So we are right in the midst of all the holiday clamor as we all hurry along, shopping for that special gift for the people we care about. From going to pick out that special tree, whether it’s at a tree farm, a local lot or maybe you’re picking your first artificial tree, there is soooo much to do to get ready for this special time of year.

You may be wishing you can spend some down time this time of year with family and friends but in reality, the stress of making your Christmas season, one that is reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell picture, and can very well impact your health, and not too many people pay attention to the warning signs!

The fact is that a lot of pressure comes with the holidays. And so health concerns can  sky-rocket for a lot of people at this time of year. High blood pressure and Christmas do NOT have to go hand in hand.

Could Christmas be bad for your health? Well, it doesn’t have to be.

You may have heard the term, “The silent killer” well, while most people think that it is referring to your blood pressure, the true motivator is “Stress”. Which if you let it, can elevate your pressure to such a state that you can indeed become ill.

The three big causes of high blood pressure and poor health, in general, are poor diet, lack of exercise and stress, tension or anxiety. All three of these factors can grow proportionately during the holiday season. We often find ourselves sitting around the dinner table gorging ourselves on various mixtures of sugar and grease, too stuffed to move and getting annoyed with our relatives.

OK, that’s the worst case scenario, and thankfully it’s never usually that bad. But if we approach the holidays with a bit of forethought we can avoid the holiday snares and still have a good time.

If we keep things in perspective and think things through, the holiday period we can even make Christmas good for your blood pressure.

So what to do? Just try to strike a balance.

Now we know you have all heard the phrase, “Everything in Moderation” Well, that’s because there is a reason for it. Go ahead, enjoy Christmas dinner and the festive parties that happen this time of year, but don’t stuff yourself. Use that "Common Sense" we are all supposed to have. You know that anything in excess is not good for you so keep a reign on your portion sizes and make it a point to engage your friends and distant relatives in some conversations.  This is a great way to keep you from going back for seconds or even thirds at the deseart table.

Make sure you get some exercise on a regular basis this time of year. If you need to set yourself a goal or if you need to be prodded along, go and get yourself an Activity Monitor , this way, depending on the type you get, it can remind you when you’ve been staying put a little too long. To get moving, especially before and after those holiday meals. Strive for balance. You’ll feel better, more relaxed, and it’s less likely that that irritating cousin of yours will get under your skin and raise your blood pressure as usual. Remember, a balanced life is a happier life – and one where blood pressure stays within manageable limits.

Most importantly of all – stop worrying so much. Worrying never solved anything and simply put, it’s bad for your health. Worrying raises stress levels and blood pressure. So if you can’t find that special present that Johnny had his heart set on, don’t stress it, usually anything you give him will be appreciated, especially if along with the gift, you add some personal time along with it!

So the most important holiday message we have for you is – try not to get too stressed. Stress is the silent killer, not high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a symptom.

Now, we take having high blood pressure seriously and if you suffer from high blood pressure you should be seeing your physician regularly. And we think it’s safe to say he/she (your physician) probably suggests that you take your blood pressure regularly so that you are aware of how you’re doing.

At HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com we are fortunate to carry some of the most accurate blood pressure monitors on the market. From automatic pressure monitors that self-inflate, to ones that allow you to take your pressure on your wrist. If you want some peace of mind, then click on this link, and check out the various types of blood pressure monitors that we have available.

So from all of us here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com, have a healthy, stress-less holiday season.

Everyone looks forward to sitting down with family and friends for a Thanksgiving meal. But for those of us who are working towards a healthier you in 2016 you may have some reservations about really enjoying the meal plan. The key to still enjoying your favorite holiday fare and still keep true to your fitness goals is “MODERATION” and keeping to your exercise routines.

Now you may think that, hey, it’s only one day of the year and it really is. But it seems like Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday eating campaigns that take place everywhere around the United States. That’s why we say moderation is the key to you NOT putting on an extra 5 lb. or more during these two months of festive parties and get-togethers. Remember, having that stuffed feeling after the fact is only good if you’re the turkey!

One of the best things you can do to avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season is to increase your activity / exercise, a bit more during this time of year. Now, this may not seem as bad to you at first but, remember, at this time of year, people, you included are going to be spending more time shopping for gifts for family and friends. Now is a good time to use your walking shoes instead of taking the car or the bus to your favorite stores. Now, we hope you're going to visit our on-line store at http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com to purchase a fitness item to help you or your family and friends stay on top of your progress. But besides the convenience of shopping on-line, you can still go to the mall this time of year, even if the weather does not corporate, and stretch those leg muscles. The mall is an excellent place to walk. Walking is probably one of the best low-cost fitness exercises you can do. And you can take the opportunity to window-shop as you walk briskly in front of all those stores located within the mall.

Along with walking through the mall for exercise, you can also get some fresh air as it is usually a tradition for a lot of people, after the Thanksgiving meal is over, instead of vegging out on the couch, maybe watching a football game, why not get out, and take everyone with you for a group search for that perfect Christmas tree. And we don’t mean driving down to the local Christmas tree lot to do your searching. There is nothing better than to drive out to a local tree farm, getting everyone out of the car and tramping up and down the fields trying to locate that perfect tree. Now we are not saying that you should go far and wide with the hopes of seeing the sun’s ray shinning down on your tree like the Griswald’s in that holiday favorite movie ‘Christmas Vacation” but just getting out and walking around in the clean, crisp air while your looking for the right tree will help you in losing a few calories from that big meal you just packed on.

Now those are just two ideas, but the focus is to ramp up your activity a little more during this time of year so you won’t feel bad about eating that fancy Christmas cookie your favorite aunt baked just for you.

And if you do partake in regular exercise, make sure you are tracking your daily progress so you can make sure you're increasing your activity levels between now and New Year’s Day. You may want to try an activity monitor like the Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker. This one even has a heart rate monitor so you can see just how well you are doing and how well you're taxing your heart as you do so.

Remember, even though we say you should increase your activity to help you avoid the strain of gaining some holiday poundage, even exercising more does not give you a free license to just eat and eat and eat. That’s why we said earlier that moderation is the key. Yep, it’s Thanksgiving and it does only come around once a year so go ahead, take a helping of that stuffing that grandma made and finish off that dinner with a slice of pumpkin or my favorite pecan pie. But ask for a small slice and stop at just one slice, not seconds.

If you keep moderation in mind this holiday season, you won’t need to make that same New Year’s resolution again this year about losing weight and getting fit, because you are already on that right path to healthy!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, from our family here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.Com.