High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension is also often referred to as the “the silent killer”. Scary, right?!

There’s good reason for this - essentially, high blood pressure can end up causing a lot of problems throughout the cardiovascular system well before a person is even aware they have an issue with high blood pressure.

It’s not all bad, however. Just because you have high blood pressure doesn’t mean it’s going to kill you, but rather it’s a sign that something is off in your body and needs your attention.

That being said, it’s important to know what your blood pressure is, to monitor it, and to take steps to lower it, even if it’s only slightly elevated.

High blood pressure is mostly without symptoms, until it gets dangerously high. Before that happens, a person can go months and even years without realizing they have high blood pressure.

What is High Blood Pressure Exactly?

When we talk about high blood pressure, we’re referring to the basic pressure inside of our blood vessels. This is essentially a closed system so there isn’t a way to relieve that pressure. The higher the pressure, the more strain it is on the heart, and the organs to which the blood is being pushed.

This system needs to be pressurized in order for the heart to do its job - deliver blood throughout the body.  But when it’s too high, that pressure makes it harder for the heart to work (it has to contract against that pressure in the blood vessels) and when that highly pressurized blood goes into certain organs (like the kidneys) it can damage them. The best way to visualize this is how a pressure washer scrubs things away - that’s essentially what’s happening to the lining of your arteries, your heart and organs when the pressure is too high, for too long.

Symptoms

There really aren’t a lot. When BP is really high, a person may feel pressure behind their eyes, or have a headache. But they’re not going to feel anything going on inside their heart or organs.

This is why it’s so important to check your blood pressure every so often, and if it’s high you need to work with a medical professional to find the cause and get it lower.

Why Do We Get High Blood Pressure?

Like many conditions, high blood pressure can have one or more causes. 

Typically, in the standard medical model a medication is given to reduce blood pressure, but it’s rare for the actual cause of hypertension to be addressed!

Here are some of the most common reasons why blood pressure gets too high:

• Aging:
  As we age our blood vessels become less elastic. This means that it’s harder for the blood vessels to regulate the pressure inside of them. But why do blood vessels stiffen with age? Part of this is due to a sedentary lifestyle - if the vessels aren’t used to expanding and contracting with regular exercise, they can begin to stiffen.
• Lifestyle:
  Excess alcohol, smoking, artificial foods and sedentary lifestyle all contribute to high blood pressure.  Stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake, eating healthier and regular exercise alone can often reverse hypertension.
• Diet:
  More specifically, a diet high in processed foods and low in natural ingredients like minerals can contribute to hypertension. The blood vessels rely on an intricate balance of minerals to maintain their ability to expand and contract. A diet low in a variety of minerals may contribute to higher blood pressure.
• Stress: 
  Perhaps the most common contributor, high stress leads to the continual release of certain chemicals and hormones which in turn raise blood pressure. While avoiding stress 100% isn't realistic, learning to deal with it through a stress management program is ideal.

High blood pressure needs to be treated. There are several natural remedies for high blood pressure, in addition to the lifestyle factors we mentioned above. Always work with your doctor to make sure your blood pressure is in a safe zone!

How To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Diet: A Healthy Blood Pressure Lowering Diet Should Include:

• Lots of vegetables and fruits - more veggies than fruits!
• Lean meats, ideally grass-fed
• Whole grains (as opposed to white, blanched simple carb grains)
• Nuts, seeds, legumes (beans and such)

Not everyone can tolerate all of the above types of food.  If grains make you ill, avoid them!  The key is here is to eat real foods that aren't processed!

Eating these foods will supply you with plenty of magnesium and potassium and will avoid excess sodium - these are the key minerals that help keep blood pressure in a healthy range.

In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, there are several natural remedies that are great at balancing blood pressure:

Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure:

• HTN Support is our first line natural remedy for high blood pressure. It contains several very powerful natural medicines for lowering BP as well as the minerals your circulatory system needs for balance.
  
• Carditone contains a combination of Ayurvedic herbs that have been used historically for hundreds of years.
  
• CoQ10 is the nutrient each of our cells need to produce energy; it’s especially in demand in the heart muscle since it works non-stop!
  
• Magnesium - as we mentioned it’s important for blood pressure regulation. It works by helping to ‘relax’ the tiny muscle surrounding certain blood vessels. Supplementing is a good idea if you have high blood pressure.
  
• Cardio Health Formula contains all the nutrients for healthy heart tissue. Remember your heart never gets a rest! Keep it healthy by supplying it with the nutrients it needs.
  
• Nitric Oxide formula and Vasophil are two products that contain the amino acids Arginine and Citrulline - both are precursors in the formation of a chemical known as nitric oxide that’s produced in the body to help expand blood vessels. Using one of these formulas can help blood vessels relax.

Lastly, it’s important to keep an awareness of what your blood pressure is - we encourage people with hypertension to record their BP first thing in the morning and then right as you get into bed. That way you’ll always know where it is, and if your interventions are helping to keep it low. It’s not healthy to have hypertension and in some cases a person may need a prescription drug alongside a high blood pressure natural remedy.

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