High Blood Pressure? Natural Alternatives Can Help!

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can lead= to stroke, enlarged heart, congestive heart failure, kidney and eye damage, atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries, and premature death.

According to a recent report released in The New England Journal of Medicine of 16,000 adults surveyed over the age of 24, nearly 30 percent had blood pressure of at least 140/90 and more than one-third of them were unaware of their condition.

Blood pressure refers to the force of the bloodstream against the walls of the arteries as they deliver blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Normal, healthy blood pressure ranges from about 110/80 to as high as 140/90. The higher number refers to systolic pressure, which is the hearts contractions. The second number, the diastolic pressure, measures the rests between heartbeats. Here are the categories to consider when evaluating blood pressure:

    Normal - Less than 140/90
    Borderline - 141/91 to 159/94
    High - 160/95 or more

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Although there are still questions about the roots of essential hypertension, many researchers name two culprits: The typical American diet and lifestyle factors. Following are 9 major factors that can contribute to this potentially deadly condition:

1. High-fat, high-sodium diet . . . Interestingly, vegetarians who normally eat a low-fat, low-sodium diet have a profoundly lower incidence of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

2. Fat imbalance . . . Too much saturated fat in the diet. We need more essential fatty acids to help clear the system of fat solids.

3. Nutritional deficiencies . . . People whose diets are low in potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C are at greater risk of hypertension.

4. Obesity (read 6 Proven Fast Weight Loss Tips )
. . . High blood pressure is almost six times more common among overweight people ages 20 to 44, and twice as common in those 45 to 74

5. Smoking . . . Chronic smoking decreases blood flow to the brain, increasing the risk of stroke.

6. Alcohol . . . Heavy drinking is another indicator of high blood pressure.

7. Stress . . . In many instances, stress can be the major factor causing high blood pressure.

8. Atherosclerosis . . . A buildup of fatty deposits can narrow the blood vessels, leading to a rise in blood pressure. The increased resistance means the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the body, placing it under strain.

9. High sugar intake . . . People who had more sugar in their diet had markedly increased blood pressure.

Anti-Hypertensive Diet Guidelines

The following recommendations can help you keep your blood pressure at healthier levels:

    Follow a low-fat diet.
    Increase your intake of potassium, magnesium and calcium.
    Reduce your intake of salt.
    Restrict your consumption of refined sugars.
    Exercise more often. Since excess body fat is a primary risk factor in hypertension, it is critical to maintain a healthy weight. The importance of regular exercise cannot be over-emphasized.

Essential Nutrient Intake
What you eat has a powerful influence on your blood pressure as well as almost every other aspect of your health.

For most people, the sodium/potassium ratio is more significant than sodium alone. We should be consuming about five times more potassium than sodium (5:1), but the typical American diet includes half as much potassiumas sodium (1:2).

By eating more POTASSIUM-rich foods, you can reverse the ratio and promote healthy blood pressure. Foods such as bananas, oranges, tangerines, beans, dried peas, and potatoes provide a wealth of natural potassium.
MAGNESIUM is another vital nutrient for blood pressure. It is believed that magnesium activates the bodys cellular membrane pump, which pumps sodium out and potassium into the cells. Some clinical trials have shown that magnesium supplementation reduces blood pressure. Magnesium- rich foods include nuts (especially almonds, cashews, and pecans), rice, bananas, potatoes, wheat germ, kidney and lima beans, peas, soy products, molasses, oat, bran, and fish.

CALCIUM is important. People with high blood pressure are advised to increase Calcium intake and to eat more calcium-rich foods such as nuts, salmon, sardines, low-fat dairy foods, watercress, kale, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens, and mustard greens.

Here is a list of other nutritional supplements that can help prevent high blood pressure:

    HAWTHORNE is an herb that has been shown to widen blood vessels, especially the coronary arteries.
    CAYENNE reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, which can lead to hypertension.
    VALERIAN has sedative activity, which has a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
    VITAMIN C supplementation has exerted a valuable blood-pressure-lowering effect in people by promoting the excretion of lead, which is linked to hypertension.
    COQ10 shows promise for hypertensives. Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient that naturally occurs in our bodies and can be supplemented to assure adequate daily intake.
    GARLIC helps reduce cholesterol as well as blood pressure.

Summary . . . The consequences of untreated high blood pressure are too serious to go untreated. By making smart choices about the foods you eat, the intake of beneficial nutritional factors and your exercise regimen, you can help control your own blood pressure.

By Roger Jirves

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Blood Pressure Guidelines - The Dos and The Don'ts

Blood pressure guidelines, if followed properly, can help immensely in maintaining normal blood pressure, keeping hypertension and its associated complications in check. Hypertension is distinguished by a marked rise in blood pressure, consistently over a long period of time. Hypertension can be differentiated into primary and secondary types, on the basis of duration and cause of the condition.

Primary hypertension persists over a longer period; it has no specific cause, but is a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Secondary hypertension is caused by mental stress and depression. In secondary hypertension, the blood pressure returns to normal as soon as the stress and depression are alleviated.

Hypertension is only detected after the associated symptoms appear, usually after extensive damage has been done to the body. So, effectively stopping the appearance of symptoms is akin to controlling hypertension, which needs to be the primary goal.

The symptoms of hypertension are extensive, including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, convulsions, confusion, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. Monitoring blood pressure is the most effective way of stopping the symptoms from appearing and controlling these conditions.

For controlling hypertension, your diet needs to undergo certain necessary changes. Foods having excess fat and cholesterol can cause a lot of health complications, and their consumption needs to be minimized. Healthy foods, including fresh fruits, should be consumed instead, in the form of juices and servings. Seven to nine servings of fruits should be eaten every day. Not more than 6 ounces of protein is recommended for daily consumption. Potassium containing foods should be substituted for sodium containing foods, as sodium is a known hypertensive agent. Caffeinated drinks, cigarettes, and alcohol should be abstained from, as they not only contribute to hypertension, but are harmful to vital organs. Over the counter drugs, which can add to hypertension, should be taken only on the recommendation of a physician. Use of prostaglandins and other NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), which increase the blood pressure, should be minimized as much as possible.

Overweight and obese people are more prone to hypertension. Reducing body weight is, therefore, an effective way of keeping blood pressure under control. Thirty minutes of vigorous exercise at least three times a week not only helps in losing weight, but also improves blood circulation, thus helping reducing hypertension.

To avoid the side-effects of anti-hypertensive drugs, home remedies can be used for keeping blood pressure under control. The use of garlic, green tea, oatmeal, dry beans and other herbs can help in controlling blood pressure, to a large extent. These suggestions are easy to follow, and come with a number of health benefits.

The application of blood pressure guidelines will make a difference between a person being comatose in a hospital bed, or being out in the wilderness, exploring new terrains and territories.

By Betty D Dawson

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