Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

5 Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

November 6th, 2009 13 Comments »

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally Tip #5: DASH Diet

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is endorsed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and can lower blood pressure naturally and dramatically in as little as 14 days. The diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, potassium, magnesium, calcium, low fat dairy products, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts. In addition, it also reduces the amount of red meat, sodium and artificial sugars found in the typical American diet. A full free guide to the DASH diet can be found here.

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally Tip #4: Coenzyme Q-10

Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like substance that participates in the production of energy in the human body. One study found that CoQ10 has the potential to lower systolic blood pressure by up to 17/10 in hypertensive patients without negative side effects.

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally Tip #3: Garlic

Garlic not only tastes great as a cooking spice, but also seems to work remarkably well as a way to lower blood pressure naturally in many patients. Two major meta-analyses were conducted and both discovered garlic had significant blood pressure lowering abilities (16.3/9.3 in one, and 8.4/7.3 in the other).

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally Tip #2: Sleep

Not getting enough sleep has been tied to both high blood pressure and increased calcification of the arteries. For some, lowering blood pressure naturally may be as simple as getting no less than 5 hours of sleep every night!

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally Tip #1: Isometric Handgrip Therapy

A simple hand grip exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure naturally without negative side effects and can drop users’ blood pressure into the normal range (decreases of 20 points systolic are common). It only takes 12 minutes a day about 5 days a week, was discovered by the U.S. Air Force and has been reviewed by the Harvard Health Letter, the Berkeley Wellness Letter and is supported by 10 published medical journal articles. The device which facilitates this very specific isometric therapy is called the Zona Plus.

For more information please request your free copy of “Understanding High Blood Pressure” by calling 1-866-669-9662.

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Tags: Coenzyme Q10 CoQ10 DASH Diet Garlic Isometric Handgrip Therapy Sleep Zona Plus

Potassium and Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

February 1st, 2010 Leave your comment »

We have all heard about lowering blood pressure naturally through controlling our sodium intake, but eating enough potassium could also have a major impact.

One study found potassium supplements may lower blood pressure by approximately 4.44/2.45mmHg and another found evidence that potassium to sodium ratios may have a significant impact on both blood pressure and cardiovascular health. The authors of the second study recommend that healthy individuals between 19-50 years old should consume 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (one teaspoon of table salt) and that should consume 4.7 grams of potassium, assuming they have no personal medical contradiction to said recommendations.

So what should you eat to reach 4.7 grams of potassium a day? Here is a list of high potassium foods that may help you reach you blood pressure goals.

One papaya : 781mg
One cup of prune juice : 707mg
One cup of tomato juice : 535mg
One baked sweet potato, with skin : 508mg
One cup of cubed cantaloupe : 494mg
One small banana : 467mg
One cup of diced honeydew melon : 461mg
One-half of a medium avocado : 450mg
One-half of a medium potato, with skin : 422mg
One cup of chopped or sliced tomato : 400mg
One-half cup of cooked pinto beans : 400mg
Six ounces of yogurt : 398mg
One cup of 2 percent white milk : 377mg
One-half cup of Lentils : 365mg
One-third cup of raisins : 363mg
One-half cup of Dried peas : 355mg
One cup of soy milk : 345mg
One medium mango : 323mg
Three ounces of baked or broiled salmon : 319mg

For more information about the amount of potassium in food, please visit http://www.drugs.com/cg/potassium-content-of-foods-list.html. To view the scientific studies referenced, see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10511389?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed and http://loyolamedicine.org/News/News_Releases/news_release_detail.cfm?var_news_release_id=973440913.

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Surprise! Having kids may actually lower your blood pressure!

January 22nd, 2010 Leave your comment »

New research indicates that parenthood can be associated with lower blood pressure- regardless of the age of the children!

For this study, 198 married men and women age 20 to 69 years wore portable blood pressure monitors which took measurements at random intervals throughout a 24 hour period. After accounting for a variety of other factors, it was found that parents’ blood pressure was an average of 4.5/3 mmHg lower than the non-parents. Women showed the most drastic difference, with mothers’ blood pressure averaging 12/7 lower than non-mothers. These results held true regardless of the age of the children, the number of children parented and employment status of the parents.

The researchers behind the study point out that it may not be the physical act of having a child that is associated with lower blood pressure, but the lifestyle and psychological implications often associated with parenting.

For more information see http://www.springerlink.com/content/q8377r8nut736272/?p=ad94d286afd14bcab9acd8c17907723d&pi=4.

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Tags: Happy Marriage Kids Parenthood

New Meta-Analysis Published About Isometric Handgrip Exercise

January 7th, 2010 1 Comment »

An exciting new article about isometric handgrip exercise and lowering blood pressure was released this month ahead of its scheduled printing in the journal Hypertension. The title of the article is Isometric handgrip exercise and resting blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and was written by two prestigious researchers, Dr. George A. Kelley and Kristi S. Kelley.

The researchers analyzed three randomized controlled studies about isometric handgrip therapy (the foundation for Zona Plus therapy) and resting blood pressure. The analysis revealed an average drop of approximately 10% in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after at least 4 weeks of isometric handgrip exercise.

This is the first article to make bold statements about the long term health implications of isometric handgrip exercise. For instance they wrote,

“Given the reduction in resting SBP observed in the current study, it would appear plausible to suggest that a reduction in the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-causes would be more than twice that observed from a reduction of 5mmHg.”

(Note that a reduction of 5mmHg systolic has been associated with decreased risk of mortality of 9% from coronary artery disease, 14% from stroke and 7% from all-causes)

The authors also mentioned that the decreased in SBP and DBP they observed the isometric handgrip studies were at least 3 times greater than those reported in another meta-analysis investigating aerobic exercise.

In the end the authors finished with,

“In conclusion, the results of this aggregate data meta-analysis suggest that IHG [isometric handgrip] exercise is efficacious for reducing resting SBP and DBP. However, the generalizability of these findings is limited given the small number of studies included. “

For more information, visit http://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/Abstract/publishahead/Isometric_handgrip_exercise_and_resting_blood.99719.aspx.

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Tags: Zona Plus

Doctor Voices Concerns about Current Hypertension Treatments in Elderly

December 31st, 2009 1 Comment »

Are current hypertension treatment guidelines too aggressive for elderly patients? One Doctor recently reviewed this question in the British Medical Journal publication Clinical Evidence.

Dr. James Wright is the Coordinating Editor of Clinical Evidence and also a member of the Cochrane Hypertension Review Group. His conclusion after carefully reviewing the results of seven high quality randomized controlled trials was to take a more conservative approach in his pharmacological treatment of patients 80 years and older, modeling his methods after those used in the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET).

In his research, he found that of seven high quality studies the one which followed the HYVET guidelines was the only one to report a significant reduction in mortality. HYVET guidelines are simple and requires fewer anityhertensive medications and also uses a target blood pressure of 150/80mmHg instead of the traditional 140/90.

To find out more about Dr. Wright’s research and conclusion, visit http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/resources/editors-letter-full.jsp?src=editorsletter_intro.

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Posted in Blood Pressure Medications, Cardiovascular Health

5 Weird Things You Probably Don’t Know about Lowering Blood Pressure

December 11th, 2009 Leave your comment »

Sour milk

Dairy intake has been shown to have an inverse relationship with hypertension and several studies show that fermented or sour milk may effectively lower blood pressure in humans.
Fermented milk has been shown to lower blood pressure in hypertensive rats in at least 5 studies. In human subjects, there are a minimum of 9 studies that show that fermented milk and lower blood pressure are related. It is hypothesized that the primary mechanism by which fermented dairy products lower blood pressure is by acting as an ACE inhibitor.
While drinking fermented milk is not a recommended way to lower blood pressure, the DASH diet, which has proven to be quite effective in lowering blood pressure, does call for low-fat dairy products as part of a healthy diet. Read more…

Eggs

Canadian researchers reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that they have been able to identify peptides that act like ACE inhibitors in boiled and even more so in fried eggs. Further research is needed to determine if these proteins really do lower blood pressure in people.
Eggs got a bad name for the high concentration of cholesterol in the yolk about 40 years ago; however, there is evidence suggesting that healthy individuals can eat one to two eggs on a regular basis without being concerned. It actually appears that saturated fats and trans fats have more impact on blood cholesterol than dietary cholesterol (eggs). Read more…

Laughing

Researchers are now finding scientific evidence that laughing is not only good for us psychologically, but may play a major role in blood pressure and cardiovascular health.
One study revealed that those with a history of heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh than those without the disease, and another study showed that laughing may help keep the endothelium healthy which should theoretically improve one’s defense against heart disease and high blood pressure. Read more…

Noise

Living near an airport or busy street may not just be unpleasant, but unhealthy as well. Hypertension and a rise in blood pressure may be tied to noise, according to studies published in the European Heart Journal as well as the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal.
Researchers in both studies found that there was a direct correlation between noise and rise in blood pressure. In the case of airplane noise (at about 35 decibels), a 6.2 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure and a 7.4 mmHg increase in diastolic pressure were recorded (a refrigerator hum is only about 40 decibels loud!). The researchers also found that the noise source did not seem to matter, as similar responses were found when the noise came from a snoring partner or road noise. Read more…

Happy marriage

If you are looking for a way to have naturally lower blood pressure, then being “married happily ever after” may be the answer! New research by Brigham Young University indicates that happily married couples have lower blood pressure than single adults.
The study results revealed that happily married couple’s blood pressure was lower by an average of 4 points when compared to the single adults, even when those adults has a supportive network of friends. Unhappily married couples had the highest blood pressure of the three study groups. Read more…

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Tags: Eggs Happy Marriage Laughing Noise Sour Milk

5 Things That May Be Secretly Sabotaging Your Blood Pressure

December 4th, 2009 1 Comment »

Controlling high blood pressure may be the most important thing you can do to decrease your risk of stroke. So you do everything you have been told to do- exercise, diet, maybe even take vitamins. But what if there was something, unbeknown to you, sabotaging your efforts to lower blood pressure? Here are 5 things we don’t often associate with high blood pressure that could be keeping you from obtaining your blood pressure goals:

1. Not enough sleep

Getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night increases the risk of calcification in arteries, with calcified arteries found in one third of a study’s participants who slept less than 5 hours per night. While the study was not able to say that a lack of sleep actually causes the calcification, a strong association is definitely present. Who knew!

2. TV

Watching more than 2 hours a day of television has been shown to make a child 2.5 times more likely to develop hypertension, and those who watched more than 4 hours per day of TV were 3.3 times more likely to become hypertensive. Although this study focused on children, it is probably safe to say that if you spend a lot of time in front of the TV you aren’t getting the exercise you should, which in turn could negatively impact your blood pressure.

3. Loneliness

Loneliness could be directly tied to high systolic blood pressure, possibly as much as 30 points systolic, in some older Americans. On the flip side, laughter has been shown to actually encourage better artery function. The bottom line? Grab a favorite comedy film and invite a few buddies to watch it with you- there is a good chance it could help lower your blood pressure!

4. Sleep Apnea

About half of the people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (the most common type) also have hypertension and there is mounting evidence indicating that treatment of sleep apnea via CPAP machines can significantly reduce blood pressure. Sleep Apnea has been tied to endothelial dysfunction and increased sympathetic activity, a known contributor to hypertension. So if you are told you snore a lot, are a restless sleeper and wake up feeling tired, it may be worth having a sleep study done to find out if you suffer from sleep apnea.

5. Fructose

Consuming 74 grams a day of fructose in the form of added sugars (the natural ones in fruit don’t count), or the equivalent of 2.5 sugary soft drinks, has been associated with a 36% higher risk of blood pressure of 140/90 or higher. It is possible that the fructose could lower nitric oxide production and/or raise uric acid in the blood.

For more information:

http://zona.com/lower-blood-pressure/index.php/not-enough-sleep-may-harden-arteries/
http://zona.com/lower-blood-pressure/index.php/tv-high-blood-pressure-children/
http://zona.com/lower-blood-pressure/index.php/loneliness-high-blood-pressure/
http://zona.com/lower-blood-pressure/index.php/sleep-apnea-and-high-blood-pressure/
http://zona.com/lower-blood-pressure/index.php/fructose-may-raise-high-blood-pressure-risk/

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Tags: Fructose Loneliness Sleep Sleep Apnea TV

Exercise to Lower Blood Pressure?

November 25th, 2009 Leave your comment »

The official recommendation from the JNC7 report is that aerobic exercise,
such as brisk walking, should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 4 or
more times a week, to lower systolic blood pressure an average of 4-
9mmhg. While it was traditionally thought that only aerobic exercise
could lower blood pressure, a wealth of research has been presented in
recent years showing that specific isometric exercises involving adequate
rest time and monitored exertion are effective as well.

Did you know that there are over 10 published peer-reviewed journal articles that show the Zona Plus isometric therapy device can lower blood pressure naturally?

The mechanisms by which exercise lowers blood pressure are not
definitively known; however, there are several well respected hypotheses.
There is evidence to indicate that the blood pressure reductions associated
with exercise could be due to reduced sympathetic nervous system
activity, improved endothelium mediated vasodilatation, changes in the
baroreflex, or reductions in blood volume. The actual mechanism could
prove to be a combination of factors and may even vary depending on
lifestyle and genetics.

Please check with your physician before beginning any exercise programs.
» More: Exercise to Lower Blood Pressure?

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Tags: Exercise

Coenzyme Q-10 and Blood Pressure

November 17th, 2009 1 Comment »

Coenzyme Q-10 (or CoQ10) is a vitamin-like substance that participates in the production of energy in the human body. Large concentrations of CoQ10 are found in organs with high energy requirements, such as the heart.

Looking to lower your blood pressure naturally? Check out this Air Force discovery!

Coenzyme Q-10 has been the subject of numerous studies. In 2007 a major meta-analysis published in the Journal of Hypertension reviewed 12 clinical trials which included 362 patients. The researchers concluded that, “coenzyme Q10 has the potential in hypertensive patients to lower systolic blood pressure by up to 17 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg without significant side effects.”
» More: Coenzyme Q-10 and Blood Pressure

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Hypertension, Dementia and Alzheimer’s

November 17th, 2009 Leave your comment »

High blood pressure can be easy to ignore as there are often no symptoms- but did you know that this disease could literally make you “loose your mind”?

Vascular dementia is often caused by either one or several strokes, ranging from severe to so small they go unnoticed, which damage various parts of the brain impairing memory and overall cognition. The resulting symptoms, such as forgetfulness, are often hard to distinguish from Alzheimer disease. Hypertension is believed to be one of the main risk factors for vascular dementia due to its propensity to cause strokes.

Vascular dementia is preventable, and one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself is maintain healthy blood pressure levels. If you are looking for a natural way to lower blood pressure naturally, be sure to look into the Zona Plus.

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health

Sleep Apnea and High Blood Pressure

November 11th, 2009 1 Comment »

Sleep apnea is a disorder where a person experiences a sequence of shallow breaths or pauses in breathing while sleeping. The duration of the pauses varies from a few seconds to minutes and they usually occur repeatedly throughout the night, often leaving the individual feeling sleep deprived the next morning.

Did you know that the Zona Plus Therapy has lowered blood pressure naturally for thousands of users?

Both severe and minor Symptomatic Obstructive Sleep Apnea have been tied to endothelial dysfunction, a situation in which the cells that line blood vessels, arteries and veins throughout the body do not expand as needed often leading to increased blood pressure. When the body goes though periods of not receiving enough oxygen, as it does with sleep apnea, there is a decrease in nitric oxide production. Sufficient nitric oxide is essential for proper endothelial function and not enough prohibits the endothelium from behaving properly. There is also evidence to suggest that sleep apnea results in increased sympathetic activity, a known contributor to hypertension.