High blood pressure is a serious condition that requires treatment. Here are answers to four frequently asked questions you need to know.

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure equals the force pushing against your artery walls when your heart beats and when it rests. The systolic pressure is the force against artery walls when your heart beats (contracts), while the diastolic pressure is the pressure against your artery walls when the heart relaxes (between beats).

High blood pressure is a reading equal to or greater than 140/90 mm Hg. A reading between 120-139/80-89 mm Hg falls within the pre-hypertension category. A blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. High blood pressure is typically diagnosed after more than one elevated blood pressure reading.

Why is high blood pressure dangerous?

Continue reading ‘High Blood Pressure – 4 Frequently Asked Questions’ »

Here’s another four questions with answers from my interview with Dr. Mark Houston in February 2010.

Lisa Nelson RD: If someone has been on blood pressure medication for many years and they take steps to lose weight and improve their diet is it likely they’ll be able to discontinue their medication or will they be on medications for life?

Dr. Houston: About a 60% of patients that follow the guidelines in the book that I wrote on What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypertension can stop meds over 6-12 months if they do everything correct as outlined.

Lisa Nelson RD: If someone is newly diagnosed with high blood pressure, how much time should be allowed if the individual prefers to make diet and lifestyle changes to lower the blood pressure before turning to medication?

Dr. Houston: I recommend getting the blood pressure down soon with both meds and lifestyle changes to protect the arteries and reduce cardiovascular disease based on some recent studies. Later on, if blood pressure is controlled then you can taper the medications.

Lisa Nelson RD: Do any of the over-the-counter meds for high blood pressure and high cholesterol work – or are they just snake oil ads?

Dr. Houston: There are some good supplements that work for blood pressure and cholesterol, but most over the counter are not good. The best source is BIOTICS RESEARCH at 1-800-231-5777. For blood pressure use VASCULOSIRT. Also for blood pressure is CARDIOSIRT BP (this one will be out in the spring). These will reduce blood pressure well along with the lifestyle changes recommended in the book above. The best for cholesterols is LIPIDSIRT. It can be used with the new niacin and red yeast rice from BIOTICS if needed. This may decrease cholesterol with the combination by 40-50%.

Lisa Nelson RD: How effective do you feel the supplements l-arginine, coQ10, and omega 3 are at preventing cardiac problems?

Dr. Houston: I would use omega 3 fatty acids in almost everyone to reduce heart attack, stroke, blood pressure, improve triglycerides and improve memory. The best omega 3 fatty acid on the market is EFA-SIRT SUPREME from BIOTICS research at 1800-231-5777. The CoQ10 is excellent as well. Doses of about 100 to 200 mg of a good quality CoQ10 will lower systolic blood pressure about 15 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure about 10 mm Hg in 50% of patients. The CoQ10 is in both the VASCULOSIRT AND THE CARDIOSIRT BP from BIOTICS at 1-800-231-5777.

Part 1 – Top Heart Health Questions Answered By Dr. Houston
Part 2- Top Heart Health Questions Answered By Dr. Houston

There will be one final part to this Q&A. Sign-up for the e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure and you’ll also be notified when the final part is posted.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com

Here are more of the questions and answers from my interview with Dr. Mark Houston in February 2010.

Lisa Nelson RD: Is there a connection between blood pressure and heart rate?

Dr. Houston: If blood pressure increases, normally the heart rate should decrease. However, in some patient with dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system the heart rate may increase with the blood pressure.

Lisa Nelson RD: Blood pressure fluctuation – What causes blood pressure to fluctuate drastically throughout the day? Is it something to worry about?

Dr. Houston: Most people have fluctuations during the day due to the normal circadian rhythm (high in AM and low in PM). Stress, anger, eating, exercise, rest, meditation, coffee are some of the things that will alter blood pressure. About 60 % of patients that drink coffee have increase blood pressure for several hours after consumption.

Lisa Nelson RD: What is the risk of not treating high blood pressure? For example, someone has a blood pressure of 160/100, but they feel perfectly fine. Why should they be concerned and seek treatment?

Dr. Houston: Heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, loss of vision, aortic rupture, valve dysfunction, atherosclerosis. Hypertension is the silent killer. At this level the arteries will be damaged over time and all of these complications will occur. At that high level of blood pressure one will decrease life expectancy by about 15 years or more.

Lisa Nelson RD: Do blood pressure recommendations change with age?

Dr. Houston: A normal blood pressure is 120/80 regardless of age. If it goes up with age it means the arteries are not healthy, but very stiff.

Lisa Nelson RD: What is a normal blood pressure response post exercise? How quickly should heart rate return to normal post exercise?

Dr. Houston: Blood pressure will fall for several hours after exercise depending on hydration status and severity and length of exercise. Usually systolic (top number) blood pressure falls about 10-15 mm Hg and diastolic (bottom number) 5-10 mm Hg. Heart rate should return to normal within 2 minutes post exercise.

Part 1 – Top Heart Health Questions Answered By Dr. Houston

I’ll be posting more of the Q&A with Dr. Houston over the next few weeks. Sign-up for the e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure and you’ll also be notified when the new blog posts are added.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com

I had the opportunity to interview hypertension expert Dr. Mark Houston last month (February 2010). Here are three of the questions he answered.

Lisa Nelson RD: It is typically recommended that cholesterol medications be taken prior to bed. Would you explain the reason why? Also, is there a best time of day to take blood pressure medication?

Dr. Houston: Statins work best at night to inhibit an enzyme in the liver when cholesterol production is the highest. Blood pressure medications are best taken at night to reduce the early morning increase in blood pressure which is highest between 3 AM and 10AM.

Lisa Nelson RD: If you discontinue a blood pressure medication how long does it stay in your system?

Dr. Houston: It depends on the duration of action of the medication. Some of the longer acting medications may last for 24 to 72 hours. However most are gone in 24 hours or less. Never stop any blood pressure medication abruptly especially beta blockers and clonidine, as withdrawal may occur with rapid increases in blood pressure, heart rate, headache, chest pain, palpitations and even heart attack or stroke.

Lisa Nelson RD: When someone has uncontrolled systolic blood pressure (diastolic tends to be within normal) what are steps they can take to promote control of systolic blood pressure?

Dr. Houston: Low salt, high magnesium intake, high potassium intake, fruits and vegetables, exercise, weight loss. The best medications for Systolic blood pressure are ACEI, ARB and CCB. Diuretics and beta blockers are less effective. High systolic usually means stiff arteries.

I’ll be posting more of the Q&A with Dr. Houston over the next few weeks. Sign-up for the e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure and you’ll also be notified when the new blog posts are added.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com

Currently there are cholesterol medications that interact with grapefruit meaning individuals that are prescribed these medications need to avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice. There’s a component in grapefruit called furanocomarins (FCs) that interfere with the enzyme activity that metabolizes (breaksdown) certain medications. Therefore grapefruit can inhibit the medication from entering the bloodstream.

The USDA Agricultural Research Service found a fungus (Aspergillus niger) that will bind with FCs causing the component to be inactive. This may mean avoiding grapefruit may not be necessary in the future for individuals taking certain medications.

I’m curious to know your thoughts. I’m not so sure I like the idea of altering the FCs in grapefruit. Who knows if there is a benefit we haven’t learned yet related to FCs? Also, what if inhibiting FCs causing a new problem? Share your thoughts below!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
http://www.lowercholesterolwithlisa.com

Let me state right up front that I do not recommend following a low carb diet. That being said I want to share some of the latest research with you.

A study published on January 25, 2010 in the Archives of Internal Medicine compared a low carb diet versus a low fat plus orlistat diet. Researchers analyzed the effect of these two diets on weight loss and blood pressure.

Just in case you don’t know, orlistat is also known by the names Xenical and Alli.

Researchers studied 146 participants from the Department of Veterans Affairs primary care clinics in Durham, North Carolina. Participants were randomly assigned to either the low carb of the low fat plus orlistat diet, received instructions, and were monitored for 48 weeks. Some factors analyzed included body weight, blood pressure, fasting serum lipid, and glycemic parameters.

Results of the study found weight loss to be similar between the two groups at ~9% body weight. The low carbohydrate diet resulted in a lower blood pressure for participants when compared to the low fat diet with orlistat. The low carb diet lowered systolic (top number) blood pressure on average 5.9 mm Hg and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure 4.5 mm Hg.

HDL Cholesterol and triglyceride levels improved for individuals on each diet, while LDL cholesterol improved only for those on the low fat plus orlistat diet. Glycemic parameters, such as glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin A1C only improved for low carbohydrate diet participants. Although it’s worth noting that the difference between groups was not statistically significant.

Like I said at the beginning I do not recommend a low carb diet. My first choice to promote a lower blood pressure would be the DASH diet. A study on the DASH diet was actually published in this same journal issue.

The DASH Diet alone was compared to the DASH diet in combination with a weight management and exercise plan. The DASH Diet when combined with an exercise/weight management plan resulted in an 11.2 mm Hg drop of systolic blood pressure and an average weight loss of 19 pounds over a 4 month period.

The main thing to remember is that you need to pick a plan you can stick with for the long term. Steady, consistent action is what will lead to results. If you haven’t already I encourage you to sign-up for the e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure at http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com.

What do you think about using a low carb diet to lower blood pressure? Share your thoughts below.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD

Lifting weights can cause a temporary, but dramatic blood pressure rise. Systolic blood pressure can increase up to 350-400 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure to 150 mm Hg even if your blood pressure is typically a healthy level of 120/80 or less.

Long term high blood pressure is linked to arterial endothelial dysfunction. The endothelium is the inner lining of your artery walls. Endothelial dysfunction can result in the hardening of artery walls. Researchers have been monitoring the effects of short duration rises in blood pressure, such as what occurs during strength training, to determine the effect on endothelial function. It has been determined that acute rises in blood pressure impairs endothelial function in untrained individuals and regular resistance training helps protect against vascular dysfunction.

At one time, weight lifting was discouraged if you lived with high blood pressure. However, this is no longer the recommendation. Regular physical activity that includes moderate strength training is one of many natural ways to lower blood pressure. A study published in Hypertension monitored participants completing resistance training 2 to 5 times per week and found strength training to help lower resting blood pressure.

Including strength training and aerobic physical activity can be a positive step towards lowering blood pressure; however, you must consult your physician before beginning an exercise and/or strength training program. Strength training is not recommended if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, untreated heart disease, or an irregular heart rate.

The current American Heart Association recommends individuals 18 to 65 years-old include moderate intensity aerobic physical activity 5 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes and strength training at least twice a week.

Feel free to share your thoughts below and be sure to sign-up for the free e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD

The long running Health Professional Follow-Up Study has released new findings. The study found men who eat a high level of whole grains to be 19% less likely to develop high blood pressure compared to those eating the lowest levels of whole grains. The individuals with lower risks of developing high blood pressure consumed 52 grams of whole grains daily versus only 3 grams in the lower whole grain group.

Even though this study focused on men, similar results are being seen for women in the Women’s Health Study.

A few possible reasons increasing your intake of whole grains may prevent high blood pressure include better insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar, decreased food intake to higher feelings of satiety (fullness).

Current whole grain recommendations are 85 grams per day.

How many grams of whole grains do you think you consume each? Do you have ideas for how you can increase your intake?

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com

You’d think the stress of raising children would cause blood pressure to boil; however, a study has actually found a link between parenthood and lower blood pressure, particularly in women. The Brigham Young Study monitored 198 adults for 24 hours. Seventy percent of participants had children, participants were married and in overall good health.

The study measured blood pressure using portable devices at random times throughout the day and night. Researchers found participants with children had an average blood pressure of 116/71 mm Hg. After factoring in other issues that impact blood pressure (i.e. age, gender, body mass index, and smoking, etc.) parents had a systolic (top number) blood pressure reading 4.5 points lower and a diastolic (bottom number) reading 3 points lower than participants without children. A greater difference was seen in women. Motherhood corresponded with a 12 point difference in systolic blood pressure and 7 point difference in diastolic blood pressure.

Interesting look at how not only dietary factors influence blood pressure. What do you think? Has being a parent had a positive impact on your blood pressure? Share your thoughts below!

Be sure to sign up for the free e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure at http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD

The latest research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that saturated fat is not linked to heart disease as we’ve always be told. This latest study was a meta-analysis and did not find significant evidence linking dietary saturated fat with increased risk of heart disease.

A meta-analysis combines the results of several studies completed with similar theories. In this particular analysis, 21 studies were compared in regards to dietary fat and heart disease risk. I do like meta-analysis results, because they can provide a big picture look at the overall findings. However, there are weaknesses.

Here are three known weaknesses:

1. Reliance on published studies – Studies that do not show significant results have difficulty getting published. If a meta-analysis only includes studies showing a positive or negative association there could be many unpublished studies finding no link.
2. Studies included are not controlled – A meta-analysis may include studies with a poor design which can skew results inaccurately. The studies included in a meta-analysis is a subjective design made by the researchers – they get to decide.
3. Simpson’s Paradox – This deals with statistics and how study results are interpreted. There are different ways to measure results and there is no one agreed upon measurement method – with is of particular importance in the field of medicine.

Why am I sharing this information with you?

Because the results of this latest meta-analysis are interesting, but I do not recommend you throw out your olive oil and replace it with lard. It’s likely saturated fat does not deserve the “bad rap” it has received; however, that doesn’t mean excess amounts are good. Everything comes back to moderation.

Please let me know what you think by adding a comment below.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com