A Natural Approach to High Blood Pressure
By guest blogger Julie Brannon, CPT
Listen to Your Body Those who pay attention to the body’s little whimpers that inevitably precede a big cry of “uncle” will fare better when dealing with high blood pressure. Clues will include shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness… these are all signs that pressure may be climbing. Remember, any kind of symptom you experience is your body’s way of communicating to you that something isn’t quite right. You are What You Eat Many cases of hypertension are caused by poor diet. In fact, eating processed and chemical-laden food is generally what opens the door to disease in the first place. We have to wake up and start making better choices. The body needs a balance of fresh whole “living” foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. I truly believe that deep down inside we all know how to eat healthy…. but many of us simply choose not to. Water, Water, Water Dehydration alone can raise pressure due to edema: this is where the body holds onto water because it’s just not getting enough! Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of pure, filtered water… every day. This will also help flush away toxins and keep kidneys healthy. Soda doesn’t count, nor do fruit juices, coffee or tea. In fact, if you’re taking caffeine in any form, this increases your need for water because these beverages dehydrate the body. Manage Stress We live in a fast-paced, high-pressure world…. and it’s killing us. It’s hard to completely escape it, but we can manage stress through vigorous exercise, yoga, tai chi…. even meditation. Many nutritional supplements also assist in stress management. Nervine herbs such as lemon balm, scullcap, passion flower, and valerian root work directly in the central nervous system to calm anxiety. The B-complex vitamins are essential because they nurture and balance function of the central nervous system. I particularly like the adaptogen herbs, such as ginseng, astragalus, and schizandra berry. These support adrenal function and help the body with a more balanced response to stress. Supplement Your Health Vitamin K2 Research findings show vitamin K2 is essential to both vascular health — and healthy bones. When we lack sufficient amounts of K2 minerals head for the arteries instead of the bone where they belong. This causes arteriosclerosis and has been linked to atherosclerosis… both culprits in hypertension. The body can convert some K1 –if you’re eating plenty of dark green leafy’s– but K2‘s benefit really comes about through metabolization by microorganisms in the gut. Antibiotics and blood-thinning agents de-activate K2 and any chronic digestive disorder will inhibit K2 absorption. If you’re on medications check with your doctor before starting K2 supplementation. B-Vitamins A good bit of research shows that the B-vitamins, including folic acid, B-6 and B-12, help reduce homocysteine levels. This is important because studies show high homocysteine levels as being associated with atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke. Studies also show these B-vitamins work better together than singly. Enzymes A lack of particular enzymes in the digestive tract makes blood “sticky” which causes the heart to work harder and can raise blood pressure. Taking digestive enzymes in supplement form at every meal will help prevent this sludging of the blood, as well as help prevent indigestion and serious disorders of the digestive tract. Supplemental digestive enzymes increase nutrient absorption and are absolutely vital to good health, particularly if you’re not eating enough raw fruits and vegetables. If you have high blood pressure and are looking for natural treatments, I strongly suggest you work with a skilled natural practitioner. If you are unable to do so and want to self- treat, I can’t stress this enough: do your own research! Just because your neighbor or Aunt Sally says you should take this or that doesn’t mean you should. There is plenty of data available to help you make an informed decision. In the meantime, here’s a short list of my favorites which are time-tested and shown to help reduce blood pressure: Omega 3 (fish oil) Ubiquinol (a highly absorbed form of Co-enzyme Q10 Garlic Lecithin Hawthorn berry Hibiscus flower Hypertension is preventable and can be easily treated with natural remedies. So do your homework and make a commitment to your health. If you won’t do it…. who will? —- Julie Brannon is a dedicated natural health practitioner and owner of Bailey’s Naturals Herbal Apothecary, in Safety Harbor, Florida. She is also an herbal medicine formulator, a frequent lecturer and guest on local TV, columnist for Destination Tampa Bay magazine, and member of a medical research team utilizing complimentary medical approaches to disorders of the brain. She can be reached at 727-725-1617.
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Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, has long been referred to as a “silent killer”. Mainly…. because it is. Sufferers often don’t realize what is happening until it’s too late. Here, I will offer sound strategies to help you prevent – or naturally treat – this silent killer.
