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High Blood Pressure
We hear a lot about High Blood Pressure. It is constantly in commercials, along with warnings about atherosclerosis. These two seem to go hand in hand. Not everyone with high blood pressure develops atherosclerosis, but it is something doctors begin watching for. So, why is it so pervasive? One of the sources I read said that over 50 million Americans are affected by this problem. The surprising statistic is that the so called ‘undeveloped’ cultures have hardly even heard of it. So, what could be causing it? The key to this is to look at what is recommended in reducing its impact.
This is one of those problems where almost everyone seems to agree. Even the medical profession says that dietary and lifestyle changes go a long way to reducing blood pressure. But it is also a problem that should not be taken lightly. High Blood Pressure can be a killer. If your doctor says your blood pressure is ‘getting a little high’, first make sure what he means by ‘little’. Then ask him if you can try diet and lifestyle changes before considering medications. If he looks panicky it may mean that your problem is more serious than he was letting on. In that case let him know you are still going to try the diet and lifestyle with the understanding that he will get you off the medications if you can lower your blood pressure without them.
Almost everyone agrees on the basics for lowering blood pressure, and in a lot of ways they are good things for everyone to do, no matter what the blood pressure meter says. You begin by taking better care of yourself. One author put together an acronym to help us remember the basics “REDS” which stands for Relax, Exercise, Diet and Salt. Let’s look at them in order.
Relax.This seems to be the theme song for our society today, because it is proving so hard to do. Our lives are packed full from morning until night, and for some of us an hour of television every night is the closest thing to relaxation that we get. Some studies have said that type of relaxation does more harm than good. So what are some good ways to relax? Spend time with pets and children. Studies have shown that spending time with loved ones, whether two or four legged can have a very big impact on blood pressure. They key with children is not to be in charge of them, just be observers. Prayer (or meditation) can be very calming. Another practice is EFT. To learn more about this go to www.emofree.com. Some people swear by a hot bath, or time in a sauna. If all else fails look for supplements such as chamomile, and valerian root. Lack of sleep has been shown to raise blood pressure. If this is one of your problems try Sweet Dream Strips.
Exercise regularly. This is where I found some mild divergence. Most of the resources emphasized ‘mild’ but Wayne Westcott, Ph.D, national strength-training consultant for the YMCA and the author of Building strength and Stamina: New Nautilus Training for total Fitness did s study that added strength training (weight lifting) to the normally recommended aerobic exercises. His study showed that adding the strength training significantly lowered resting blood pressure. All of the sources recommended a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week.
Diet. First let’s look at the negatives: Avoid all refined foods. Avoid white products such as sugar, flour, white potatoes. Avoid soft drinks, both regular and diet. Avoid margarines, shortening, and polyunsaturated fats such as corn oil. It goes without saying to avoid anything with the words ‘partially hydrogenated’ in the ingredients. Don’t smoke. Avoid excess alcohol. Cut back on caffeine. Cut back on fatty meats and full fat dairy products. Cut back on total calories.
That’s quite a list of negatives. Here are some positives to balance it out. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat more fiber. Get more Omega-3 fatty acids. Eat foods rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. If you can’t get enough of these three from your diets consider supplements. Drink plenty of good clean water. Dr. Don Colbert M.D. says that dehydration is the number one cause of high blood pressure, and the easiest remedy for it.
Salt. Salt does more in the body than people realize. It can not only increase the fluid content of the blood, thereby increasing the pressure, but it also depletes your body of other key minerals. These include potassium, magnesium and calcium. Potassium helps reduce the fluid volume in your blood. Magnesium helps relax the smooth muscles in your blood vessels. Calcium has the most effect on women, especially if their blood pressure problems began during pregnancy. Enriching Gifts Complete Vitamins Plus contains all of these in small amounts, as well as Coenzyme Q10, which other studies have shown to be helpful. If you need more than these amounts consider supplementing with Enriching Gifts Coral Life and individual sources of Magnesium and Potassium.
Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes will have a huge impact on your high blood pressure. Because the Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes clean the blood of undigested food and fibrous tissues we call ‘stress spicules’ which are caused by toxins, antibiotics, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, coffee and meat, it has a natural thinning effect on the blood. This will show up as a lowering of the blood pressure, and possibly being able to reduce medications.
Another product to look into is our Enriching Gifts Heart Algae. Although this will not necessarily have a direct impact on blood pressure it will strengthen your heart and vascular system. This will then in time tend to naturally lower your blood pressure.
Sources:
Nature’s Medicines by Gale Maleskey and the Editors of Prevention Health Books, copyright 1999 by Rodale Inc.
The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B. White MD and Steven Foster, copyright 2000 by Rodale Press
The Good Herb by Judith Benn Hurley, copyright 1995 by Judith Benn Hurley.
Enzymes the Fountain of Life by D.A Lopez, M.D., R.M Williams, M.D., Ph.D and K. Miehlke, M.D. copyrighted 1994 by the Neville Press Inc.
Blended Medicine Combining Mainstream and Alternative Therapies by Michael Castleman copyrighted 2000 by Michael Castleman.
Smart Choices in Alternative Medicine by Samuel Benjamin, M.D. copyrighted 1999 by Meredith Corporation.
Nutritional Microscopy Training by Ronald K. Schneider
(This information is not intended to serve as a prescription, or to diagnose, treat or replace the advice of your medical doctor. If you have any medical conditions or are taking prescription or non-prescription medications, consult your physician before altering or discounting the use of them.)
