Milwaukee-area YMCA leaders encourage blood pressure checks during American Heart Month



MILWAUKEE -- It's called the "silent killer" because there are typically no warning signs or symptoms. High blood pressure affects millions of adults, and YMCA leaders are on a mission to improve your health.

A few steps can go a long way when it comes to fitness, but more than just exercise is needed for whole body health. That's why fitness trainer Samantha Koscielak said the YMCA is taking part in American Heart Month.

"A great time to encourage people to come in and get their blood pressure checked," said Koscielak.

YMCA locations in the metro Milwaukee area are participating in a blood pressure self-monitoring program.



"A four-month program that focuses on one-on-one consultations with a trained healthy heart ambassador and nutrition group sessions once a month," said Koscielak.

The program allows those with hypertension to monitor and manage their numbers with ease. It's an effort to prevent heart disease.

"Most people don't even know they have high blood pressure. Upwards of 80 million people don't," said Koscielak. "Normal numbers are anywhere between, for your systolic 120 and your diastolic 80, so that number would be like 120 over 80. Anything less than that is a normal reading. Anything higher than that, you are breaching on that high blood pressure or pre-high blood pressure."

Keeping those numbers low -- along with your stress levels -- can increase your quality of life.

For a list of YMCA locations in metro Milwaukee, CLICK HERE.