Natural Health Alternatives
Archive for the ‘Hypertension’ Category
Heart disease is known in medical circles as the “silent killer” because its presence often goes undetected until real trouble surfaces. Poor eating habits and a lack of exercise can contribute to the disease, and one of the most common symptoms is hypertension. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, occurs when the heart is forced to work harder to pump blood through partially blocked arteries. Obviously, the buildup of cholesterol and other arterial plaque complicates matters exponentially.
Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to get into the doctor’s office for a regular checkup. Whether the issue involves logistics or budgetary restrictions, some people just aren’t able to see a doctor when they should. That’s why it’s essential to check oneself for hypertension using blood pressure cuffs at home and be aware of the symptoms of high blood pressure. That way, you’ll be able to detect a problem early and seek advanced medical attention when necessary.
Have you ever thought of using a pedometer as an exercise program for yourself. By doing so you can achieve goals you might not of thought of as burning calories and taking weight off. A diabetes cure is not a simple one by no means, it takes all kinds of different measures to achieve progress in balancing glucose levels.
A simple pedometer can be used as a aid to help you lose weight , just by taking steps. You simply attach a pedometer to your waistband , your belt or even around your ankle, which ever you prefer. These cost anywhere from $10 -$20 depending on your choice, there is more expensive ones available that can keep track of your calorie burn,distance that you’ve walked and your workout times and more.The ADA recommends that a simple one can do the job.
Exercising doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym,by using a pedometer you can have a more pleasurable time exercising without thinking of it. Things like walking the dog, or walking your kids to school, going grocery shopping , getting your mail,walking with a partner, all these steps count daily.By using a pedometer you achieve goals that you thought were impossible , now made simple.
Now ready to strap your pedometer on , to get those feet moving? Physical activity promotes good health ,weight loss,better blood pressure,so how many steps should you strive for?
Here’s how to 
strive for a goal that is easy to get started:
- Calibrate your pedometer by counting out 25-50 steps, and making sure your pedometer tracks them all accurately. If the count is off, move your pedometer along your waistband toward your navel or your back until the steps match up.
- Start by wearing your pedometer for a week or two, averaging the number of steps you take each day.
- Now, up your daily average by 500 steps every couple of weeks by taking brisk walks at lunch, parking your car further from store entrances or walking around the block before you check the mailbox. Before you know it, you’ll hit 10,000 steps a day. So checkout the pedometer on page 6 of diabetes supplies, make your steps count!
High Blood Pressure Causes Many Diabetes Symptoms
High blood pressure causes so many different problems, it can be a death sentence for diabetics if not kept under control.Diabetes symptoms are many, like stroke, macular degeneration, kidney disease ,ect.
I bet you never thought that high blood pressure could affect your feet, something to think about. You see high blood pressure causes damage to blood vessels all over your body.
This causes poor circulation , or PVD-peripheral vascular disease . This can cause the blood supply to get blocked to the feet causing poor circulation. Plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to the feet, which allows for the walls of the veins to thicken and harden.
To avoid PVD, it’s important to try to control your blood pressure as best you can. You can achieve this by changing your diet plan and adding more physical activity in your daily routine.
Diabetes Symptoms of Cardoivascular Disease- Avoided With Vitamin E
The benefits of taking a vitamin E daily can improve glucose control and it also protects blood vessels and nerves from free radical damage, this process is accelerated by diabetes.
Studies have shown, that high doses of vitamin E , can or even reverse the nerve damage diabetes symptoms caused by diabetes and help protect against diabetics from getting cataracts or atherosclerosis, which in turn helps blood pressure.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant ,so preventing oxidative stress -which contributes to liver damage, vitamin E helps prevent you from getting fatty liver disease
Research studies have shown that people with diabetes have a gene variation,which increases the oxidative stress that doubles and triples their risk of cardiovascular disease.Researchers also found that when these people took 400IU of Vitamin E a day ,their risk of a heart attach and stroke reduced by 50%.
The recommended amount of 400 IU of Vitamin E daily for everyone for preventative measures is best. The best way to tell if you are taking a natural vitamin E is by how it is written on the bottle. Natural is listed d-alpha-tocopheryl or d-alpha-tecopherol. Synthetics are as dl-alpha-tocopherol or dl-alpha-tocopheryl.Make sure you read the label. Only take natural not the chemical version.
Blood pressure is a tell-tale indicator of one’s health and happiness. Those with normal blood pressure tend to be fit and happy, unburdened by excess stress. But individuals struggling with hypertension are most likely dealing with a myriad of other problems - all of which can lead to a serious health problem. Heart attacks and strokes can result from when warning signs about hypertension go ignored.
If you are looking for ways to lower blood pressure, focus on the variables that are within your control. You might not be able to find a job that’s less demanding and stressful, but you can work off your frustration after work by taking a quick jog. Make smarter food choices beginning with a bowl of granola or a whole-grain cereal bar first thing in the morning. Last but not least, keep close tabs on your vital signs with a blood pressure monitor. At the first sign of danger, contact your doctor.
Do you ever wonder why your blood pressure is always high when you visit the doctors office.Well the reason is for your symptoms of high blood pressure is due to White Coat Syndrome , is your anticipation of your visit. Believe me , I know , I am one of those statistics. Happens every time I step into any doctors office. This affects about 15% of the people who visit doctors.
So that being said; doctors should realize this and take blood pressure readings differently. Most of the time they are in a hurry, have you answering questions, you are not relaxed as : your feet are not crossed and are flat on the floor or you are not sitting up strait and taking deep relaxing breathes. Go to a quite place in your mind. Also listed below are a few tips to reduce your pressure.
1.Try not to exercise or smoke 30 minutes before you take a reading.
2. Don’t drink anything caffinated or alcohol 30 minutes before. And got to the bathroom before so your bladder is empty.
3. Make sure you sit in a chair with a back rest and that your arm is supported at heart level.
4. Sitting still for at least 5 minutes before you have a reading taken.
5. For the best results , you should have two or more readings taken ,separated at least two minutes apart and then average out your readings.
First : doctors need to measure your blood pressure a couple of times to get an accurate reading.There is automated devices that take blood pressure readings at intervals every few minutes.They can put this device on your arm and leave you alone in the room for a spell and return after multiple readings.
Secondly : If they do not have available an automated device , they can have someone who is specially trained to take blood pressure readings. By using a nurse or technician , this can reduce the white coat phenomenon.
Meanwhile , blood pressure readings for most people - no matter what age they are - should not exceed 140/90 . And for people with diabetes or have chronic kidney disease, levels should not exceed 130/80. If your blood pressure readings are high , talk to your doctor about more thorough monitoring of your levels.
Your Hypertension Diet Should Include This Crunchy Snack for LDL
Cholesterol is a big nasty for your heart and arteries. So to make a bad thing good , eat your way to health by adding this crunchy party snack that most everyone loves; Almonds.
Research is finding out that almonds can improve your cholesterol levels, it helps to keep the bad cholesterol ( LDL) from oxidizing. You see when LDL oxidizes it creates problems like blocking your arteries and cutting the blood flow to your heart, which in turn can cause a heart attach.
So now that we know that oxidized LDL can cause clogs in your arteries more that the unoxidized kind HDL , shouldn’t we place nuts on the list for a heart healthy hypertension diet. Results have shown with a group of older adults with high cholesterol ate a handful of almonds as part of there 4 week cholesterol friendly diet . Studies showed that the nut eaters suffered less oxidation from the bad LDL , as well as a drop in the level of there LDL totals. So go ahead , and pass the almonds ,please !
Some good news for those who eat almonds: Studies showed that their good cholesterol levels HDL had rose tremendously. The reason is that research showed that there is a vast array of flavonoids and phenols in the skins play a role promoting good, reason for which you should buy whole almonds with skins on. The nutrients in the skins react synergistically with other antioxidants in your body to produce the cholesterol-controlling effects. So go ahead try some, it can only do a body good.
Drinking Vegetable Juice Helps Lower Blood Pressure and Weight Loss
Years of study has showed that a diet rich in vegetables has many health benefits. As of today , worldwide eight out of ten do not meet the daily requirements. Two studies have found that by adding vegetable juice (like V8 Juice) in peoples diets, helped them meet the 4 servings a day of vegetables much easier. This is a much simpler way for people to get their vegetables, by drinking two servings a day of this tasty juice they can reap the benefits of a vegetable rich diet . Vegetable juice is something that people can enjoy, plus it’s convenient and portable, which makes it simple to drink every day.”Also this is a great way to get your kids to have more veggies , especially the ones who avoid them on there plates.
The Baylor College of Medicine showed that by drinking vegetable juice helped overweight people with metabolic syndrome lose more weight compared to non-juice drinkers. The study showed , participants who drank one or two servings of the Low Sodium V8® 100% vegetable juice a day as part of a balanced diet , it increased their vegetable intake and helped them lose an average of four pounds over the 12-week study period. Those who did not drink juice had lost only one pound. Losing weight helps to lower blood pressure , which puts you at less risk of heart disease , diabetes and high cholesterol. The two major health issues of today are heart disease and obesity.So finding something as easy as drinking vegetable juice can help people increase their vegetable intake and have significant health benefits.”
What Causes Diabetes,a Great Possibility is Syndrome X
Metabolic Syndrome,or Syndrome X ,is a condition now epidemic in the U.S. More than 64 million Americans have the Metabolic Syndrome (roughly one in four adults) and 40% of adults over age 40. Sad to say more and more kids are being diagnosed with the syndrome as well.
If you are diagnosed at having Metobolic Syndrome you are at serious risk of having diabetes and heart disease. Dr. David Herber an expert of UCLA’s School of Human Nutrition , believes that in the next decade roughly 80% of all heart disease will be due to the Metabolic Syndrome, and what causes diabetes type 2 , or both.
There have been guidelines set by the Nationtioal Cholesterol Program , that if you have 3 or more of the following 5 risk factors you probably have Metobolic Symptom.
Below is a list of the risk factors you should take in consideration.
- Abdominal obesity: a waist of 40 inches or more for men, 35 inches or more for women.
- High triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or more.
- Low HDL (”good”) cholesterol: below 40 mg/dL for men, below 50 for women. Most people with the syndrome also have more small, dense LDL (”very bad”) cholesterol particles. (These small, dense LDLs are usually not measured with standard blood lipid profiles.
- High blood pressure: 130/85 or higher (or if you are taking hypertension medication).
- Elevated fasting blood sugar (glucose): 110 mg/dL** or more. (Recently, the American Diabetes Association lowered the cut point for elevated fasting glucose to 100 mg/dL.
An affective approach for treating the Metabolic Syndrome is the most natural one - a healthy diet and regular exercise, argue experts like Dr. Paul Ridker of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. A healthy lifestyle targets what are often the causes of Metabolic Syndrome: poor diet and excess body fat.
Eat Healthfully
- Eat more fruits and vegetables; cut down on drinking juice.
- Choose lean cuts of meat.
- Rather than frying, bake, broil, or grill your poultry, fish, or meat.
- Reduce the amount of salt in your diet; do not add salt to foods and choose low-sodium foods.
- Cut down on saturated fats.
- Choose whole grain foods (whole wheat bread, brown rice) instead of refined or processed foods (white bread, white rice).
- Eat more fiber-rich foods (beans, fruits, vegetables).
- Eat less sugar.
- Eat less carbohydrates and other starchy foods.
- Limit or eliminate soda and other sugary drinks.
Increase Your Physical Activity
- Exercise a little each day; aim for a total of 30 minutes or more.
- Commit yourself to more physical activity. Join a health club or plan walks with friends.
- Include increased activity into your daily habits.
Alternative Medicine With the Use of Turmeric
Turmeric a common household spice, which gives mustard its color has many healing properties. There has been some research reporting that turmeric (in combination with vitamin D) helps fight Alzheimer’s disease and obesity (by suppressing growth of fatty tissue) and is soothing to skin burned by radiation therapy.
Recently there has been reports of turmerics natural antibiotics properties in strenghtening digestion and intestinal flora. And more recenlty reports of turmeric as an alternative medicine for pain caused by inflammation. Here are some other benefits as well.
- Turmerics powerful bright yellow powder has anti-inflammatory components safely reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis,fibromyalgia , carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis and tendonitis.
- Anti-inflammatory benefits also extend to gastrointestinal (GI) problems, such as gastric ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis. Turmeric’s effectiveness against liver disease is being studied as well.
- It’s many potent antioxidants help squelch unstable oxygen molecules that can otherwise run amok, damaging cells and opening the door to dangerous diseases, such as cancer. Curcumin, an active compound of turmeric, has been shown to modify more than 250 oncogenes and processes that trigger cancer tumorigenesis, proliferation and metastasis.
- Turmeric can help curb excessive immune responses that characterize conditions such as allergies, asthma and possibly even multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Studies suggest a still wider range of healing benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis and protecting the liver against chemicals and viral damage.
- No significant toxicity has been reported following either acute or chronic administration of turmeric extracts at standard doses. The FDA classified turmeric among substances ‘generally recognized as safe’. Phase I clinical trials have shown that curcumin is safe even at high doses (12 g/day) for 3 months in humans but exhibit poor bioavailability. Major reasons contributing to the low plasma and tissue levels of curcumin appear to be due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid systemic elimination. Several commercially available supplements provide higher doses and bioavailability of purified curcumin.
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