"Under Pressure" - The Truth About High Blood Pressure

So you just found out you have high blood pressure...now what?  Maybe you've had it for a while and have been taking your doctor-recommended medication which is now "controlling" your condition...so you're OK right??...WRONG!

While it is true that prolonged, unaddressed high blood pressure can lead to a greater risk of heart disease and stroke, we must try and find the CAUSE rather than being fixated on the TREATMENT of the "disease".  Treating or controlling the disease still leaves you with...the disease!  Understanding the cause gives you the only true opportunity for a cure or prevention.

"First, tell me the facts..."

As of 2006, about 75 million people over 20 years of age had high blood pressure in the United States...that's 1 in 3!!! (American Heart Association)

"But isn't high blood pressure an inherited disease?"

Let's think of this scenario...If you went up to high altitudes, what would there be less of?...Oxygen!  And our bodies (intelligently!) would recognize this and create a chemical called "erythropoetin" (EE-rith-ro-po-EE-tin).  Now erythropoetin helps our body to create more red blood cells.  Why would our bodies want to do this in an environment with less oxygen??

Well, when there's less oxygen in the air, our bodies want to make sure we get every bit of it that's out there.  And what carries oxygen from our lungs to the rest of the body??...RED BLOOD CELLS!

Did I lose you?!?  There was less oxygen in the air so the body made more red blood cells to make sure we could pick up as much oxygen as possible!  Is this a disease?!?...or an INTELLIGENT response to a stressful environment??

Of course this was an intelligent response!  But guess what?...More red blood cells in your arteries gives you...HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE!!!

Most people with high blood pressure don't have a disease at all, but simply an intelligent response to a stressful environment (that often they are put into by THEMSELVES!)

"So what REALLY causes high blood pressure?"

Very often high blood pressure, or "hypertension", is caused by insulin resistance.  OK, bear with me.  Our pancreas creates a chemical called insulin, a hormone that helps to remove sugar from our blood.  When we consume too much food, especially carbohydrates, our pancreas can release so much insulin that our cells become resistant to it...hence "insulin resistance".

Since insulin stores magnesium, insulin resistance will lead to much of your magnesium being lost in your urine.  One of magnesium's primary roles is as a natural muscle relaxer, and when the body is magnesium deficient, it will increase the tension of the muscles, therefore leading to higher blood pressure!

Insulin resistance can also cause sodium retention.  When the body has too much sodium (salt), it will retain fluid to balance itself out.  Increased fluid retention also causes higher blood pressure!

"What about sugar?"

Sugar consumption, especially fructose, has a profound impact on raising blood pressure.  A study done in 2010 at the University of Colorado - Denver found that consuming 74 grams of fructose per day (about 2.5 sugary drinks) would DRASTICALLY RAISE the risk of developing high blood pressure.

On average the daily consumption of fructose by an American is...70 grams!...and that's an average, which means there are tons of people consuming way more than that every day.

Fructose breaks down into several things that can do harm to the body, one of which is uric acid.  Because elevated uric acid levels inhibit the chemical that maintains the elasticity of your blood vessels (nitric oxide), this can also lead to an increase in blood pressure.

"Doc, just tell me what to do!"

The answer is pretty easy folks...we need to live congruently to our genetic development!

1. Get your spine checked by a chiropractor!  Misalignments, especially of the upper spine, have been shown to drastically elevate blood pressure levels.
2. Eat whole foods!  If it grows from the earth or walks upon it in a natural way, its usually good to eat!
3. Normalize your Omega 6:3 ratio.  Consuming Omega-3 fats has been shown to resensitize insulin receptors of those who are insulin resistant.
4. Eliminate caffeine - proven to elevate blood pressure.
5. Exercise - shown to reduce blood pressure and restore insulin sensitivity.  By the way, 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week won't cut it.  Studies show you need 6-9 hours of relatively intense exercise weekly!  Start slow and work your way there...but get moving!
6. Optimize your Vitamin D blood levels - deficiency has been linked to increased parathyroid function, insulin resistance, and decrease in endorphin release...all shown to increase blood pressure.
7. Manage your stress - stress has been shown to quickly elevate blood pressure.
8. Supplements - getting on a good multi-vitamin/mineral/phytochemical will help.  Vitamins C & E, calcium, and magnesium deficiencies are all implicated in high blood pressure.  However, taking a supplement will never be as good as consuming whole foods!
9. Breastfeeding - The fatty acids in breast milk have been shown to drastically reduce the incidence of high blood pressure in the future for infants who are breastfed for at least 12 months.
10. Prayer - As a Christian, I have definitely experienced the healing power of prayer.  Having a belief in a higher power has actually been proven to increase happiness, overall health, longevity, and reduce blood pressure!

If this seems like a lot, start slow!  It's always easier to add something good before you take away something bad.  Start with the next easiest step and go from there!

Remember, health is your God-given right!

Any questions, please email Dr. Eric at drejchiro@gmail.com