Ever feel like your doctor is leaving something out when he talks to you? Or that he was a little too quick on the diagnosis? Or that maybe you had just better go get a second opinion? Well, don’t feel like you are the only one.
With all the problems associated today with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, doctors are more and more pushing to get us all on patent hypertension (blood pressure) medications. Since the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute issued new guidelines, people that for a long time were once considered well below normal (a 120 over 80 reading), are suddenly “pre-hypertensive”, essentially over night. And of course, one of the first things recommended by the so-called experts is more wide spread use of hypertension medications.
But most of the time, these ailments can be beaten without drugs. Even if you can’t totally avoid these medications, with the right natural measures, you can significantly lower the amounts you have to take. In many instances today, the old saying of “you are what you eat” holds true. It would do some good for everyone if we cut back on the cream sauces and those extra slices of pizza. In a lot of cases, adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole natural starches rather than a lot of protein could be your best bet. Just remember, this, like many other situations, is not for everyone. We are all different, and what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.
It has been shown over the years that vegetarians in their 60’s and 70’s had lower blood pressure than those that ate considerable amounts of protein. They also had better potassium-to-sodium ratio’s. But like everything, a vegetarian diet isn’t for everyone. And in fact, for some, it could cause more harm than good. Those that have a personal or family history of type 2 (adult onset) diabetes usually have insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia. This occurs when the pancreas overproduces insulin while trying to overcome insulin resistance.
Hyperinsulinemia is known to cause high blood pressure, but with some necessary diet changes, it can be brought under control. One of the most important changes that has to be made is the total elimination of sugar and refined carbohydrates, and a total
reduction of overall carbohydrate intake. It is very important to eliminate such starches as potatoes, beans, pasta, and grains. This diet pattern in not vegetarian, but it does help bring the hyperinsulinemia under control, and thus better regulating your blood pressure. A product called Glucobalance is very good at balancing out these areas, and one of the main ingredients in the formulation is chromium, which helps restore the cells response to insulin.
There are two other ingredients that you would be wise to add to your arsenal, and that is niacin and flax seed, or flax seed oil capsules. The niacin works in conjunction with the chromium by getting your cells to pay attention to the insulin again, and the flax seed helps your cells use the insulin. A little caution should be used when adding flax seed to your diet, as there has been some research that shows that it might contribute to prostrate cancer and cataracts. But it was never tested as a proprietary, stand alone supplement. It was always combined with other products, so this could render the findings invalid. But like everything in life, take it with moderation. If in doubt, always consult an expert in nutrition. If you are a male, you might want to have your “5=alpha-reductase” enzyme activity tested.
Another interesting finding is that hypertension could be a result of food allergies. Elimination of the allergies or desensitizing them can help lower blood pressure levels, though no one has yet been able to explain the connection. Contact a member of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (316-684-5500; www.aaem.com) to find a doctor in your area that can help with allergy screening. Here are some nutrients that, depending on your personal make-up, might make a difference in your hypertension.
1. Sodium. Researchers are finding more and more evidence that sodium restriction might not be the best for everyone. If you have high blood pressure, determine through trial and error whether or not salt restriction makes any difference in your situation.
2. Potassium. It may or may not reduce blood pressure, but it does reduce the risk of stroke, so adding potassium to your diet is a good choice, even if it doesn’t lower your actual blood pressure.
3. Calcium and magnesium. 1 gram of calcium daily can greatly reduce blood pressure by as much as 5 to 10 points, but if you
use calcium, marry it with magnesium, as it helps relax muscles, including those of the smaller blood vessels, helping dilate
them and improve blood flow.
4. Vitamin C. It lowers elevated blood pressure. It is recommended that 1 gram twice daily is sufficient.
5. Vitamin D. This vitamin achieves blood pressure lowering affects by addressing the one of the major causes of high blood
pressure – a substance called angiotensin II. It targets the very first step in the process, by persuading the genes that cause the production of renin to become less active. How much do you need? Experts agree that the safe upper limit is 10,000 IU daily. But the optimal target amount is whatever it takes to achieve a serum level of about 60 ng/ml. This means that everyone will have a different level of requirement.
So what does all this mean to you? It means that we all have different cellular layouts, and thus we have different requirements. Consulting a professional is the obvious way to go if you are going to start anything, and that is pretty much a
safe bet in any function of life that requires big changes. So whether you want to change your life enhancing diet, or change
your life style and monetary system. If you are ready to step up and take control of your life, and free yourself from the burden of working for someone else, or just want extra income, it is no longer a burden. Make the call, and find out how this can make a big change for you.