We can often tell when someone has a cold; they sniff, cough and sneeze. We then have an expectation that our friends will share their own person antidotes from warm water, honey and a splash of whiskey to high potency Vit C (USANA Poly C) daily for 5 days.
Either way, with a cold, we can feel it, and we’re aware to take some steps to shorten the life cycle.
But what about High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) it’s often called the Silent Killer because we can’t feel it, we can’t see it, yet the effects on the body if left untreated, can be fatal.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
The exact causes of blood pressure aren’t yet fully known and many scientific trials are still being conducted within this area to categorically locate the primary reasons for High Blood Pressure, but researchers are certain that the below factors can lead to elevated blood pressure.
Smoking and Drinking
Overweight or Obese
Diabetes
A high sodium (salt) diet
Genetic history of hypertension
Prolonged stressful situations
Kidney disease
Insufficient intake of Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium
It was once thought that Hypertension was a result of ones lifestyle; yet we now know that you are more likely to have high blood pressure if previous family members have suffered hypertension yet the effects and damage can be minimized if early intervention has been reached.
What’s Important? The Top or Bottom Number?
The top number represents the systolic blood pressure; this is when the heart is at its most pressured point because it’s responsible to pushing the blood around the body – so as the heart beats, the pressure goes up.
The bottom figure is the diastolic blood pressure, or the lower of the two pressure points as it’s between the two heartbeats – so when the heart relaxes, the pressure drops.
The top number is what generally indicates the risk of stroke or heart disease, and if it sits higher than the recommended level, you may need treatment.
However there are some exceptions where diastolic pressure is more important as risk assessment for disease than systolic pressure depending on the person’s age. If they are young, the chances of developing heart disease or stroke is less than a person who is over the age of 50 years.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke by damaging and weakening the blood vessels leading into the brain resulting in elevated risk of stroke and blood clots, so managing blood pressure is a wise decision at any age.
How To Decrease High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
If you have a family history of high blood pressure and you’re aware of it early on in life, you should be able to manage it naturally and without medication and adopting a healthy lifestyle will become a habit and it will go on to serve you later on down the track.
If you have become aware that your blood pressure is elevated later on in life your Doctor may suggest medication to help lower the risk of stroke. But moving towards a healthier lifestyle will also be of benefit.
Regular Exercise
One approach to living a longer more quality life whether you have high blood pressure or not, is regular exercise. Regular exercise has proven to lower elevated blood pressure as well as reducing your risk of disease and cancer.
Regular exercise is 30 to 45 minutes of exercise 5 to 6 times per week.
There’s an old saying: ‘People who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.
I can’t stress exercise enough and the benefits of longevity, health and wellness.
Reduce Weight
Being overweight can have a negative effect on your health over time, one being blood pressure. One of the side effects of exercise is weighing less so the first 2 most common ways to lessen high blood pressure is to review your day-to-day intake of food and to exercise and by doing so, you will lower your weight.
This has proven to be the most effective for managing your elevated blood pressure.
Keep a Food Diary and Review your Food Intake
Over the course of my career I have noticed that most people are not aware of their food intake. This can lead to gaining unwanted pounds over the course of a year. A food diary is a simple and effective way to review the types and amount of food you have.
We are so busy today; food manufactures are making foods to suit our needs – convenient based snack options. These convenient based foods often have a high salt levels and by being aware of the food you are snacking on throughout the day can help lower your overall salt intake and help you lower your weight therefore reducing blood pressure.
I encourage people to enlist the help of a Qualified Nutritionist or Dietician to offer advice on how to improve your diet and manage blood pressure.
The JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) stated after years of research into the quality of our foods and farming practices said:
‘…It’s become apparent, we cannot get all our spectrum of nutrients from food alone and all adults need to take a good multi-vitamin’.
Good supplementation has had a profound effect on some of the most serious of illnesses, one being Blood Pressure.
In one of the longest studies in history, the Nurses Study found some interesting results with Calcium and Magnesium Supplementation and Hypertension.
Those taking 800mg Calcium a day had 22% less instances of high blood pressure than those who took less than 400mg per day.
Those taking more than 300mg Magnesium per day had 23% less, than those taking 200mg of magnesium.
Those taking both Calcium and Magnesium had a 45% reduction in developing hypertension.
Remembering the important feature of hypertension is not just the elevated reading on the sphygmomanometer, but how the elevated levels go on to develop heart disease and stroke.
Therefore above I mentioned the importance of diet and exercise. If you follow on with good quality pharmaceutical grade supplementation, you will have a better chance at lowering your high blood pressure naturally and will continue to have a longer, more quality life ahead.
As with all serious illnesses, consulting your Doctor for alternative treatments is advised.
To Order Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium with the correct nutrient profile and balance for complete disintegration, I recommend the following website.
Pharmaceutical Grade Calcium and Magnesium - USANA MagneCal D
Dale Folland Nutritionist.