 |
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 . . . 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.Roger Jirves an authorized dealer of the Vitamin Power line of Quality Nutritional Supplements and personal care products.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Six National Nutrition Awards to Be Presented May 18Newswise (press release)Six national awards recognizing special achievement in sports nutrition will be presented on the evening of May 18 by the Collegiate & Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) to three sports registered dietitians (Sports RDs), ...and more » |
|
VIDEO: AMS Installs School Nutrition UpgradesPatch.comBy Robert Michaelson Danielle Collins talk school nutrition and technology upgrades. Amherst Middle School has upgraded both their school nutrition and technology with the installation of three new televisions in the cafeteria. |
Google News
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Four Important Nutrients - Vitamin E, Selenium, Sodium and Potassium - For Good Health
Vitamin EThere has been a lot of controversy about vitamin E lately. In the news last month, the news media was pushing a story that "Vitamin E can cause you to die.
Calcium: the Miracle Mineral
We've heard it not only once or twice or even thrice but a lot of times. If you want healthy bones and teeth then pack up on the Calcium intake.
Hidden Poison
Did you know that there might be poison in many of your favorite foods found on grocery store shelves everywhere? Breads, crackers, cookies, energy bars, tortillas, frozen pizza are just a few examples of these dangerous foods. The poison in these items is called partially hydrogenated fat, often referred to as trans-fatty acids.
The Meat You Eat: How Corporate Farming Has Endangered Americas Food Supply
Factory FarmingThe big names in American agriculture would like you to believe that your strip steak, salmon filet, scrambled eggs and bacon came from healthy, happy animals raised on good, old-fashioned family farms. But, as more Americans are coming to realize, behind those perfectly cellophane-wrapped meats, bright white eggs and plastic milk gallons are tales so gruesome and downright shocking that it's a surprise Hollywood has yet to make it a movie about it.
Nuts To You... Just One Way to a Healthy Heart
Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food. In addition to protein, carbohydrate, and fat, nuts contain many other important nutrients: fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, and magnesium.
Healing Power of 8 Sugars: An Amazing Breakthrough in Nutrition
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed.
Water - The Natural Choice
Proper hydration is extremely important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake for athletes, even the recreational kind, is essential to comfort, performance and safety.
The New Food Pyramid: Another Attempt At Providing Easy Answers
The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992, just experienced a major overhaul. Why? Perhaps proper education about nutrition isn't as easy as picking out food from a colorful chart.
Unhealthy Foods: How To Become Disgusted By Junk Foods That Make You Fat
With today's time constraints, stressful jobs, and "thin is in" mentality, the bottom line is that many people become overweight simply because they have no time to exercise. By the way, you already knew that.
Soytastic - The Health Benefits of Soy
It is often taken as a given fact that soy is beneficial to our health, and that it is certainly a healthier alternative to dairy products and meat. However, it is rare that anyone actually either asks or informs us of what soy is or why we should consume it.
The Glycemic Index and Dieting
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams, models, acronyms, and abbreviations; more than the average person can memorize. As such, one often comes across someone who has simply burnt out trying to keep track of how much to eat, when to eat it, how to find the calories from fat, the RDI, the DV, and so on.
What on Earth is an Enzyme?
Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything function, by enabling chemical reactions. All living cells contain enzymes.
Mangos: Treat Your Skin and Your Taste Buds
Mango is my favorite fruit next to pineapples. They're sweet, juicy and delicious.
Take Back Your Life 7
In parts 1-6 of this series of articles titled "Take Back Your Life", we discussed what could be considered the four wheels of the human wellness vehicle. We discussed the importance of proper cell function, the necessity of having and maintaining a balanced endocrine system, and the role of vitamins and minerals, including certain trace minerals as they relate to wellness, the value of antioxidants, the necessity of consuming plenty of enhanced water and what roles lactoferrin (Lf) and proline-rich peptide (PRP), which act to regulate and balance the immune system, play in helping to maintain a healthy body.
Ginger 4 Spleen - A Love Story!
For all I prefer to buy my fresh produce at a farm shop or farmers' market, I do appreciate the role that supermarkets have played in improving the variety in our diets, not to mention the convenience. Ginger, the root, is one of those foods that not too long ago, you would have to have hunted high and low for.
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.
Surrender To The Spell Of The Pyramid
Food in general has the distinction of being probably the
first thing we all think about in the mornings before our feet
hit the floor. The main reason for this is we cannot survive without it.
Getting Your Target
What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and yet most people have never thought about what their "target of health" actually looks like. If you and your family were healthy, what would it be like?
It is like this: Imagine you are shooting a bow and arrow at a definite target and you have no idea what the target is.
Why People Get Sick
The body is a marvelous creation, a carbon, oxygen combustion machine, constantly burning fuel, disposing of the waste products of combustion, and constantly rebuilding tissue by replacing worn out, dead cells with new, fresh ones.Every seven years virtually every cell in the body is replaced, some types of cells having a faster turnover rate than others, which means that over a seven year period several hundred pounds of dead cells must be digested (autolyzed) and eliminated.
Fat: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
When it comes to planning a healthy diet, fat is a complex subject. It's useful to understand some basic information.
|
