This one is for you, Phyllis - thanks for idea. There is much one can do through lifestyle alone that can improve blood pressure and therefore health and well-being. First of all, what IS blood pressure exactly? Your doctor tells you two numbers, say 130 over 80 - what do they mean? The first or top number is the pressure or force the blood is exerting on the walls of the artery while the heart is contracting to push blood through the circulatory system, and the bottom number is the pressure or force the blood is exerting on the walls of the artery when the heart is relaxing between beats, and filling up with blood. So, if the pressure is high, it means the arteries may be constricted or possibly partially blocked, which is why blood pressure is an easy way to detect potential cardiovascular risk factors. The bottom number is particularly telling, because if that number is higher than it should be when the heart is between beats, it is likely there is a problem. "Normal" blood pressure is considered to be 120/80, and most people get put on medication if their blood pressure rises to 140/90. Here is the Cole's Notes version for lowering blood pressure naturally. For more info on each, click through the links.
There are two mechanisms by which eating too much sugar and flour (which the body treats as sugar) increases blood pressure. First, diets high in refined sugar and starch cause a greater insulin response, which I have discussed at great length in other posts. High insulin increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, all of which increases blood pressure. So, eat no added sugar and refined carbohydrate, lower the insulin response, lower the blood pressure. I think that doctors that study their patient data have probably noticed that frequently high blood-pressure patients also have higher insulin levels. The other way in which eating easily digestible and refined carbohydrates increases blood pressure is by causing the kidneys to retain salt. The body then retains water in order to keep the blood sodium concentration constant. So water is not necessarily retained by consuming too much sodium, but rather by the easily digestible carbohydrates stopping the excretion of the sodium which is already there. So, stop eating the added sugar and flour products, the kidneys stop retaining salt, the body stops retaining water. A much healthier diuretic than a drug! Another idea that can work is seeking out Bemer Therapy, which improves microcirculation. Once capillary beds are open, less pressure is required to push the blood through the circulatory system. A Bemer is a mat which one lies on, and it uses pulsed electromagnetic fields to improve microcirculation - arterial, venous, lymph circulation. The EMFs are very low - between AM and FM radio signals, and definitely lower than what cell phones emit. In addition to improving blood pressure, improved microcirculation also helps nutrition get to cells, and waste leave cells, and may reduce external pressure on arteries and veins caused by edema, by getting lymph to flow as well. If you want to actually see the impact of Bemer Therapy on improving microcirculation please watch this short video. Unblocking a blood vessel with Bemer. If you want to try Bemer therapy, google your home town and Bemer, to find out where you can go to give it a try, and if you are considering getting a Bemer for home, please reply to this email. Please do keep the comments coming on my blog. If you want to share this article, scroll to the very bottom and click the "share" icon to post on Facebook, Twitter etc. If you want to subscribe or search for other posts by title or by topic, go to www.wellnesstips.ca. Related Tips: Obesity - a behavioural or a metabolic issue? Insulin, our storage hormone Which salt is the healthiest? Stress and cardiovascular disease How we become over-fat Obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes - what does history tell us? Exercise intensity and over-training Customized nutrition Taubes, Gary Good Calories Bad Calories Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2007. Batmanghelidj, F. MD Your Body’s Many Cries For Water, Global Health Solutions, Vienna, VA., USA, 1997. Formby and Wiley; Lights Out! Sugar, Sleep and Survival Books, New York, NY, 2000 Online www.chekinstitute.com Balancing the autonomic nervous system Kim CH et al. The impact of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on blood pressure and circulating nitric oxide levels: a double blind, randomized study in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Blood Press. 2019 Aug 8:1-8. doi: 10.1080/08037051.2019.1649591. Bohn W, Hess L, Burger R. The effects of the "physical BEMER® vascular therapy", a method for the physical stimulation of the vasomotion of precapillary microvessels in case of impaired microcirculation, on sleep, pain and quality of life of patients with different clinical pictures on the basis of three scientifically validated scales. J Complement Integr Med. 2013;10(Suppl):S5-12, S5-13. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2013-0037. Copyright Vreni Gurd 2008/2019 www.wellnesstips.ca |
Stay young, functional and pain-free! Are movement restrictions impacting your life? What can't you do now that you would like to be able to do again? Are you blaming your age for these limitations? Yet many people your age are moving well, so is that belief really true? If age were the reason, everyone would have the same movement problems at the same age. Is pain the reason for the lack of ability or is lack of ability the reason for pain? Often pain is due to being too tight or too weak. Our muscles have tightened up so we can't bent our knees, reach our arms or twist as far as we used to. We lose strength because we are not using full range of motion anymore. The expression "If you don't use it you will lose it" is true. But so is its opposite. "If you use it again you will regain it." The miracle of our bodies is that function can be restored and maintained. The Anti-Aging Exercise Solution DVD is designed to address common movement and postural problems. Start at your current ability. There are 3 work-out levels, for novice to advanced exercisers Be consistent - practice daily being mindful of your limits. Regain your function at home or at the gym! Buy the DVD today! |