Very often, blood pressure and weight go hand-in-hand.
That’s something Pauline McCollough knows all too well. A scary visit to her doctor’s office made her turn things around.
“When I first got more focused on my health journey, I was close to 270 pounds,” she says.
Pauline was 28 when she was diagnosed with high blood pressure, a condition that brought a stern warning from her doctor.
“I needed to get on high blood pressure medicines because if I didn’t I would, could possibly have a high risk of dying because my blood pressure was that high being close to stroke levels,” she explains.
Pauline had been overweight for most of her life, though she was no stranger to exercise.
It was her diet that needed work.
“I read up on My Fitness Pal, started tracking my food. I did a little bit of changing out some of the type of stuff that I was eating,” she says.
A recent study showed heart disease is targeting younger women.
It found those admitted to hospitals were more likely to be African American women with high blood pressure, kidney disease or diabetes.
This week marks the three year anniversary of Pauline becoming medication-free.
Now, almost 100 pounds lighter, she is happier, healthier and has gained a lot of confidence.
