Beneficiary A reminder from Evelyn Hayes, YOUR beneficiary representative at eBrightHealth ACO Take a few minutes to set up your personal account and add your health care team members to your profile at MyMedicare.gov for easy access to your health information at any time. Visit eBrightHealthACO.org for a link to Medicare & You, a publication by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help you make the most of your coverage.
Medications for your heart If your spouse or friend takes a different blood pressure medicine than you, there’s a reason. Your Primary Care Team will help you find the right medication(s) to treat your needs with the fewest side effects. A few commonly prescribed are: DIURETICS Help get rid of excess sodium and water BETA-BLOCKERS Reduce heart’s rate, workload and output of blood ACE INHIBITORS Help blood vessels relax and open ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR BLOCKERS Help blood vessels stay open CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS Relax and open up narrowed blood vessels, reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure
Listen to your body!
Severe headaches and vision problems may be a clue that your blood pressure is high. Check your numbers and talk to your Primary Care Team.
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Smart food choices
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Garlic relaxes and dilates the blood vessels to naturally reduce blood pressure. The vampires may not agree, but nutritionists will tell you to season with garlic over salt any day!
Citrus
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What’s cooking Lemon-Garlic Salmon Foil Packet with Green Beans and New Potatoes Dinner doesn’t get healthier — or more delicious — than this! Clean up is a (fall) breeze, too!
contains omega-3 fatty acids or fish oils which help reduce damage to the cells in the blood vessel walls. Grill, bake or broil salmon with a healthy, low-sodium seasoning like lemon or garlic.
Garlic
Citrus offers high doses of vitamin C, which may modestly lower blood pressure by acting as a mild diuretic. The more than 60 types of polyphenols along with trace minerals in citrus strengthen and protect the cardiovascular system. For more smart food choices to help manage blood pressure, visit eBrightHealthACO.org.
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INGREDIENTS
SERVINGS 2 SERVING SIZE 1 PACKET 1/2
pound new potatoes, (halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into 1/8-inch slices)
1
teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed 1
tablespoon canola or corn oil
1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8
teaspoon pepper
Dash of garlic powder
2
skinless salmon fillets (about 4 ounces each)
4
lemon slices (1 medium lemon)
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Make 2 sheets of aluminum foil about 30 inches long. Fold the foil in half widthwise (into almost a square) so it’s extra sturdy. 2. Put the potatoes and garlic in a microwaveable bowl, stirring to combine. Microwave, covered, on 100% power (high) for 1½ to 3 minutes, or until about halfway tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the green beans, oil, salt and pepper. 3. Place the potato mixture in the center of the foil squares. (To make it easier to close the packets, arrange the green beans facing the same direction.) Place the fish on the potato mixture. Sprinkle with the garlic powder. Top each fillet with 2 lemon slices. 4. Wrap the foil loosely (this leaves room for the heat to circulate inside) and seal the edges tightly. Transfer the packets to a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Using the tines of a fork, carefully open a packet away from you (to prevent steam burns). If the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, carefully open the remaining packets and serve. If the fish isn’t cooked enough, reclose the open packet and bake all the packets for 3 to 5 minutes. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: SERVING SIZE: 1 PACKET CALORIES 394, TOTAL FAT 15G, CHOLESTEROL 80 MG, SODIUM 286 MG, TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 23G, DIETARY FIBER 5G, SUGARS 4G, PROTEIN 40G, DIETARY EXCHANGES: 1 STARCH, 2 VEGETABLE, 5 LEAN MEAT
Recipe from American Heart Association
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
WILMINGTON DE PERMIT NO. 357
4000 Nexus Drive, Suite NW2 Wilmington, DE 19803
Get pumped up for fall!
Be one of the first 50 readers
to tell us what you think of our newsletter — or what you would like to read about in a future issue, and Evelyn will send you our 2022 Health & Wellness Planner.
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Be Well. Stay Well.
Health & Wellness Planner 22ACO35_2022 ACO Health Planner FINAL.indd 1
Photo courtesy of OMRON Healthcare
Email Evelyn at info@ebhaco.org. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Six lucky readers will also receive a digital home blood pressure monitor!
9/21/21 9:02 AM
This newsletter is from your Primary Care Team and these partners that make up eBrightHealth ACO. Be sure to stay in touch with your Primary Care Team throughout the year to help you Be Well. Stay Well.
COMMUNITY PRACTICES: Atlantic Family Physicians, Dover Family Physicians, La Red Health Center,
Quality Family Physicians, Curtis A. Smith, DO, Trinity Medical Associates, Westside Family Healthcare For more information, visit eBrightHealthACO.org and go to For Beneficiaries, or call the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
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My Blood Pressure Journal Taking your blood pressure regularly helps give your Primary Care Team a clearer picture of your risk for heart disease and stroke. Use this journal to write down your numbers and share it with your health care team at all medical visits. Try these tips for keeping track of your blood pressure at home: • Take your blood pressure twice a day — morning and late afternoon — at about the same time every day. Your Primary Care Team may want you to take 2 or 3 readings each time, 1 minute apart. • Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor for at least five minutes before taking a measurement. • Rest your arm on a table so the blood pressure cuff is at about the same height as your heart.
DATE
Oct 1, 2021
MORNING
EVENING
Time of Reading
Reading 1
Reading 2
Time of Reading
Reading 1
Reading 2
8 a.m.
139/82
141/82
6 p.m.
145/85
142/83
Know your numbers!
Less than 130/80 is a general goal. Talk to your Primary Care Team about what numbers are right for you and the best plan to get — and keep — a healthy blood pressure.
Download additional copies at eBrightHealthACO.org 22ACO34
My Health Checklist Start checking off your list today. It’s a great way to help you Be Well. Stay Well. Talk with your Primary Care Team to decide which screenings and vaccines on this list are right for you, and when you should have them. Go to Medicare.gov to learn more.
1
First things first. Schedule a Wellness Visit every year with your TO Primary Care Team. DO
“Welcome to Medicare” Prevention Visit
3 DATE DONE
✔
Schedule one of these visits every year after you have been with Medicare Part B for at least 12 months.
prevention or treatment
plan right away Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
TO DO
DATE DONE
Alcohol Misuse
Schedule this one-time visit within the first 12 months you have Medicare Part B as your medical insurance.
Annual Wellness Visit
Getting screened helps you
know your risk and start a
(screening and counseling)
Blood Pressure Screening Bone Mass Measurement (bone density test)
✔
Breast Cancer (mammogram) Cardiovascular Disease Cervical and Vaginal Cancer
Your Annual Wellness Visit is a great time to talk with your health care team about: • Your prescriptions — especially if the cost of a medicine keeps you from taking it as prescribed. • Support you may need, such as food, housing, transportation or mental health services, to help you Be Well. Stay Well. • Feelings of sadness or feeling “down.” • The names of all of your specialists.
Colorectal Cancer Depression Diabetes Fall Risk Glaucoma Hearing and Balance Exams Hepatitis B Hepatitis C HIV
2
Keep up-to-date with vaccines
COVID-19
Flu Shot (seasonal) Hepatitis B Pneumococcal Shingles (Part D coverage only)
TO DO
✔ ✔
DATE DONE
Lung Cancer Obesity (screening and counseling) Prostate Cancer Retinal Eye Exam Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Smoking and Tobacco Use
(screening and cessation counseling)
Notes:
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