THE 7 PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS
October 15, 2026
TOY DRIVE 2026
November 12, 2026
HYPERTENSION: THE SILENT KILLER
A Health & Wellness Message for Inglewood and the South Bay
Why Hypertension Deserves Our Attention
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often called “the silent killer” because many people have it for years without experiencing noticeable symptoms. During that time, it can damage the heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels.
The good news is that high blood pressure can often be detected early and controlled with appropriate medical care and healthy lifestyle changes.
Too many people do not know their blood pressure numbers until they experience a serious health problem. A simple blood pressure check can be an important first step toward protecting your health and your future.
1. What Is Hypertension?
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps.
A blood pressure reading contains two numbers:
– Systolic pressure (top number): The pressure when your heart beats.
– Diastolic pressure (bottom number): The pressure when your heart rests between beats.For most adults, blood pressure categories are:
– Normal: Below 120/80
– Elevated: 120–129 systolic and below 80 diastolic
– High blood pressure, Stage 1: 130–139 systolic or 80–89 diastolic
– High blood pressure, Stage 2: 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic
– Severe hypertension: Higher than 180 systolic and/or higher than 120 diastolic
A healthcare professional can help determine whether you have hypertension based on appropriate measurements and your individual health circumstances.
One high reading does not necessarily mean you have hypertension. Repeated measurements and medical guidance are important.
2. Who Is at Risk?
Hypertension can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. Risk factors include:
– Age: Risk generally increases as we get older.
– Family history: Having close relatives with high blood pressure increases your risk.
– Race and ethnicity: Black adults in the United States experience a disproportionately high burden of hypertension and related complications.
– Diet: Eating too much sodium can increase blood pressure.
– Physical inactivity: Not getting enough exercise can increase risk.
– Excess weight: Extra weight can put additional strain on the heart.
– Chronic stress: Ongoing stress can contribute to unhealthy habits and elevated blood pressure.
– Smoking and tobacco use: These harm blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk.
– Excessive alcohol consumption: Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure.
– Other medical conditions: Diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep apnea are associated with increased risk.
You may be at risk even if you feel healthy. Knowing your family history and checking your blood pressure are important steps toward prevention.
3. What Are the Symptoms?
One of the most important facts about hypertension is that most people have no symptoms.
You can feel perfectly fine while your blood pressure is high. That is why waiting until you feel sick to get checked can be dangerous.
Severely elevated blood pressure may occur with symptoms, but symptoms alone cannot tell you whether your blood pressure is high.
Warning signs of a medical emergency include:
– Chest pain
– Shortness of breath
– Sudden weakness or numbness
– Difficulty speaking
– Sudden changes in vision
– Severe headache, especially with other concerning symptoms
Call 911 if you experience these symptoms, particularly if they are sudden or severe.
If your blood pressure is higher than 180 systolic and/or 120 diastolic, wait at least one minute and check again. If it remains that high and you have concerning symptoms, call 911. If it remains that high without symptoms, contact a healthcare professional immediately for urgent guidance.
Do not wait for symptoms before getting your blood pressure checked.
4. Why Is High Blood Pressure Dangerous?
When blood pressure remains too high for too long, it places extra strain on blood vessels and vital organs.
Uncontrolled hypertension can contribute to:
Heart disease and heart failure: The heart must work harder to pump blood, increasing the risk of damage and heart attacks.
Stroke: High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the brain and increase the risk of stroke.
Kidney disease: Damaged blood vessels can interfere with the kidneys’ ability to filter waste from the blood.
Vision problems: Hypertension can damage the small blood vessels in the eyes.
Other complications: Uncontrolled hypertension also increases the risk of other cardiovascular problems and premature death.
The good news is that identifying high blood pressure and keeping it under control can reduce the risk of many of these complications.
5. How Can We Prevent or Manage Hypertension?
Small, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference.
Eat heart-healthy foods. Enjoy fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious foods. Reduce excess sodium, processed meats, salty snacks, and heavily processed foods. A DASH-style eating plan can help lower blood pressure.
Move your body. Walking, dancing, gardening, and other activities count. If appropriate for your health, work toward approximately 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, starting at a comfortable pace.
Know your numbers. Get your blood pressure checked at a clinic, pharmacy, health fair, or with a properly fitted home monitor. Keep a record of your readings.
Manage stress. Make time for rest, adequate sleep, relaxation, and supportive relationships.
Avoid smoking and tobacco. These products harm blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk.
Limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol can raise blood pressure, particularly when consumed in excess.
Take prescribed medication as directed. Some people need medication in addition to lifestyle changes. Never stop or change prescribed medication without consulting your healthcare professional.
Ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist about medicines and supplements that may raise blood pressure. Certain decongestants and anti-inflammatory pain relievers can affect blood pressure.
6. How to Check Your Blood Pressure Correctly
For a more reliable reading:
1. Avoid smoking, caffeine, and exercise for 30 minutes beforehand.
2. Empty your bladder and sit quietly for at least five minutes.
3. Sit with your back supported, feet flat on the floor, and legs uncrossed.
4. Place the cuff on your bare upper arm and support your arm at heart level.
5. Take two readings about one minute apart and record both.
Use a validated automatic upper-arm monitor with the correct cuff size when checking at home.
Bring your readings and monitor to your healthcare appointment when possible.
7. Free and Low-Cost Healthcare Resources in Inglewood and the South Bay
Access to healthcare should not be a barrier to knowing your blood pressure numbers. The following organizations are starting points for community members who need screenings, primary care, or assistance finding affordable services.
Please call ahead to confirm current services, appointment availability, eligibility, and fees.
Curtis R. Tucker Health Center
Address: 123 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90301
Phone: (310) 419-5325
Website: https://dhs.lacounty.gov/
Ask about adult primary care, hypertension management, new-patient appointments, eligibility, and fees.
T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers
Address: 10321 Hawthorne Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90304
Phone: (323) 730-1920
Website: https://www.tohelpeveryone.
Ask about blood pressure screening, primary care, and discounted services for uninsured patients.
Venice Family Clinic – Inglewood South La Brea Health Center
Address: 1091 S. La Brea Ave., Inglewood, CA 90301
Phone: (310) 392-8636
Website: https://venicefamilyclinic.
Ask about affordable primary care, sliding-scale fees, and hypertension follow-up.
South Bay Family Health Care
Address: 2114 Artesia Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Website: https://venicefamilyclinic.
Contact the clinic to confirm its current location, telephone number, services, and sliding-scale fees.
211 LA — Community Resource Referrals
Phone: Dial 211
Website: https://211la.org/
Ask for free blood pressure screening events, community clinics, low-cost primary care, and assistance finding healthcare for uninsured residents in Inglewood or your South Bay community.
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Website: https://dhs.lacounty.gov/
Explore county healthcare services, primary care, and patient education. Ask about eligibility and enrollment assistance.
LA County Public Health — South Bay
Website: https://www.ph.lacounty.gov/
Contact the South Bay regional office to ask about current public health programs and community resources.
Medi-Cal and Health Coverage Assistance
Website: https://benefitscal.com/
Explore eligibility and apply for Medi-Cal and other assistance programs. Community clinics may also have staff who can help with enrollment.
Questions to Ask When Contacting a Clinic
– Do you offer free blood pressure checks?
– Do you accept patients without health insurance?
– Do you offer sliding-scale fees based on income?
– Can you help patients obtain affordable blood pressure medication?
– Do you offer follow-up appointments for hypertension?
A free screening is a valuable first step, but anyone with a high reading needs appropriate medical follow-up.
8. What If You Cannot Afford Medication or Medical Visits?
Please do not assume you must go without care because money is tight.
– Ask your clinic about sliding-scale fees or financial assistance.
– Ask whether generic versions of prescribed medications are available at a lower cost.
– Talk with your pharmacist or prescriber about medication assistance options.
– Ask about Medi-Cal eligibility and enrollment assistance.
– Do not skip doses, split pills, or stop medication to make a prescription last longer without professional guidance.
Controlling hypertension often requires consistent treatment. Finding an affordable, sustainable care plan is an important part of protecting your health.
9. Family History Matters: Protect the Next Generation
When hypertension runs in a family, it is important to talk openly about it.
Encourage relatives to know their blood pressure numbers and share relevant family medical history with their healthcare providers.
Consider making blood pressure screening part of family reunions, church gatherings, senior programs, neighborhood wellness days, and other community events.
The goal is not to frighten people. It is to empower them with information and make it easier to take action.
10. Trusted Resources for Additional Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
High blood pressure education: https://www.cdc.gov/high-
American Heart Association
Understanding blood pressure readings: https://www.heart.org/en/
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Healthcare information: https://dhs.lacounty.gov/
211 LA
Community health and social services: https://211la.org/
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A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM YOUR HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS CHAIR
A Message from the Heart: Get Tested. Know Your Numbers. Protect Your Life.
As your Healthcare and Wellness Chair, I want to share a message that is very personal to me.
I have lost several family members to complications associated with hypertension. Those losses have touched my heart and strengthened my commitment to educating others about the importance of taking care of their health.
I share this not to create fear, but to encourage awareness, prevention, and action.
High blood pressure can be silent. You may look healthy, feel fine, go to work every day, and take care of everyone around you without realizing that your blood pressure is putting your health at risk.
PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL SICK TO GET TESTED.
Make your health a priority. Know your numbers. Visit your healthcare provider, take your prescribed medication, ask questions, and make healthy changes one day at a time.
If you do not have health insurance or are concerned about the cost, please reach out to the community resources listed in this blog. There are organizations that may be able to help you find affordable care.
Let us encourage our parents, grandparents, siblings, children, friends, neighbors, and loved ones to get their blood pressure checked. Let us talk about hypertension openly and support one another in making healthier choices.
We cannot change what has happened to our loved ones, but we can use their memories to inspire greater awareness and help protect the people who are still here.
GET TESTED. KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. FOLLOW UP. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEART.
Your life matters, and your family needs you.
With care and commitment,
Delicia Mosley,
Healthcare and Wellness Chair
Health disclaimer: This blog is intended for general education and is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Anyone with concerns about blood pressure should consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Inglewood and South Bay, let’s make our health a priority. Get tested. Know your numbers. Spread the word!
