Hypertension
What Is It?
High blood pressure is the more common term for hypertension. If your blood pressure is over 150/90mmHg you have high blood pressure. Hypertension is divided into levels: Borderline is 120-160/90-94; mild is 140-160/95-104; moderate is 140-180/105-114; and severe is 160+/115+. If you are in the borderline to mild range, you can lower your blood pressure with diet and lifestyle changes. If you are in the moderate to severe range, see a licensed healthcare practitioner to determine if treatment beyond diet and lifestyle changes is necessary. Hypertension is known as the silent killer because there are usually no symptoms. Left untreated, it can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney damage.
Risk Factors
High blood pressure is largely related to lifestyle and eating habits. High coffee consumption, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, unmanaged stress and smoking are the primary lifestyle contributors. Obesity, too much red meat and other saturated fats, too much salt, calcium and fiber deficiency, too much sugar and auto-toxemia from constipation are other contributors to hypertension.
Dietary Considerations
- Increase the amount of plant foods you consume. Vegetarians generally have lower blood pressure than people who are non-vegetarian, and generally have much less incidence of heart disease and atherosclerosis.
- Some very good foods to eat include the following: Celery, garlic, onions, nuts and seeds or their oils for their essential fatty acids, cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, broccoli and citrus fruits.
- Include high-potassium foods like broccoli, bananas, dried fruits, potatoes, bell peppers, avocados, brown rice, celery, seafood, and leafy greens.
- Avoid refined foods, caffeine, salty, sugary, fried, fatty foods, prepared meats, heavy pastries and soft drinks. All of these cause potassium depletion and allow arterial plaque build-up.
Lifestyle Modifications
- Since stress can actually be the cause of high blood pressure, incorporation of a stress reduction technique into your life is imperative.
- Being overweight can also be the cause of high blood pressure. It is absolutely necessary to reach and maintain your ideal body weight.
- Exercise is a big part of the picture as well. Besides its benefits for blood pressure, it can also help with both stress reduction and weight loss.
- If you smoke, you need to stop. Smoking constricts blood vessels, making your heart work harder. It also aggravates high blood sugar levels.
Supplementation
For mild hypertension:
- A good high-potency multi-vitamin and mineral formula daily
- B complex 50mg
- Taurine – 2-3 grams
- 800 – 1,200 mg of magnesium a day
- 1,000 – 1,200 mg calcium daily
- 500 – 1,000 mg of Vitamin C three times a day
- 400 – 800 IU of Vitamin E daily
- EPA/DHA – 1,000-2,000 mg
- 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil (omega-3 oils) once a day.
- 1,200 mg of garlic (in capsules) a day or 4,000 mg of fresh garlic (about 4 good sized cloves)
- Hawthorn Berry capsules
- Cayenne pepper capsules
If there is no drop in blood pressure after following this therapeutic program (plus dietary and lifestyle suggestions) for 6 months, hypertensive medications may be necessary to bring blood pressure down.
For moderate hypertension, follow all the above suggestions and add:
- 50 mg of Coenzyme Q10 two to three times daily
- 500 – 1,500 mg Carnitine daily
- 100 – 250 mg of hawthorn extract three times daily
If blood pressure has not dropped below 140/105 within 3 months, consult a physician for an appropriate medication.
For severe hypertension: Drug intervention may be required in addition to all of the above measures. When blood pressure has been brought back to normal, it may be possible to taper off of the medication.
The nutritional suggestions in this material are not offered to treat, mitigate or cure disease, and should not be used as a substitute for sound medical advice. This information is designed to be used in conjunction with the services of a trained, licensed healthcare practitioner.