A Cure for the Common Company

6More Than My Love Handles: Culture Connection Points

WHEN I WAS SOMEWHERE IN my mid‐forties, my doctor said he'd like me to start a medication to lower my blood pressure. I was sitting on one of those super comfortable exam tables in my super comfortable paper gown. It was one of those times when the voice in my head was saying, “This just got real.” I had a few elevated readings previously. Nothing dramatic and there were certainly enough normal readings in between for me not to be concerned. Then again, most of us don't want to believe that we might not be as healthy as we think.

As with most concerning messages I receive about my health, I paused to appreciate that I could influence my path and not accept the fate of a prescription. I politely declined and asked for a grace period. I had already transitioned to a vegan diet (with a side of chocolate) and shed a pinch off my waist.

Almost half of adult Americans have hypertension, so why should I have been surprised?¹ For starters, I don't smoke, I don't drink, I exercise regularly, and I eat healthier than most. However, I hadn't yet addressed my stress and poor sleep, significant contributors to my elevated blood pressure and frankly overall well‐being. A few more tweaks, I told myself, and my blood pressure would be fine.

Employers should be concerned as well. Not only is hypertension likely the most common chronic disease among your workforce, but it is also among the costliest. The risks for hypertension, (i.e., excess ...