WHY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE ISN’T A DISEASE
August 13, 2018 by admin
Filed under Health Blog
Most people would be aware that high blood pressure is harmful to the body and may put you at higher risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious cardiovascular events if left untreated.
Therefore, high blood pressure is not a condition that should be ignored but are anti-hypertensive drugs always the answer? (Note: Anti-hypertensive drugs are designed to lower blood pressure).
Most medications have potential side effects and long-term effects on the body but sometimes they are necessary, depending on the person’s health problems or disease.
The thing is though, high blood pressure is a condition or a symptom of an underlying cause – it is not a disease in itself.
And the problem is, that the underlying causes of a patient’s hypertension are never explored by some doctors.
Now, I’m not suggesting that anti-hypertensive drugs should not be taken when needed. I’m sure that in many cases, these drugs saves lives!
But in my clinical experience, these medications are frequently the first line of therapy, whereas, in my opinion, they should generally be the last (depending on the person’s individual circumstances).
And, in all the years I’ve been in practice, I’ve found that most of my clients didn’t need to take anti-hypertensive drugs, if they followed the right wellbeing program that was designed specifically for them.
THE NATUROPATHIC WAY TO REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE
Firstly, you need to identify the underlying cause(s) of your high blood pressure.
A good health practitioner will take an extensive case history of your current and past health, which should allow them to recognize the most appropriate tests to refer you for. If the results of the initial tests do not detect the cause(s) then they should refer you for further tests until the cause(s) are identified. In rare cases, no cause can be found but, in my clinical experience, this is generally not the case.
Secondly, to reduce blood pressure, you need to consume a healthy diet that’s right for you!1
Thirdly, you may need to take high-quality supplements2 that are clinically effective in reducing blood pressure. These may include zinc, magnesium, potassium, co-enzyme Q10 and vitamins C, D, and E and some of the B vitamins, especially folate, B2 and B6 – if they are appropriate for your individual needs. Other antioxidants may also be required to reduce your blood pressure, depending on your unique requirements*.
These nutrients will not be appropriate for everyone so it is important to consult your Naturopathic Practitioner or other Health Care Practitioner to see which nutrients your body requires.
There are also a number of herbal medicines that have a proven effect on reducing blood pressure. These include Crataegus and Dan Shen, among others, which can work in synergy together.
BEYOND DIET AND SUPPLEMENTS
Research has shown that there are specific genetic polymorphisms that can cause cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure. However, research has also shown that these genes can be ‘turned off’ by taking specific nutrient therapies.
By preventing these genes from being expressed, you may be able to significantly reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular disease and many other forms of serious illness. If you have a family history of heart attacks or strokes it may be worthwhile getting tested for these genetic vulnerabilities. These tests can be simple to perform but may be life-saving. Please discuss these tests with your Naturopathic Practitioner or other Health Care Practitioner.
In many cases, regular exercise, such as a 30- minute brisk daily walk, can also help reduce blood pressure if you don’t have any health problems that prevent you from participating in exercise*.
Losing excessive weight may also help normalize your blood pressure, so it is important to follow the correct diet for your unique biological needs*. This can not only help you to achieve a healthier cardiovascular system but it may also reduce the strain on your joints and improve your general health and wellbeing.
Elevated glucose levels are a common contributor to high blood pressure but following a healthier lifestyle, as outlined above, and taking the correct supplements, can usually address this condition*.
Reducing salt may also help reduce blood pressure in some people, but not everyone responds positively to a reduction in dietary salt. Nonetheless, reducing salt in the diet is usually required for good general health 3 but as hypertension has a large range of potential causes, it may not make any difference.
Interestingly though, salt cravings can be due to a zinc deficiency so if this is the case for you, reducing salt in your diet will not address this problem. It may be equally important to achieve and maintain adequate amounts of vitamin B6 and selenium, as these are important cofactors of zinc*.
Furthermore, zinc deficiency can cause atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries) which increases heart attack and stroke risk.
Yet ACE inhibitors, Vasodilators and Diuretics, which are commonly prescribed for patients with hypertension – can deplete zinc levels in the body!
If you are taking any of these medications, I would recommend that you consult your Naturopathic Practitioner or other Health Care Practitioner to see if zinc supplementation4 is appropriate for your requirements.
Low zinc levels can also allow copper levels to increase unabated in the body. As high copper levels are responsible for increasing leptin levels, a very harmful cycle can be created: Chronically high leptin levels cause persistent hunger!
And, it gets worse: Chronically elevated leptin levels can cause the fat cells to produce even more leptin – resulting in leptin resistance5 and obesity which, in turn, can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes and, you guessed it – high blood pressure!
So, as you can see, reducing high blood pressure may not be as straightforward as simply popping a pill or two.
However, it doesn’t need to be difficult either. And addressing the condition in a more holistic manner by taking your whole body into consideration and resolving the real causes of your high blood pressure (which are different for each person) – can usually provide the best treatment outcomes.
When the proper tests are carried out to identify the causes of your hypertension, and safe and effective lifestyle changes are made and (if necessary) naturopathic formulas are taken to treat the causes, it may truly change your total health and wellbeing: both short-term and long-term.
Therefore, if you are suffering from high blood pressure, it is always best to consult a practitioner that considers your ‘whole health’ so that you can work together to not only achieve normal blood pressure but significantly improve your entire wellbeing.
The aim of good healthcare should always be to assist your body in repairing itself and to give you a much better-quality life and prevent disease. If your practitioner doesn’t appear to have these goals, it may be best to find one that does.
Notes
- Many people are eating a diet that they believe is healthy (based on current media) but often the diet is causing inflammation in their body (and therefore causing symptoms) because their biological needs are different to others.
- Many supplements available in shops or off the internet will not provide any health benefits and/or may even be detrimental to your health. This is due to the cheap, harmful fillers contained in some of these products; the types of compounds they are (which may not be bioavailable to the body); the lack of therapeutic levels of particular nutrients, and other reasons.
- High salt intake can also increase iron storage levels (ferritin) which can be detrimental to your health.
- Certain forms of Zinc are not absorbed by the body and will not address a zinc deficiency. Please consult your practitioner about the safest and most effective forms of zinc supplementation.
- When the body is in balance, leptin (which is a hormone produced by fat tissue) controls appetite by signaling to your brain that you are full. But, in an overweight body that has been biochemically and metabolically imbalanced for some time, leptin resistance can develop (where circulating leptin levels are in excess thus reducing the brain’s sensitivity to leptin) and the signals of fullness no longer occur in the brain – resulting in a tendency to overeat.
*Please consult your Naturopathic Practitioner or other Health Care Practitioner for personal advice about your health care requirements. This information may not be appropriate for you.
If you would like to receive advice on hypertension and naturopathic health care for your individual requirements please consult me for personal advice. I consult via phone, skype and in-person by appointment.**
Yours in Great Health,
Sar Rooney BHSc., ND., DC., DASc., GDSc. (Hons), MATMS, MHATO
Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner, Lecturer, Researcher & Counsellor
Sar has advanced qualifications in the health sciences and naturopathic medicine and is an accomplished lecturer, practitioner & counsellor with 25 years clinical experience.
Clinical focus is: Anxiety & Depression | Women’s Health | Chronic Fatigue | Hormonal Imbalances | Thyroid Disorders | Digestive Health | Autoimmune Disease | Genetic Polymorphisms & Nutrigenomics | Nutritional Medicine | Counselling | Optimal Wellness & Disease Prevention with a Clinical Focus on Identifying & Resolving the Underlying Causes of Symptoms and Disease.
Earth Medicine TM
Email: [email protected]
FB: http://www.facebook.com/EarthMedicineHealth
Science-Based Naturopathic Health Care to help you achieve optimal wellness, calm and contented mental health, high vitality and disease prevention with personalised naturopathic health care, specialized clinical pathology testing and high-quality naturopathic medicines. Professional counselling services are also available.
Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
If you know someone who you think may benefit from this information, please share this article with them. This article is © Copyright Sar Rooney. All Rights Reserved World-Wide. This article may be shared with others as long as it is shared in its entirety, including a clear attribution to Sar Rooney and a link to the Earth Medicine website: www.earthmedicine.com
**Due to time limitations, consultations are only offered to Australian residents.
