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| 28/05/2009
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Nigeria quotes USA high blood pressure studies

From www.nigerianbestforum.com

Using data from national health surveys and from the U.S. National Center the researchers estimated how many lives would be saved and deaths prevented if a risk factor were at the optimal level, creating what they called a comparative risk assessment. The optimal level for smoking, for instance, would be no smokers.

”We put these surveys of levels of these risk factors together with epidemiological studies that tell us how bad they are, and this led to estimates of the number of deaths that are caused by each risk factor,” Ezzati said.

Being overweight or being physically inactive each accounted for 1 in 10 deaths. The dietary risks associated with the highest risk of death were high salt intake, low omega-3 intake and high trans fat intake.

Dr. Ramachandran Vasan, chief of the section of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine and senior investigator for the Framingham Heart Study, said the researchers tried to quantify risk factors that included metabolic, dietary and lifestyle issues.

Their findings have ”a lot of public health importance,” he said. Vasan had no involvement with the study.

Ezzati agreed, saying the study results would show public health officials that ”efforts to reduce smoking and lower blood pressure seem to have run out of steam.”

Asked if the blood pressure risk factor was due to controlled or uncontrolled blood pressure, he said: ”Controlled is an arbitrary term. Many people [with high blood pressure] who are controlled [on medication] are still at risk, because it is still high.”

But Vasan said that, on an individual level, the study offers an important take-home point. ”It reinforces the idea that it‘s a good idea to stop smoking and to periodically visit your doctor to get your blood pressure and your cholesterol checked,” he said.

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Response: The problem with taking medication to control blood pressure is that it treats the symptoms and not the cause – which means you have to stay on them till death.

Other studies have shown that those on high pressure medications have a greater risk of heart disease and premature death.

So what’s worse – high blood pressure or the treatment?

The best response to high blood pressure is a change in lifestyle to get your body back in balance.

Category: hypertension dialogues | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| 21/05/2009
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Foods That Lower High Blood Pressure

From: www.romow.com

With all the horrible news that pops up every other day about how this food and that is bad for your blood pressure, it may seem hard to believe that you can actually lower blood pressure with some nutritional foods. The truth of the matter is that you can. Some foods will naturally lower your blood pressure. This does not mean that you can use this to replace medication, but it does help immensely with those that are borderline high. Also, it can enhance the effects of medicines for high blood pressure.

Here are a number of different foods that can lower blood pressure naturally:

Some of the best foods to lower high blood pressure are those that are high in calcium. Calcium has always been known to be a good thing for high blood pressure, and no food is better than skim milk. Skim milk gives you the good (calcium and vitamin D) without giving you the bad (tons of fat) Any other foods that are high in calcium are also usually great for lowering high blood pressure. These include almonds, sardines, and most leafy green veggies.

Some more great foods for lowering blood pressure include yellow corn, grains, apples, and grapefruit. These foods are wonderful because they contain another fantastic enemy of high blood pressure…magnesium. Yet another reason to eat your spinach as well.

High blood pressure is one of the few reasons that your doctor might advise that you enjoy a little chocolate. Dark chocolate is said to lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. Not many people that I know would have a problem taking some chocolate now and then for their blood pressure. This is not for everyone so be sure to check with your doctor to see if the benefits are higher than the risks for your particular medical situation.

Another important food factor in lowering blood pressure is potassium. Most people are aware that bananas are high in potassium, but do not realize there are a number of other delicious foods that are as well. They include watermelon, oranges, baked potatoes, and even zucchini. Omega three foods are also great for high blood pressure and include most of the oily fishes including tuna. Finally, garlic is long considered to be one of the best natural enemies of high blood pressure.

By sampling each of these foods on a regular basis and keeping them in moderation, you can help to get control of that high blood pressure. Take your medicine and watch your diet, and you will find that your blood pressure will respond in kind.

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Response:

This is some very sound advice on eating to lower your blood pressure.

To your list I would add oatmeal. One bowl a day. The most healthiest meal in the world! (And cheap).

For a complete guide on how to live well and eat healthy you can’t go wrong with Kevin Riley’s guide Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure

Category: hypertension dialogues | Tags: , , , , ,
| 19/05/2009
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Sensible advice to lower blood pressure

From: www.publishmyself.net/health-and-beauty/natural-remedies/lower-high-blood-pressure-what-your-doctor-didnt-tell-you/

Natural Cure for High Blood Pressure

According to research, exercise is one of the most effective ways to treat high-blood pressure. Doctors though don’t seem to be telling their patients about this connection. A recent study noted that two-thirds of doctors don’t take the time to tell their at-risk patients about what an important role exercise can play in their treatment.

One study showed that when patients increased their activity levels, 71 percent saw a drop in blood pressure. Even moderate exercise such as brisk walking can help. Walking certainly has helped me. I was diagnosed a few months ago with high blood pressure and given medication. After my second visit the doctor said if my blood pressure didn’t come down more, I would have to take additional medicine. I began walking briskly for about 30 minutes five times a week and my blood pressure has come down.

Italian researchers have found that listening to classical, Celtic or Indian music for just 30 minutes a day while concentrating on breathing may also help lower blood pressure. Doctors seem to think that the music helps you slow your breathing which can help you take in more oxygen.

Consuming small amounts of dark chocolate have also been found to be helpful. Don’t overdo because one of the other factors that really seems to affect blood pressure is your weight. If you are overweight even shedding a few pounds helps your entire body. For instance for every pound you lose, you take five pounds of stress off your knees.

Response:

Great to read some good commonsense advice about high blood pressure prevention and cures.

I would just add that along with the dark chocolate a glass of dark red wine everyday is good for the heart and lowering blood pressure.

For the best natural cure guide on the market check out Kevin Riley’s Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure

Category: hypertension dialogues | Tags: , , , , ,
| 16/05/2009
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Herpes link to hypertension?

From: http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/study-says-high-blood-pressure-could-be.html

Study Says High Blood Pressure could be caused by a Herpes Virus

It was of all things a herpes virus that was studied.  The virus is potentially responsible for irritating the blood vessels, which in turn leads to high imageblood pressure, along with fatty diets added in here too.  So perhaps everyone with herpes should have their blood pressure checked routinely, but everyone should do that anyway.

Vaccines and antiviral drugs could be a new way of treatment for Hypertension.  Several drug companies are working on the creation of a vaccine.  The connection between cholesterol with the virus also played an important role in the study as well.  BD

Response:

It might be the case that some cases of hypertension are caused by herpes infection. But I suspect that the vast majority of people with high blood pressure have never been infected with herpes.

No, the cause of hypertension for the majority of sufferers is considered ‘unknown’. Which probably means genetic factors are involved.

Regards,
Simon

Category: hypertension dialogues | Tags: , , ,
| 11/05/2009
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Lower blood pressure through exercise?

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

I live in Wales a mountainous country with plenty of hiking opportunities.

This morning I took a hike up the mountain on the other side of the valley and ejoyed the sun and blustry wind. I have been hiking up on the mountains a frew times a week over the past couple of months.

Two things to note:

  1. I don’t find it as tiring as a did, say, a month ago. My heart and lungs are adjusting to my new climbing hobby.
  2. After getting back home and taking a 20 minute rest (I live part way up a steep slope on the other side of the valley (Cwm Garw), I monitored my blood pressure expecting it to be high after such exertion. To my pleasant surprise my blood pressure quite low (for me).

It would seem that exercising my heart and lungs is contributing to lowering my bloob pressure. OK, maybe that’s not shocking groundbreaking news, but I had always considered myself quite fit previously. Maybe not!

Continued hikes are now on the agenda. Another piece of the jigsaw.

Category: hypertension dialogues | Tags: , , , ,
| 30/04/2009
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Alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure – faith and skeptism

I’m on two ‘alternative approaches’ to lowering my very high pressure.

One is largely diet-based gleaned from this book, “Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally, Safely & Without Drugs.” (I’ll put a link up in the side bar when I figure out how to.)

The other one is a bit more strange. Three exercises of both mental and physical nature. Nothing too hard. The first one is a kind of rhythmic walking for 10 minutes. The second is an emotional release/breathing exercise (25 minutes). And the third one is a deep relaxation exercise best performed in bed before one drifts off to sleep (also 25 minutes in duration).

These exercises are on audio and in a written transcript and are advertised and sold on the net by a Christian Goodman who has an address in Iceland.

But who is Christian Goodman and do his exercises really work? Time will tell. He’s not cheap. $49 if I remember correctly. When I first came across his site, product, and claims I thought ‘what a con!’.

But I signed up to his list and got the occasional alert to his blog entries. Seemed to be talking sense.

After one month of taking my daily prescribed medicine my blood pressure hadn’t drop one single point (192/120). I revisited Christian’s site and read it again and pondered. He gives a 2 month guarantee with his exercises. Either it works and your blood pressure is lowered. Or he’ll return every penny of the cost – no questions asked.

So I asked myself – what have I got to lose? If it works then living a longer and healthier life is definitely worth 50 bucks. If it doesn’t work – it want cost me anything but time trying it out.

So I got it about three weeks ago. I’ve been pretty faithful and doing the exercises every day. Has it worked? Maybe. My pressure is lower (150 -165 range) but that could be to change in diet as well.

So the verdict is out for the moment. If my blood pressure drops below, say 140 before the trial 8 weeks is up I’ll let him keep my money. If not I’ll ask for it back.

I think they are good exercises. I don’t think he’s a con. But that doesn’t mean the exercises will for everyone every time.

I’ll put a link to his website on the bar to the right also.

As an end note, I want to mention another site I came across that uses special audio tapes you breath along with to slow your breathe and lower your blood pressure. They have samples and I tried them out. Seems to work. My blood pressure dropped to 130 / 90 for the first time in probably many. many years. I’m not convinced the lower blood pressure will last more than a hour or so. (You see I’m a very skeptical person.) But it’s definitely worth a check out. I’ll try to paste a link to them also.

Chow for now,
Simon

Category: high blood pressure solutions | Tags: , , , , , ,
 
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