EXPERT’S CORNER

under pressure

The facts about high blood pressure— and what you can do about it

Q: I try to follow the medical news. Guidelines around blood pressure have been bouncing around the past few years. What’s going

on? —Anne W., Albuquerque, N.M.

A: For a long time the numbers 120/80 signified “perfect” blood pressure, although somewhat lower is rarely a problem. The upper number, called systolic, measures the resistance, or the “pressure” of the blood volume pushing against your veins and arteries. This peripheral resistance is quite volatile, meaning it can bounce around a bit because it is susceptible to adrenaline, a short-acting, strong vasoconstrictor that dramatically increases the pressure in your vascular system. So this upper number can jump up significantly during a stressful event—including a doctor’s visit.

The lower number, called diastolic, measures the ability of your heart to pump blood between its chambers, which infuses the blood with oxygen from the lungs. An elevated diastolic above 90 mm/Hg (millimeters of mercury being pushed up a tube, though this method is no longer used) can signify the beginning of an enlarged, boggy, less efficient heart muscle.

How High Is Too High?

Guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recently lowered the “cut-off” for hypertension (high blood pressure) from 140/90 to 130/80. This instantly made millions of American “eligible” for drug therapy. The rationale of the heart associations is “preventive,” but cardiac medications themselves are not benign— up to 40 percent of patients on cardiac medication suffer side effects including fainting or falling, fatigue, weight gain, muscle aches, and kidney damage.

Blood pressure is a dynamic measurement (it changes depending on circumstances) and thus one single reading shouldn’t be the basis for making a diagnosis of hypertension. It’s imperative to sit quietly for at least 2 minutes before taking your blood pressure. It’s best to monitor your blood pressure at home, because even a visit to the doctor can be stressful enough to raise it. I have a loaner cuff in my office for this purpose. When a patient’s pressure is high in the office, I send them home with a cuff and ask them to take 10 readings in 5–7 days at different times of day. This is a much more accurate way to gauge overall blood pressure.

Lifestyle Interventions

Hypertension isn’t really a disease; it’s a symptom of suboptimal health. Caffeine, alcohol, and food allergens can all raise blood pressure. Other causes of high blood pressure include kidney disease, narrowing of blood vessels around the heart, excessive secretion of adrenaline, mineral imbalances, sleep apnea, and thyroid hyperfunction (Graves disease).

Hypertension can almost always be improved, with lifestyle considerations. First off, if you smoke, stop. Next, exercise daily. Find some kind of movement that you enjoy and work it into a daily routine. Activity lowers stress hormones, releases body tension, and reduces sodium levels through sweat. It also helps with weight loss—even a few extra pounds can have a profound effect on blood pressure. So find a food plan that keeps you satisfied, yet moving towards an optimal weight.

Many folks with hypertension get relief with a low-salt diet. Canned soups and processed meats are the biggest culprits for “hidden” sodium.

One of my favorite lifestyle habits is contrast hydrotherapy. Take a hot shower until you’re heated through, then quickly change the temperature to as cool as you can stand. Try to do this every time you bathe. You will grow to love the invigorating cold rush, which stimulates circulation.

Supplement Strategies

Vitamin K (500 mcg daily) is a potent anti-hypertensive and cardiac protectant. Foods high in vitamin K include turnip greens, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, spinach, and dairy products from grass-fed animals. The chlorophyll in grass converts to vitamin K in the belly of the happy beasts. This does not happen with factory-farmed, corn-fed cows.

Some studies show that Coenzyme Q 10 (100–300 mg daily) markedly decreases blood pressure, especially with elevated systolic numbers. It can take 1–4 months of regular use to produce results.

The most potent and reliable herbal medicine for reducing high blood pressure is Indian snakeroot (Rauwolfia serpentine). Work with a qualified naturopathic physician or herbalist before trying this Ayurvedic intervention, as high doses can cause depression, among other side effects. But when used properly, this ancient remedy has been shown to be highly effective in managing blood pressure.