10 Signs of the “Silent Killer:” High Blood Pressure

healthcare worker taking someone's blood pressure
Photo by Thirdman
High blood pressure is known as the silent killer because it sneaks up on most people. However, just because high blood pressure doesn’t make a big fuss it doesn’t mean it’s harmless. When left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues. It was even found recently that untreated high blood pressure can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Needless to say, it’s no joke. Especially not for Latinos, who are “at an increased risk of hypertension-related disparities,” according to this research. To help you stay on your toes, here are 10 signs you might be dealing with high blood pressure. If any of these sound familiar, it might be time to schedule a little chat with your doctor:

You get frequent headaches

a woman in a red dress holding her hand to her facePhoto by Daniele La Rosa Messina on Unsplash

We all get headaches from time to time, but if you’re reaching for painkillers a little too often, high blood pressure might be the cause of that. The type of headache related to high blood pressure is usually described as a dull, throbbing sensation that just won’t quit. If that’s the way your frequent headaches feel, don’t brush it off or dismiss it as stress; it could be your blood pressure. Make an appointment with your doctor to clear things up!

You experience dizziness or lightheadedness

Visual representation of dizziness with a blurry photo

Photo by Robert Clark

Feeling a bit woozy when you stand up too quickly? Sure, it could just be that you got up too fast, but if dizziness is a regular part of your daily life, your blood pressure might be to blame. It’s a sign your body’s having a hard time keeping everything in balance, so if dizziness or lightheadedness are something you’re constantly experiencing, it’s time to get your blood pressure checked.

You get blurred vision

blurry photo

Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom

If you suddenly find yourself squinting at things that used to be crystal clear, it’s not just a sign you might need glasses. Blurred vision can be a sneaky symptom of high blood pressure, and that’s because it can affect the blood vessels in your eyes. Time to check both your vision and your blood pressure!

You experience shortness of breath

woman out of breath

Photo by Camargo Anthony

Feeling winded after climbing a few stairs or having a little dance, even though you’re not exactly running a marathon? High blood pressure can cause your heart to work overtime, leading to shortness of breath even when you’re doing mild physical activity. If you’re gasping for air more often than you’d like, it’s worth getting checked out.

You’re very familiar with fatigue

woman sleeping on her desk

Photo by Marcus Aurelius

Everyone’s tired nowadays, but if you’re feeling unusually exhausted despite getting your beauty sleep, your blood pressure could be a factor. Constantly elevated blood pressure can put a strain on your heart, leaving you feeling drained and sluggish. If this is how you feel more often than not, it could be more than just burnout, so it will do you well to see a doctor about it.

You have chest pain

woman with chest pain

Photo by Puwadon Sang-ngern

This one’s a bit more serious and shouldn’t be ignored. If you’re experiencing chest pain, especially if it’s along with any of the other symptoms on this list, seeing a doctor should be at the top of your list of priorities. Chest pain be a sign that your high blood pressure is putting a lot of extra strain on your heart, so you need to get that checked out as soon as possible.

You get nosebleeds very frequently

woman looking sick

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

A random nosebleed every once in a while might not be anything to worry about, but if you’re getting them frequently, it could be related to high blood pressure. This is not the most common symptom of high blood pressure, but it’s still a symptom everyone should be aware of just in case. If you’re getting nosebleeds quite often, talk to your doctor about it.

You feel pounding in your chest, neck, or ears

woman touching her neck

Photo by Tree of Life Seeds

Feeling like your heart is beating out of your chest? Or maybe you feel a pulse in your neck or ears? These things could be signs that your blood pressure is through the roof and you shouldn’t let it go unchecked.

You have blood spots in your eyes

woman's left eyePhoto by Hichem Dahmani on Unsplash

If you notice weird red spots in the whites of your eyes, you could be dealing with high blood pressure. These red spots are a sign that tiny blood vessels in your eyes have burst because your blood pressure was high. Make sure to get your eyes and your blood pressure checked if you have this symptom.

You often get confused or have trouble concentrating

woman looking confused

Photo by Mizuno K

If you’re finding it hard to focus or you’re feeling unusually confused, it might not just be your brain is tired. High blood pressure can affect your brain function, leading to trouble concentrating or even memory issues. If you’re experiencing a lot of that lately, don’t let it slide, and get yourself a doctor’s appointment.

High blood pressure may be sneaky, but you don’t have to let it catch you off guard. If any of these signs are ringing a bell, make some time to check in with your doctor. A simple blood pressure check can go a long way in staying healthy, so make sure to keep up with it. Your heart will thank you!

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).