Health Today 360

First and foremost, welcome to the very first, Health Today 360, post. We trust you will find this, as well as those to follow, very useful and interesting on both an intellectual level as well as a practical. It is of utmost importance that you read the disclaimer here. It is short, understandable and to the point.... and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog J

We will be looking at High Blood Pressure, a very common lifestyle disease. We beg then with premise that the video on high blood pressure has been viewed. This will give a very good foundational understanding of the disease. High Blood Pressure, also known as Hypertension, as well as the silent killer, does not always show early warning signs. The systolic reading in some males, who complain about headaches, difficulty breathing, blurred vision and/or a feeling of dizziness, has been recorded as 200. A normal reading being 110 – 140. Anything over 180 is dangerous.

You can be diagnosed with chronic hypertension, meaning your blood pressure is a persistent problem that requires continuous attention, either through monitoring, medication, lifestyle change or a combination of 2 or all 3. If your hypertension is not chronic in nature and your blood pressure spikes, then chronic medication should not be necessary. This could be your body communicating to you that it’s not dealing with something very well. Maybe you need more exercise, or you’re working through a stressful time.... it can be a number of things and it’s best to get to the bottom of it as the possibility of it becoming a chronic disease exists.

By this point you know that hardening and clogging is what causes changes in your arteries. Ageing, Stress, Overeating, Bad quality foods, and smoking (we have an entire article devoted to this), oral contraceptives have been known to have an effect on arteries, even coffee and a high sodium intake are all known to have negative effects on the arteries. Keep in mind; it can be hereditary as well i.e. it was passed down through your blood line.

All this said and done... It is still known as a lifestyle disease and many physicians state, Julian Whitaker M.D. to name but one, that hypertension in most patients can be eliminated by making dietary changes. WOW!

So let’s look at a few dietary guidelines. Distilled water, Dr. Whitaker recommends 15 glasses per day. Why? The medication that you will take for hypertension will emulate what the water does. That is to say... the medication will thin your blood out and the water will “cleanse” your system naturally. A high fibre diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains will be very helpful, not just for hypertension but Flaxseed oil, 2 tablespoons daily. Keep in mind potassium helps the body get rid of excess sodium... very good! Raw Garlic in your food is also great as it is a vasodilator and normalizes blood pressure. The compound GABA (wikipedialink)(gamma-amino butyric acid), found in tomatoes garlic, onion and celery, reduces blood pressure and helps strengthen the heart muscle.

Foods known to help prevent clogging in the arteries are: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, grapefruit and peaches.

Keep in mind, that although these dietary guidelines are all positive suggestions and could have a positive effect beyond hypertension, too much of a good thing is bad. And these should be part of your BALANCED diet and lifestyle. The way you prepare your foods is also very important. If everything in eat is “fried in oil”, those healthy food will most likely have a negative effect on you, either short term or long term.

On this note, it will be good to avoid situations that will tempt you to over eat, even healthy food should not be over indulged in. Excess protein and sweet items is not a good idea. Do not use salt in your food! Avoid MSG (Monosodium glutamate). Dairy and soya sauce is high in sodium. Canned Veg is not a good option. FRESH FRESH FRESH!!! For the more “hardcore” and disciplined, cut out meat. Butter margarine, animal fat and any unsaturated fat is not advised. Late meals will do more harm than good.

To conclude this post...

My Doctor always tells me “the lower your blood pressure, the better... AS LONG AS YOU NOT DIZZY OR FATIGUE.” That is confirmed by a good professor friend of mine that is an expert on healthy living. In other words, if you function perfectly normal, and your blood reading is “low”, it’s most likely an indication that your arteries are in a good, supple condition. When my wife and I enjoy our meatless, wholegrain and fresh veg prepared using wholesome methods, my doctor will always ask, are you sure you’re not weak or dizzy. And my wife, when she donates blood, will find her haemoglobin levels are near perfect, which is quite extraordinary for a lady that is often told she is anaemic. All in all, as mentioned time before, Exercise and eat healthy, be aware of quality and quantity of your food and drink. Hypertension, in most cases, can be ELIMINATED by a healthy lifestyle... it’s your choice.