HYPERTENSION
The Problem
Hypertension (HT) is the most common primary diagnosis in America. There are two categories of HT: essential and secondary. Essential HT constitutes 92-94% of all HT; the causal factors are unknown in this form, but may include excess sodium, deficiency of fiber, excess sucrose, and food sensitivities. Secondary HT is due to various conditions or agents (oral contraceptives, smoking, kidney disease, thyroid disease).
The most recent guidelines provide the following information: Normal is 160 OR >100. There must be 2 consecutive readings in these ranges to diagnose HT. Each increment of 20 mmHg in systolic (top number) or 10 mmHg in diastolic (bottom number) doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease in people 40-70 years.
The Standard American Diet (SAD) is a major contributory factor to HT; it has been found that when primitive cultures move into industrialized areas and adopt civilized diets, they soon develop HT.
The Solution
Traditional
- Weight reduction, DASH eating plan, sodium restriction, increased physical activity
- Medications- diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers. It should be noted that reduction in blood pressure with medications alone does not decrease the risk of coronary heart disease.
Natural
- Regular chiropractic adjustments for optimal nervous system function.
- Increase appropriate aerobic exercise.
- DASH plan= Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is based on low saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and lowfat diary.
- Supplementation: Omega 3 fatty acids (necessary for healthy cell membranes), CoQ10 (strong anti-oxidant, improves heart muscle function), L-Carnitine (lowers cholesterol, provides energy to heart muscle), Magnesium (smooth muscle relaxant), Hawthorne (natural ACE inhibitor, decreases cholesterol), Fiber (lowers cholesterol)