Headlines:
Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with a new disorder: pre-hypertension. Is your blood pressure low enough?
Nearly 23% of people over the age of 18 have pre-hypertension (blood pressure over 120/80 and less than 140/90). Another 25% of those over 18 have full-blown hypertension (blood pressure over 140/90).
Hypertension
At age 34 I had to have an insurance exam. I weighed 175 pounds on a 5'6" frame and for the first time in my life, had elevated blood pressure, 140/90, up from 118/78. That was one of the first major health warnings my body gave me.
Pre-hypertension
Back in those days hypertension was considered anything above 140/90. Today we have the diagnosis of "pre-hypertension" which is any elevation of blood pressure over 120/80. Starting as low as 115/75 the risk of heart attack or stroke doubles for every 20 point increase in systolic pressure (the higher of the two, when the left ventricle of the heart actually pumps blood out into the body) and for every 10 point increase in diastolic pressure (when the heart is resting in between pulses). Between the pressures of 120/80 and 140/90 there is a fourfold increase in heart attack, compared to people with normal blood pressure. According to Aram Chobanian, M.D. Dean of Boston University School of Medicine, people over 54 years old have a 90% chance of developing hypertension at some time.
Aging does not necessarily correlate to hypertension.
For some reason especially here in America, there has been the idea that there is a normal increase in blood pressure as one gets older. That has been proven to be false. There are many populations around the world that reach old age and beyond without any increase in blood pressure. The idea that blood pressure goes up with age is based on studying the American population where it does in most cases. However, this does not mean that it is normal and is most likely a reflection of the eating habits and lifestyle of most Americans. I can still remember when a serum cholesterol was considered normal if it was less than 275, hardly normal for anyone.
Prevention is the best approach.
Better to not get hypertension than to try to control it with drugs once you have it. This means lifestyle changes that to some, are not really what they want to do. No free lunch here. If you want to prevent hypertension or control it once you have it, diet and exercise are the answer. Below are twelve simple lifestyle changes you can make to help keep your blood pressure under control.
Lose Weight
Exercise
Drinks lots of water
Dietary modification to decrease animal products and sugar and increase fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates. (The sugar-free vegan MericleDiet is the optimal diet to help you control your weight, blood pressure and risk for serious disease).
Stop Smoking
Reduce salt intake
Increase potassium intake (bananas, melons, potatoes)
Reduce or stop alcohol intake
Reduce or stop caffeine
Avoid drugs ... recreational (cocaine, ecstasy), birth control pills, some over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines
Relax, as much as you can.
If you want sweet -use Stevia. It has been shown to be the safest sweetener today and in well designed experiments it has reduced blood pressure.
The MericleDiet and Hypertension.
Current dietary recommendations for hypertension are a low salt diet that restricts saturated fat, cholesterol and total fats and emphasizes fruits, grains and low-fat dairy. This diet, however, still allows fish, chicken, dairy and insulin stimulating sugars such as sucrose and maple syrup. While there is no doubt that cutting down on these will improve your blood pressure, it would be best to stop them. Also, there has been some difficulty with adherence to these dietary recommendations. Why not learn to transition completely away from all hypertension causing meats, dairy and sugars with the MericleDiet, which also is much easier to adhere to. It is the only 100% organic sugar-free diet there is today. To visit the MericleDiet please follow the link below:
http://www.DrMericle.com
Endorsement
The Mericle Diet and Me
I have been reading about diet and health since 1986, but The MericleDiet has definitely helped me the most. After following Dr. Mericle's suggestions for over 15 months, I can truthfully say I will never stray from his program. One of the unseen benefits has been the reduction of blood pressure medicine I take. Although I have never been a big consumer of sugar, I now consume even less since I now understand the importance of keeping your insulin levels low. I am now able to keep my blood pressure at an optimal level with half the medication of my pre-MericleDiet days. And, the ease of this program! I always have something yummy and ready to eat! For the first time in my adult life I no longer suffer, and I do mean suffer, from the yo-yo syndrome!
This is absolutely the best program for me and my family...
Kay McIlroy
Colorado Springs
Reference:
Health24.com
MyWebMD.com
If you would like to take stevia for a test drive or just purchase some online, the link below will take you to Carol Bond Health Foods. Just search stevia or "Stevita" when you get there.
http://www.DrMericle.com/rcb.php
Please stay tuned for next week when we will discuss in more detail the twelve recommendations for controlling your blood pressure.
Thanks for your time.
Copyright ? 2005 John Mericle M.D. All Rights Reserved
drmericle.com is devoted to achieving optimal health and peak performance through diet and lifestyle change. Dr. Mericle brings together a unique blend of formal training in organic chemistry and biochemistry, medical education, 29 marathons, 3 Hawaii Ironman competitions and a lot of practical real life experience.
efficient cleaning crew Lake Forest ..Dr. Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who developed South Beach Diet... Read More
What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More
What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally... Read More
Have you ever watched someone who appears thin and healthy... Read More
Recently I found the book : "Eating and health according... Read More
The makers of Bumble Bee Tuna generated some buzz today... Read More
Like the Sun, Moon, and Earth, there are three kinds... Read More
Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?It is a... Read More
Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy... Read More
Looking for an easy and natural way increase your vitality... Read More
Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary... Read More
Get back to the basics - eat fresh at home... Read More
You're always hungry right? The last thing you have time... Read More
The dangers of processed foods and diets Why is that... Read More
So, what is new about this that you already don't... Read More
Milk is highly underrated. Experts say, America finds itself in... Read More
Anyone who has spent a day fasting from food, or... Read More
Initially discovered as a new element in 1811 by Barnard... Read More
Although you may have heard about soy and all of... Read More
At any grocery store in North America right now, there... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
I don't understand people sometimes. You know, there is a... Read More
Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the... Read More
Archeological records indicate that man has cultivated the olive tree... Read More
Nails are a protective horn at the end of our... Read More
green cleaning service Deerfield ..With the array of different diets and diet foods available... Read More
Eating grain products - breads, cakes, cereals - have long... Read More
When we think about the benefits of being ensuring a... Read More
Most of us eat at restaurants for a variety of... Read More
Okay, before we start, let me explain the purpose of... Read More
America's focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known... Read More
Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of... Read More
I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More
I had finally come to a place in my life... Read More
In health circles there has been much recent talk about... Read More
Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you... Read More
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you... Read More
Dr. Barry Sears revolutionized nutritional thinking around the world with... Read More
Coke, more commonly known as cocaine is a highly addictive... Read More
Just what is the "New Biology of Health?" And who's... Read More
Apple cider vinegar is a product of apple juice fermentation.... Read More
Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that... Read More
You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily... Read More
Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the development... Read More
Strict "no carb" phases of low carb diets have developed... Read More
Nutrition |