By Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder

If you are an “older Millennial” (around 35 to 43 years of age), it might be hard for you to believe that iconic rapper and producer Dr. Dre is nearly 60-years-old. You might also find it hard to believe that 60 is not old! Think about it. If we live to 100, which is possible, you spend exactly half of your life 50 and older. 

(109-Year-Old Independent Man Shares His Tips for Longevity. Listen Up!)

As a proud Baby Boomer, I plan on being proactive and maintaining my health as I get older. As always, the goal is not just longevity but happy and healthy longevity.

(When It Comes to Longevity, Quality Years Are What Really Count)

Dr. Dre recently went into detail about some serious health issues he experienced in 2021. While hospitalized for a brain aneurysm, he suffered three strokes. (To learn about the three main types of stroke, check out this pH Labs blog).

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This certainly was a wake up call for Dr. Dre, especially because he didn’t appear to be your “typical stroke victim.”

"I’m lifting weights, I’m running, I’m doing everything I can to keep myself healthy. I said, ‘Would that have prevented it if I had worked out a little bit harder or ate different or something like that?’ It’s like, no. That’s hereditary,” Dr. Dre shared, according to a report from NBC News.

What Dr. Dre is referring to as hereditary is his high blood pressure (hypertension), which is one of the main causes of a brain aneurysm and stroke. It appears that he was diagnosed with hypertension when he experienced this major scare in the hospital, and he was shocked by this diagnosis due to leading a healthy lifestyle, according to NBC News.

I have always preached that Your Genes Are Not Your Health Destiny! However, it is true that some people may be more prone to certain illnesses due to their genetic makeup. Furthermore, African Americans are significantly more likely to have high blood pressure. According to Stanford Medicine, hypertension is more common in this group compared to all other ethnic groups. 

So, between Dr. Dre’s ethnicity and genetic makeup, he really has to be proactive about his blood pressure. Because he discovered he was hypertensive when he was hospitalized, this leads me to believe that he was not one to monitor his blood pressure at home.

(Once Again, We See Why Monitoring Blood Pressure At Home Can Be Life-Saving)

(Two New Reasons to Check Your Blood Pressure!)

Fortunately, he now appears to be in very good health. In an Instagram post from just last month, he is pictured with other iconic rappers, including Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, posing with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Because people today can live to 100 and beyond, is hypertension inevitable at some point? Harvard Health Publishing discusses the Framingham Heart Study study in which researchers followed 1,300 participants between the ages of 55 to 65 who did not have hypertension at baseline.

“Their remarkable finding: the lifetime risk of developing hypertension was 90%. So even if you haven’t developed high blood pressure by middle age, chances are nine out of ten that you will at some point. This number is most likely so high because more of us are overweight and are living longer,” according to Harvard.

“So instead of being surprised if you are diagnosed with hypertension, it is actually more logical to be amazed if you never develop it. On an optimistic note, we have seen a decline in the frequency of severe hypertension.”

I don’t want this to make people complacent. I also think that it is attainable to be in your sixties and older and not have hypertension. This is all just to say that with longevity there can be health challenges, but you can be proactive and prevent them from becoming too severe and still live a quality life.

(If You Are Midlife, It’s Not Too Late to Work Towards Happy, Healthy Longevity)

There is so much you can do to maintain a healthy blood pressure such as exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, manage stress and follow a balanced, nutrient-dense diet, but I think this pH Labs blog in particular really gets into the details of how you can truly be proactive and some key differences between men and women when it comes to maintaining a healthy blood pressure. I highly recommend giving this blog a really good read and taking the time to consider lifestyle changes you may need to make. 

Also know that not getting enough sleep may significantly contribute to the development of hypertension.

(Good Sleep Can Be a Game Changer, Literally!)

It is also good to get a nutrition test to make sure you don’t have any imbalances or deficiencies that could contribute to making you hypertensive.

Enjoy your healthy life!