HEALTH INFO - High and Low Blood Pressure


HYPOTENSION - Low Blood Pressure

HYPERTENSION
This is the medical name for high blood pressure. It can be caused by many things including stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, anxiety & smoking.

There are a number of things you can do to help reduce your blood pressure; I recommend that you do this with support of your doctor or qualified health practitioner:

-Eat a more balanced diet, with less dairy & full fat products; less red meat (6oz a week is a good guide), & definitely cut out sugar. Read the labels of everything you buy to be aware of hidden sugars.

-Replace your usual cooking oil with organic, cold pressed olive oil

-Reduce your intake of salt, including peanuts, crisps, crackers & processed or junk foods.

-Some people have found that taking co-enzyme Q10 can help reduce high blood pressure, especially if they are on statins. Speak to your GP & health food shop for advice.

-Others also find that ensuring they get enough B complex vitamins is helpful. So either eat plenty of organic green leafy vegetables, or obtain a good quality supplement from your health food shop. Liquid vitamins are the best; followed by capsules, tablet form being the least effective & healthy option.

-Ensure you are absorbing enough calcium & eat plenty of raw green vegetables, artichokes & parsley. In one study conducted by DR McCarron, 45% of the subjects who were given a 1000mg/day calcium supplement normalised their blood pressure.

-Australian researchers have discovered that blood pressure can be reduced by increasing the fibre & protein in your diet. So long as you do not have a kidney disorder, increasing your intake of (organic where possible) fresh fruit & vegetables, & soya protein in particular, you may well be able to get your blood pressure under control.

-Quit smoking! There are support measures that can help, e.g. counselling, hypnotherapy, help lines, etc. see your GP, health practitioner or local library for details.

-Get fit. Again seek out local facilities which suit you for taking up exercise you enjoy. Go with a friend to give you both support. Reward yourself with something appropriate when you achieve goals & make these reasonable, i.e. start off with small steps & build up to a routine you enjoy. 20minutes of aerobic exercise, 3 times a week is the current government recommendation, but anything is an improvement.

-Get de-stressed! Research shows that if you counteract stressful situations with de-stressing activity, you will be less fraught, function better, & be healthier. So indulge in time out or a therapy that suits you on a regular basis. No need to feel guilty; everyone around you will prefer the more relaxed you, & you will be more healthy & have more energy to spend on yourself & others. Massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, reflexology to name but a few are all therapies that can help.

-Increase your consumption of garlic, cherries, strawberries, oranges, grapes, olives, wholegrain rice & rye.

-Cut down or cut out salt. Check all your food labels for hidden salt.

-Garlic & hawthorn are excellent & natural ways of controlling your blood pressure.

-Lavender, may chang & sweet marjoram essential oils all have hypotensive qualities, which means they help lower your blood pressure as well as reducing anxiety. Use them in a relaxing bath, burn them in an oil diffuser, or add them to an oil/cream & massage it into your body as part of your daily body care routine.

- Grapes may help reduce high blood pressure due to the flavenoids they contain. However, you would need to eat a large bunch daily, so as part of a balanced diet they would be a wise inclusion.
Based on a study at Michigan University (Journal of Gerontology &
Biological Science Medical Science)

HYPOTENSION

This is the medical term for low blood pressure. Again there are a number of reasons why this disorder can occur, including blood loss, coronary & heart disease, diet, sever infections, allergic reactions & acute abdominal conditions. Again I recommend seeking the support of your doctor or qualified medical practitioner in making any lifestyle changes.

-Drink 2-5 pints of water a day. Herbal teas count, but tea, coffee, pop, squash & alcohol don't.

-Thyme & rosemary essential oils are helpful, because they are hypertensives which help raise your blood pressure, so long as you are not pregnant. They can be inhaled, used in a bath, burned in an oil diffuser, or added to cream or oil as part of your daily healthcare routine.

-When you bathe, opt for cooler baths; hot ones can make you feel worse.

-Avoid faddy diets & eat a balanced diet; eating little & often can help keep your blood sugar levels balanced.

-Avoid sugar wherever possible. Check the labels on all your foods for hidden sugars.

-You may need to reduce your potassium intake, so go easy on potassium rich foods like bananas, salty snacks, dried fruit, nuts, potatoes. Opt for less processed foods.

-You may be deficient in choline & can be tested for this. Supplementation is recommended at 500-900mg/day. This is part of the vitamin B complex, & can be depleted if you are on the pill, HRT or drink excessive amounts of alcohol. They are also lost through cooking & processing food, so raw food or stir-fries are a healthy option.

-Other vitamin & mineral deficiencies may be worth exploring if none of this helps. See your GP for help.

- Taking the liquid iron formula "Floradix" can help to transport oxygen via your bloodstream more efficiently & ease symptoms like faintness, giddiness & tiredness. It doesn't have the side effects normally associated with iron tablets, as being a liquid, it is absorbed more efficiently.