By Daniel Nash

The Courier-Herald

The Bonney Lake Senior Center will host blood pressure checks from 10 a.m. to noon today, Wednesday. The check will be done by Gunther Ries, a volunteer from Multicare’s Celebrate Seniority program through Good Samaritan Hospital.

Ries comes from a long career in the medical field. He was an Army medic and has worked for the Red Cross as a first aid instructor.

He will keep a notecard for each participating senior for comparison against future checks.

The first step to good blood pressure is knowing your current blood pressure, Ries said.

“Once I know what the blood pressure is and some of the specific habits of the person I’m checking, I can give advice on how to change their lifestyle,” he said.

Each case is different and subject to factors such as medication and length of time an individual has had high blood pressure.

But Ries offered some general diet tips for maintaining good blood pressure.

“Always read the labels of any processed foods you buy,” he said. “Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, stay away from sweets.

“And don’t overeat. Eat because you are hungry, not because it is 12 p.m.”

For more information about today’s blood pressure check and future checks, call Multicare’s general information line at 1-800-342-9919.