How Low Can You Go?
Natural Help For High Blood Pressure
One in four American adults – 50 million people – is affected by high blood pressure and many don’t even know they have it. Unfortunately, this is not a small matter. High blood pressure is painless, causing no warnings or symptoms, but is dubbed “The Silent Killer” because it greatly increases risk of heart and kidney disease and stroke.
As your heart pumps blood through your body, the blood pushes against artery walls with a force than can be measured as “blood pressure”. The reading is taken as two numbers – systolic pressure (when the heart beats) over diastolic pressure (relaxed heart between beats). Normal blood pressure is 120 to 129 over 80 to 84 or less. Anything over 140/90 is considered to be high and anything between normal and high is called “borderline” or “high-normal”.
It Can Be All In Your Head…
Blood pressure is closely linked to stress levels and lifestyle, so reducing and controlling stress is a major factor in normalizing blood pressure readings. Over 600 studies have been conducted in the past 30 years on the beneficial effects of Transcendental Meditation (known as TM) on blood pressure. A 1995 report in the journal Hypertension revealed that in a study group of 197 men and women, TM reduced systolic blood pressure by more than 10 points and diastolic blood pressure by more than 6 points.(1) Similar results have been recorded in studies based on yoga, Qigong and Tai Chi.(2)
Another study involved 204 British industrial workers and featured Biofeedback Training. After 8 weeks, the biofeedback group had drops in systolic and diastolic pressure of 19 and 10 points respectively. Eight months later, the patients had not only maintained the lower pressure, some had dropped further!(3) Even simpler, it is known that practicing slow breathing for 15 minutes a day – reducing your breathing to a relaxing 5 or 6 breaths per minute – will cause your blood pressure to fall.(4)
On the Cutting Edge
There’s also exciting news on the scientific front. Nobel Peace Winner, Louis J. Ignarro, PhD, of the University of California School of Medicine, showed that nitric oxide (NO) can actually prevent heart attacks and strokes. NO allows blood vessels to expand, which lowers the pressure. It also reduces arterial plaque (fatty deposits) by as much as 50% and lowers cholesterol by 10%-20%.(5)
Nitrous Oxide cannot be taken as a supplement because it is a gas, so the key is to use other supplements that enhance the production of NO in the blood vessels. A Mayo Clinic study found that the supplements L-arginine and L-citrulline were helpful in achieving this. (6)
Daily Habits Do Matter
Of course, when we consider any medical issue like blood pressure, which is related to lifestyle, we have to factor in diet and exercise. I know you’ve heard it all before, but there’s no substitute for a basic solid approach to health. You know what I’m talking about…
- Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies – fiber lowers blood pressure
- Cut back on saturated fat – it gets stuck in your arteries
- Reduce sodium and salty processed foods – sodium expands blood volume and increases blood pressure
- Limit caffeine and alcohol – both raise blood pressure
- Don’t smoke – smoking aggravates all cardiovascular conditions
- Add fish to your diet. Salmon and sardines are a rich source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which work to lower blood pressure
- Exercise a minimum of 20 minutes, 3 times per week – it really does stimulate nitric oxide production in the body
A Little Means A Lot
Here’s the best news of all – even a minor drop in blood pressure, say 2 points, will reduce the risk of stroke by 14% and heart disease by 6%. That may not sound like a lot, but it equates to saving 70,000 lives per year.(7) That’s a pretty hefty payoff for making a few healthy lifestyle adjustments!
Remember to discuss any changes to your diet or exercise and supplement program with your personal physician.
Sources
- Sorgen, Carol, “Treating Hypertension Naturally”, WebMD.com
- Weil, Andrew M.D., “Lower High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)”, drweil.com
- Lark, Susan, MD, “Address the hidden causes of High Blood Pressure”, searchhearthealth.com
- Fulton, Nancy, “Hypertension Training Techniques”, searchhearthealth.com
- Ignarro, LJ, PhD, “Nobel Prize Winner’s Breakthrough – Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke with Nitric Oxide”, drignarro.com
- Ignarro, LJ, PhD, “Nobel Prize Winner’s Breakthrough – Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke with Nitric Oxide”, drignarro.com
- Tennesen, M, Loecher, B, “Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally”, prevention.com 2/24/05
About the Author
Dr. Blankstein has been practicing for over 30 years as a leading Cardiologist. Trained in traditional medicine and Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, he knows the importance of good medical care. This consideration has allowed him to discover safe and natural ways of healing. His dedication to bringing the latest and best in health solutions to his patients and the public has given him the experience to research and develop proven natural remedies for many illnesses.
© 2009 Chesapeake Nutraceuticals
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