Nutrition and Healing
  •  

Nutrition & Healing is intended to provide cutting-edge health information.
Nothing on this site should be interpreted as personal medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before changing anything related to your healthcare.

Friend, in my years of practice, I’ve had countless patients come to me concerned about their blood pressure. I’m no stranger to seeing those numbers spike and wondering if it’s time to consider new treatments.

But what if I told you that something as simple as how you’re sitting during your blood pressure check could be causing that spike?

I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count—patients getting their blood pressure measured with an arm casually resting on their lap, or even hanging at their side. And I’ve always wondered how much this impacts the readings.

Well, now we know. Thanks to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, it turns out that incorrect arm positioning during blood pressure measurements can lead to significantly higher readings.

In fact, the difference could be enough to misdiagnose you with hypertension and even prescribe unnecessary medications!

Here’s what the research says and how to ensure you’re getting an accurate reading every time.

The Arm Position Problem

The study, led by researchers from Johns Hopkins University, involved 133 adults who had their blood pressure measured in three different arm positions:

  1. Proper positioning with the arm supported on a desk at heart level (the standard).
  2. Arm resting on the lap—which overestimated blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg for both systolic and diastolic pressure.
  3. Arm hanging at the side, unsupported—which led to an even greater overestimation of 6.5 mm Hg for systolic and 4.4 mm Hg for diastolic pressure.

The takeaway? The wrong arm position can easily cause blood pressure readings to be off by as much as 6-10 mm Hg. That’s enough to push someone from a healthy range into hypertension territory, leading to a potential misdiagnosis.

And let’s face it, we’ve all been there—sitting on an exam table with our arm at our side, or casually resting our hand on our lap while the nurse takes our blood pressure. But as this study shows, those common habits can lead to dangerously inaccurate readings.

Why Accurate Blood Pressure Readings Matter

Blood pressure is one of the key indicators of your cardiovascular health, and getting it wrong can have serious consequences.

An overestimated blood pressure reading could lead to unnecessary medications, lifestyle changes, or additional tests. Worse yet, it can cause undue anxiety and worry.

On the other hand, underestimating blood pressure could mean missing the warning signs of serious conditions like hypertension or heart disease, delaying treatment when it’s needed most.

What You Can Do to Get the Right Reading

So how can you make sure your blood pressure readings are accurate? The key is proper positioning.

Here are a few tips to follow next time you’re getting your blood pressure checked:

  1. Support your arm at heart level: Always ensure that your arm is supported, with the cuff positioned at heart level. If you’re sitting, rest your arm on a desk or table.
  2. Avoid crossing your legs: Keep your feet flat on the floor with your back supported, and avoid crossing your legs, as this can affect your readings too.
  3. Stay calm: Take a few deep breaths and relax before the measurement. Stress can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure.

By paying attention to these small details, you can ensure that your blood pressure readings are as accurate as possible—and avoid any unnecessary worries about your heart health.

This research is a simple yet powerful reminder that small mistakes can lead to big consequences. When it comes to something as important as blood pressure, accuracy is everything.

So, next time you find yourself getting your blood pressure checked—whether at the doctor’s office or at home—remember to check your arm position. It’s an easy fix that could make all the difference in your health.

In case you missed it, here’s what else we’ve been chatting about this week in e-Tips:  

P.S. Big Pharma DOESN’T want you to know about this simple BP fix…

Sources:

Liu, H., Zhao, D., Sabit, A., et al. (2024, October 7). The ARMS Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial: Arm Position and Blood Pressure Readings. JAMA Internal Medicine. jamanetwork.com/

  • Want the latest news from Dr. Alan Inglis?

    Want daily emails from Dr. Inglis delivered to your inbox every day?

    Sign up below to receive Dr. Inglis’ free daily email service, e-Tips.

    Every day, you’ll get exclusive health secrets and disease breakthroughs that crush mainstream medicine’s best efforts.

    And they’re only available through Dr. Inglis’ Health e-Tips emails.


    How often do you eat eggs?

    Did you know it does THIS to senior brains?

    -Emily

    Are you taking one of these 9 "memory erasing" prescriptions?

    You may think your memory loss is just a sign of getting older, but one of these 9 drugs could actually be damaging your brain...

    These 9 prescription drugs have now been linked to Alzheimer's disease diagnoses.

    If you're over the age of 60, and you're taking even 1 of these 9 drugs, your brain could be at risk.

    Click here to learn more.

    MD Exposes the Link Between...
    SEX and CANCER in Men over 60

    If you make love at least once a month, please watch his urgent warning here.

    >>The top 6 secrets your doctor may not know about<<

    • Get a free copy of 5 Household Items that Cause Cancer

    By texting NAH to 844-539-1128, you are providing your electronic signature expressly consenting to be called and texted (including by prerecorded messages, using an autodialer, and/or automated means) with alerts, stories, reports, and marketing communications from NewMarket Health Publishing, LLC. and its authorized representatives at the phone number you provide, including landlines and wireless numbers, even if the phone number is on a corporate, state or national Do Not Call list. You also consent and unconditionally agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the arbitration provision and class action waiver contained therein. Msg&data rates may apply. 15 Msgs/Month. You are not required to agree to this as a condition of making a purchase.

    Terms & Conditions

    The following Terms and Conditions apply to your use of the website located at nutritionandhealing.com(the “website”) and any text messages that you send to or receive from the NewMarket Health, L.L.C. These Terms and Conditions constitute a binding agreement (“Agreement”) between you (“you”) NewMarket Health, L.L.C (“we”, “us”, etc.)  Please read these terms carefully. 

    By providing your telephone number to us, texting us a short code listed on the website, or otherwise indicate your agreement to these Terms and Conditions, you are agreeing to the mandatory arbitration provision and class action waiver below. 

    ARBITRATION IS MANDATORY AND THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY AND ALL DISPUTES RELATED TO THIS WEBSITE, THIS AGREEMENT, AND ANY TELEPHONE CALLS, EMAILS, OR TEXT MESSAGES THAT YOU RECEIVE FROM OR ON BEHALF OF US, UNLESS SPECIFIED BELOW OR UNLESS YOU OPT-OUT.

    Text Messaging and Telemarketing Terms and Conditions

    When you provide your telephone number on this website or send a text message to us with or from a short-code, you agree to receive alerts and communications, and marketing messages including those sent via automated telephone dialing system, text messages, SMS, MMS, and picture messages from NewMarket Health, L.L.C at the phone number you provide on this website or the phone number from which you text the short code, including on landlines and wireless numbers, even if the phone number is on a corporate, state or national Do Not Call list. You also agree to the mandatory arbitration provision and class action waiver below. Your consent is not required to purchase goods or services. Message & data rates may apply.

    You may opt-out at any time by texting the word STOP to the telephone number from which you receive the text messages.  Call 1-800-494-5726 to learn more.  By providing your telephone number, you agree to notify us of any changes to your telephone number and update your account us to reflect this change. Your carrier may charge you for text messages and telephone calls that you receive, or may prohibit or restrict certain mobile features, and certain mobile features may be incompatible with your carrier or mobile device. Contact your carrier with questions regarding these issues.

    Dispute Resolution by Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

    Any dispute relating in any way to telephone calls, emails, or text messages that you receive from or on behalf of NewMarket Health, L.L.C this website, or this Agreement (collectively “Disputes”) shall be submitted to confidential arbitration and shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the State of Maryland, excluding its conflict of law provisions.  For the avoidance of doubt, all claims arising under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and state telemarketing laws shall be considered “Disputes” that are subject to resolution by binding individual, confidential arbitration.

    If a Dispute arises under this Agreement, you agree to first contact us at 1-800-494-5726 or help@nutritionandhealing.com. Before formally submitting a Dispute to arbitration, you and we may choose to informally resolve the Dispute.  If any Dispute cannot be resolved informally, you agree that any and all Disputes, including the validity of this arbitration clause and class action waiver, shall be submitted to final and binding arbitration before a single arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) in a location convenient to you or telephonically. Either you or we may commence the arbitration process by submitting a written demand for arbitration with the AAA, and providing a copy to the other party.  The arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the AAA’s Commercial Dispute Resolutions Procedures, Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes, in effect at the time of submission of the demand for arbitration.  Except as may be required by law as determined by the arbitrator, no party or arbitrator may disclose the existence, content or results of any arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of both parties. NewMarket Health, L.L.C will pay all of the filing costs.  Without limiting the foregoing, YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE TO SUBMIT TO ARBITRATION ALL DISPUTES RELATING TO ANY TEXT MESSAGES OR TELEPHONE CALLS YOU RECEIVE FROM OR ON BEHALF OF US OR ANY ENTITY WITH WHOM WE MAY SHARE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.  Further, we both agree that all entities with whom we share your telephone numbers shall be third party beneficiaries of this Agreement to Arbitrate Disputes, and that those entities have the same rights as NewMarket Health, L.L.C to enforce this arbitration provision.

    Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shall not be subject to arbitration and may be adjudicated only in the state and federal courts of Maryland: (i) any dispute, controversy, or claim relating to or contesting the validity of our or one of our family company’s intellectual property rights and proprietary rights, including without limitation, patents, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, or trade secrets; (ii) an action by us for temporary or preliminary injunctive relief, whether prohibitive or mandatory, or other provisional relief; (iii) any legal action by us against a non-consumer; or (iv) interactions with governmental and regulatory authorities.  You expressly agree to refrain from bringing or joining any claims in any representative or class-wide capacity, including but not limited to bringing or joining any claims in any class action or any class-wide arbitration.

    The arbitrator’s award shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no arbitration under this Agreement may be joined to an arbitration involving any other party subject to this Agreement, whether through a class action, private attorney general proceeding, class arbitration proceedings or otherwise.

    YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HAD A RIGHT TO LITIGATE IN A COURT, TO HAVE A JUDGE OR JURY DECIDE YOUR CASE AND TO BE PARTY TO A CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION.  HOWEVER, YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO HAVE ANY CLAIMS DECIDED INDIVIDUALLY AND ONLY THROUGH ARBITRATION.  You shall have thirty (30) days from the earliest of the date that you visit the website, the date you submit information to us through the website, or the date that you send a text message to us, to opt out of this arbitration agreement, by contacting us by email at help@nutritionandhealing.com or by mail Nutrition and Healing, PO Box 913, Frederick, MD 21705-0913. If you do not opt out by the earliest of the date that you visit the website, the date you submit information to us through the website, or the date that you send a text message to us, then you are not eligible to opt out of this arbitration agreement.

    Electronic Signatures

    All information communicated on the website is considered an electronic communication.  When you communicate with us through or on the website, by text message or telephone, or via other forms of electronic media, such as e-mail, you are communicating with us electronically.  You agree that we may communicate electronically with you and that such communications, as well as notices, disclosures, agreements, and other communications that we provide to you electronically, are equivalent to communications in writing and shall have the same force and effect as if they were in writing and signed by the party sending the communication.

    You further acknowledge and agree that by clicking on a button labeled “ORDER NOW”, “SUBMIT”, “I ACCEPT”, “I AGREE”, “YES”, by texting a short code to us in response to a request on this website, or by clicking or similar links or buttons, you are submitting a legally binding electronic signature and are entering into a legally binding contract.  You acknowledge that your electronic submissions constitute your agreement and intent to be bound by this Agreement.  Pursuant to any applicable statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances or other laws, including without limitation the United States Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, P.L. 106-229 (the “E-Sign Act”) or other similar statutes, YOU HEREBY AGREE TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES, CONTRACTS, ORDERS AND OTHER RECORDS AND TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF NOTICES, POLICIES AND RECORDS OF TRANSACTIONS INITIATED OR COMPLETED THROUGH THE WEBSITE.  Furthermore, you hereby waive any rights or requirements under any statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances or other laws in any jurisdiction which require an original signature, delivery or retention of non-electronic records, or to payments or the granting of credits by other than electronic means You may receive a physical paper copy of this contract by contacting us at help@nutritionandhealing.com.

    Privacy Policy

    Please read our Privacy Policy , which is incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any conflict between these Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy, these Terms shall control.

    Contact Us

    You may contact us by telephone at 1-800-494-5726 or help@nutritionandhealing.com.