Dietary Enigmas
asking questions about our diet
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Blood Pressure Vs Cholesterol
A high blood level of cholesterol, which damages the heart by clogging the arteries with plaque and fat deposits, is probably the number one contributing factor for heart disease. But high blood pressure (currently defined as anything above 140/90) comes in as a close second, also known as hypertension, it is often called the silent killer, because there are usually no symptoms.Hypertension can often be controlled with medication, but there are a number of other measures you can take that may help as well. You might want to experiment with some of the following to see how they work for you, but consult your doctor beforehand.
- Exercise — Specifically, aerobic exercise — that is, any activity that elevates your heart rate and keeps it there for a time — helps strengthen the heart, which means it can pump blood with less effort, thereby lowering blood pressure. Typically, your doctor might recommend running, jogging, swimming, biking or using gym machines such as treadmills or Stairmasters. You have to do it consistently to have an effect, though. Shoot for 30 minute sessions most days of the week.
- Reduce salt intake – High sodium intake raises blood pressure in two ways. First, it causes more fluid to be retained in blood vessels, forcing the heart to work harder. Second, it may also constrict the arterioles, blood vessels that help regulate blood flow and blood pressure. Sodium’s negative effect on blood pressure is not universal, but there’s no good test to determine who is salt sensitive and who isn’t, so doctors tend to recommend that folks with hypertension reduce their salt intake.Basically, this comes down to not adding salt to your meals as well as cutting out salty snacks. You may also need to check food labels for sodium content, since salt is in a lot of common foods you might not expect, such as breads and cheese, and lots of processed, pre-packaged foods in general. Usually, doctors recommend hypertensive patients keep salt intake down to under 2,400mg a day. (Note: You absolutely should not try to completely eliminate salt from your diet. A certain amount of sodium is necessary for proper functioning of muscles and nerves.)
- Quit smoking – If you smoke, you really need to quit, for a lot of reasons. In regard to hypertension, cigarettes and other tobacco products contain nicotine, which raises your heart rate while constricting blood vessels, which leads to a temporary rise in blood pressure.
- Lose weight – If you’re overweight, you can help reduce your blood pressure by slimming down. This goes hand in hand with aerobic exercise (see above), which is beneficial whether you’re overweight or not. Carrying extra weight only puts an unnecessary strain on your heart, and, therefore, hypertension.
- Reduce stress – A stressful lifestyle has been linked to hypertension. You can alleviate stress a number of ways. Exercise (see above) is effective, so is yoga, meditation, or even just kicking back with a good book.
- Natural supplements – There are a number of supplements available in health food stores that are reputed to be helpful in lowering blood pressure. These include:
- Garlic – Research shows that garlic can significantly lower blood pressure. See your doctor before using garlic supplements, though, as it can thin the blood to an unsafe degree if taken with certain medications.
- Fish Oil – Studies show that fish oil has a modest effect on blood pressure.
- Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – Studies indicate a relationship between lowered blood pressure and the regular ingestion of CoQ10 supplements. To get the best e mail me.
- Hawthorne – Long recommended for hypertension by practitioners of herbal medicine, studies have indeed shown hawthorne to help reduce diastolic blood pressure.
- Glyconutrients – These are plant sugars that provide the body with the ability to complete the code that is at the centre of every function of the body. Get this right and the rest may well correct itself.
- Water – this is so simple - if the blood is thick it is harder to pump and the result is higher blood pressure - ensure you are drinking 2 litres per day or more.
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Meditation » Blog Archive » Blood Pressure Vs Cholesterol said...
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