Americo Cirelli quit drinking and smoking more than a decade ago. While these changes were a win, he subsequently began to eat too many unhealthy processed foods. “Whenever I felt pressure or anxiety, I’d eat – and it was usually a sleeve of cookies,” the 55-year-old Manalapan resident explains. “When addiction controls you, you don’t care what goes in your body.”
Americo was overweight and needed a cane to walk after having multiple hip replacement surgeries and suffering from spinal stenosis, a painful condition that can cause balance issues. When he developed high blood pressure last fall, Deshanki Pandya, MD, a family medicine physician at Atlantic Medical Group Primary Care, referred him to CentraState’s Hypertension Management Program. This free, six-week program provides tailored, one-on-one guidance to help participants understand the condition, manage medications and make changes to improve their physical and mental health.
Making Goals and Sticking to Them
“Hypertension is a chronic disease most people can manage,” explains Neftali Flores, RN, CentraState wellness coach coordinator. “By understanding what you’re eating, recognizing how activity benefits your body and addressing stress, you can make simple changes that reduce high blood pressure, which will reduce your risk of having a stroke or cardiovascular event.”
Working with Flores, Americo developed goals to lower his blood pressure and walk without a cane. He used a monitor to track his blood pressure at home and kept a food diary. “Stress was driving many of Americo’s health issues, so we talked about ways to reduce stress and why self-care is important,” Flores says. “He began to change his behavior and find work-life balance. With a plan, he gradually cut back on sugary snacks and increased his intake of healthier foods.”
More specifically, Americo learned to read nutrition labels, incorporate more green veggies in his diet and use a breathing technique to reduce anxiety. He also started working out at CentraState Fitness & Wellness, combining cardio and strength training to target different muscle groups. He has swapped sports drinks for water, has learned to love broccoli and limits himself to two cookies occasionally as a treat.
Through these changes — along with stretching, consistent exercise and pain management injections — Americo can walk without a cane. His blood pressure, once 174/83, is now 131/80, and he’s down eight pounds. “There are 24 hours in a day, and you deserve to focus on yourself for an hour each day,” he says. “For the first time in a long time, I’m happy with the reflection in the mirror.”
Find A Physician
To find a physician, visit CentraState Medical Center’s online Physician Finder.
