Hypertension or high blood pressure is a major cause of coronary heart disease. Over 50 million Americans suffer from hypertension. Almost 43,000 Americans died from hypertension in 2002. To much pressure exerted on the arterial walls can cause a host of unwanted cardiovascular problems including:
Enlarged heart and possible congestive heart failure (CHF).
Formation of small arterial bulges or aneurysms.
Narrowing of the blood vessels in the kidney leading to failure.
Atherosclerotic arteries.
Blood PressureBlood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Each time the heart beats (about 60 to 70 times a minute at rest), it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is at its highest when the heart beats, pumping blood. This is known a systolic pressure. When the heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is known as diastolic pressure.The systolic number is listed above the diastolic number. 120/80mm Hg is considered normal.
Pre-hypertension blood pressure is 120-130/80-90. Hypertension is when the systolic pressure is above 140 or when the diastolic pressure is above 90.
Stage I hypertension occurs when the systolic pressure is between 140 and 159 or diastolic is between 90 and 99.
Stage II occurs systolic is above 160 or when diastolic is above 100.
Individuals who are in stage I have a 31% greater risk of heart attack, almost twice the risk of stroke, and a 43% increase in death rate, compared to individuals with normal blood pressure.
Conventional Medical TherapiesTraditional medicine uses beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, and other drugs to treat the symptoms of high blood pressure. All of these medications have potential side effects. Studies show that for two-thirds of individuals taking hypertension drugs, diet therapy alone will result in normal blood pressure. All of these medications have potential side effects.
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Natural
Therapies for Hypertension
Niacin, or vitamin
B3, has been used as an effective antihypertensive medicine
for decades. Although most doctors know about niacin and
its role in reducing cholesterol, most don’t usually
recommend this vitamin for hypertension. Niacin when taken
in high doses helps dilate (expand) the blood vessel.
Regular niacin is associated with an uncomfortable
histamine flush and is not recommended. A special form of
niacin, known as niacinate or inositol hexaniacinate (IHN),
doesn’t produce the flush associated with regular niacin.
Recommended dose is 400-500mg twice a day for 5 days then
double the dose.
MagnesiumA magnesium deficiency leads to muscle
spasm or contraction. It acts like a beta-blocker by
inhibiting stimulatory hormones including norepinephrine
and epinephrine (hormones that increase heart rate).
Fortunately, magnesium doesn’t cause fatigue or the
other symptoms associated with prescription beta
blockers.
Calcium and magnesium help regulate the heart rate.
Magnesium relaxes smooth muscle, including the heart, and
calcium constricts or tightens smooth muscle. The more
calcium within a muscle cell, the more tense or tight
muscle becomes. The calcium channels are guarded by
magnesium. This magnesium valve helps prevent too much
calcium from entering a cell. However, if a person is
deficient in magnesium calcium ions are able to infiltrate
cells and cause muscle contraction. Magnesium acts as a
natural calcium-channel blocker. It prevents too much
calcium from entering the cell membrane. The more magnesium
within a muscle cell, the more relaxed the muscle.
CoQ10Research also shows that CoQ10 is able
to reduce blood pressure in high risk heart disease
patients. In one study CoQ10 lowered systolic pressure
from an average of 141 to 126 and diastolic from 97 to
90.
Fish OilFish oil reduces blood pressure,
inflammation, fibrinogen, irregular heart beats
(arrhythmia), atherosclerosis, triglycerides (blood
fats), and platelet aggregation (blood clot formation).
Typically, between four, and seven grams of fish oil are
needed to reduce high blood pressure. However, when fish
oil is combined with other synergistic supplements like
magnesium, CoQ10, taurine, and B vitamins, less is
needed.
Along with IHN, I have my patients with hypertension take a
good optimal daily allowance multivitamin/mineral formula
(with minimum of 500mg of
magnesium), 1-2 grams of fish oil, and 100mg of CoQ10.
For a more in-depth look at hypertension and natural
nutritional therapies “Heart Disease What Your Doctor Won’t
Tell You” is
available at Barnes and Noble or on line.