Keeping Your Cool
by Dr Jenna
We are focusing on the heart this month and I thought I would focus on blood pressure as we have quite an epidemic of high blood pressure these days. This reflects our busy lifestyle and fast food choices, many of the choices we make every day effects our blood pressure.
When measuring your blood pressure there are two numbers, the first number is the systolic pressure and reflects the pressure when your heart is beating and should be 140 or less, this is the pressure that is transmitted through your blood vessels. If this number is high than the pressure transmitted through the blood vessels is also high. Like any hose this pressure can cause a weakening and cracking of the walls, leading to plaque formation in the arteries of the heart, leading to heart attacks and leakage or rupture in the small arteries of the brain causing a stroke. Some new research currently being done indicates that keeping this number at 120 or less, even further prevents these affects.
The second number, or lower number, is the diastolic blood pressure and reflects the hearts pressure at rest or in between beats and this should be 80 or less. This number is usually the first to go up and if high can cause the symptoms already mentioned. It also means that the heart has to work harder which over time and causes enlargement of the heart, especially the left ventricle which can lead to heart failure. Heart failure is when fluid backs up from the heart into the lungs.
Both numbers also have an effect on our kidneys, these are our filtering system. If the pressure that is going through the filters is too high it can cause damage to the filter, lead to kidney damage and ultimately renal failure. If you have diabetes than it is even more important to keep your blood pressure low, as both diabetes and blood pressure have an additive effect on damaging the kidneys.
Our blood pressure is meant to fluctuate, it should go up when we are exercising, this allows more blood to flow to the muscles so that they are fed and toxins can be carried away. Stress will also increase the blood pressure and our stress system is set to send more blood to our muscles so that we can fight or run away. Unfortunately in today’s society we often live in high stress all the time so the body never has a chance to relax.
So how can we keep our blood pressure normal or lower it if it is high? Diet is extremely important, watch the amount of salt that you eat, our take away foods and pre-prepared foods are full of salt. Some diet food and low carb food are also packed with salt and even gluten free things can be full of salt and sugar - they have to make it taste good some way. Soup and sauces also have a great deal of salt added to them, keep your salt usage down or use sea salt when you do need salt, as it is a more balanced formula. Again just eating real food (not from a can or package) and not adding salt has an amazing effect on your health.
Exercise is also important in keeping your blood pressure down. Getting regular cardiovascular workout helps to lower the blood pressure and keep our weight under control. Dropping your weight by just 5kg can significantly lower blood pressure!
There is lots of research now showing that we can lower blood pressure by doing something in our day that allows our adrenal glands to relax. We live in such a high stress environment that our adrenal glands no longer know what relax is, they just reset themselves to over drive, this will increase your blood pressure and eventually lead to adrenal fatigue. Practicing yoga (a relaxing form), Tia Chi, Qui Gong, meditation or prayer has been found to lower blood pressure by 10 points. Acupuncture and mindfulness training are also great tools. Many herbs are beneficial to lowering blood pressure such as garlic, cayenne pepper, celery seed and Hawthorne - our naturopaths are great at mixing up these formulas for you. Magnesium can also have a great effect on both blood pressure and the heart, as we are quiet deficient in magnesium in the soil here so a good supplement is always a good idea.
So keep your heart healthy by eating real food, less salt, relaxing and getting regular exercise. Have a happy and healthy holiday season, get to the beach and enjoy yourself.
Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
