Posts Tagged Blood platelets

… placebo-controlled, crossover study found that subjects who took 730 mg of quercetin daily enjoyed blood pressures that were 7 mm/Hg lower for systolic (upper number) and 5 mm/Hg lower for diastolic …

The most important thing that you need to know about high blood pressure is that it is generally not a disease, instead, it’s a symptom of a body that is biochemically out of balance. In this article, we will teach you a simple three step system for natural blood pressure control using only diet and natural remedies. The purpose of such a program is to achieve one thing…bring the body back into perfect balance so that blood pressure is controlled by the body’s own homeostatic systems.

Step 1: Find Out Why You Have High Blood Pressure

I am not going to leave you to figure this out on your own, nor am I going to leave it to your busy, overworked doctor either. Below are the tests that you should ask your doctor for to figure out why your blood pressure may be elevated:

1. Fasting Insulin Levels & Hemoglobin a1c – The number one cause of elevated blood pressure is elevated insulin levels and the resulting metabolic syndrome. These two tests will help to diagnose a metabolic syndrome and may help to save you from a future diabetes diagnosis.
2. Potassium (K) & intracellular magnesium (RBC-Mg) – These two minerals are essential to a healthy blood pressure. If either, or both, are low or low-normal, this could be one indication as to why your blood pressure is elevated.
3. Vitamin D – Vitamin D deficiency is common in our society and when vitamin D is low, the cardiovascular system does not work properly.
4. RBC-Mg (Red blood cell magnesium) – Magnesium deficiency is a common problem in our society and the consequences can be devastating. Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and works to relax the blood vessels.

Step 2: 3 Dietary Changes for a Healthy Blood Pressure

1. Decrease carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates increase insulin production which causes fluid retention, inflammation and electrolyte imbalance.
2. Remove all unhealthy fats. These fats include trans-fatty acids and cooked omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils.
3. Make the Magic Salad for Blood Pressure every day. I have designed a salad recipe that will flood your body with hypertension- blasting ingredients which are high in potassium, magnesium and phytochemicals that will lower blood pressure and promote wellness. The ingredients are as follows:

• Organic field greens (available at Costco and most local grocery stores)
• Organic carrots
• Celery
• Green & Red Peppers
• Radishes
• Mushrooms
• Fresh parsley
• Tomatoes
• Braggs Apple cider vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil

Eat at least one large salad, containing these ingredients every day. Note: Some medications, called ACE Inhibitors, can cause your body to retain potassium. If you are on these medication, your doctor should monitor your potassium closely.

Step 3: Use the right natural supplements to promote a healthy blood pressure.

Supplements can be an effective tool in your struggle to normalize blood pressure. The goals of a natural program for high blood pressure are three fold:

1. Normalize deficiencies (such as potassium, magnesium zinc, omega-3, etc.)
2. Decrease resistance to insulin
3. Relax blood vessels & normalize fluid balance

There are a few natural remedies that we recommend for normalizing blood pressure.

1. WholeMega by New Chapter – This omega-3 supplement provides a healthy balance of essential fatty acids that help to relax and improve the elasticity of blood vessels. Recommended dose: 2 capsules twice daily.
2. Cardiotonic-BP by Natura Health Products – I have used this formula in my practice for almost a year, it is a blend of some of natures most powerful herbal and nutritional ingredients for a healthy blood pressure. 3 capsules twice daily.
3. Coenzyme Q10 – CoQ10 helps to energize the cells and protect the vessels from free radicals that can harm the blood pressure. Research has not delineated the exact mechanism by which CoQ10 positively impacts the blood pressure; but it can have a significant impact on blood pressure while positively impacting overall wellness.

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The study involved 60 subjects with mildly elevated hemoglobin A1c. That result averaged 6.2% which would correlate with a daily blood sugar of 128. After two months of taking the green tea, the hemoglobin A1c dropped to an average of 5.9% which correlates to an average daily blood sugar of 119. In addition to the improvements in blood sugar, the subjects who took the green tea extract also enjoyed a slight but significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure.
(Source: Eur J Clin Cutr. 2008 Aug;62(8):953-60)
Dr. Ray’s Notes: Green tea has proven over and over again to be a valuable tool in the fight against many diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This study just adds to the already impressive track record for this valuable and inexpensive supplement. Although the results of this study were impressive, I feel that if they had continued treatment for three months rather than two we may have seen even better blood sugar control. In this study, the subjects received a green tea supplement that was standardized to contain 544 mg of polyphenols. These are a class of plant compound that has antioxidant and anti-cancer qualities. I personally use a product called “Botanical Treasures” by Natura Health Products which contains a spectrum of powerful whole food antioxidants including green tea, grape seed extract, turmeric, amla and more. I personally take 3 capsules twice daily and this dose should more than meet the green tea polyphenol needs of the body.

The recommendation was that doctors should now consider preemptively medicating any patient whose blood pressure was creeping up towards the 140/90 cut off point. I remember thinking, “Are these people out of their minds? Now there is such thing as treating a ‘pre-disease’?” I thought. Worst yet, they treat these “pre-diseases” with medications that have not even proven their worth in treating the actual “disease”?

Needless to say, we at Your Prescription for Health did not sit quietly by and allow them to decree fabricated claims of disease prevention. We quickly wrote articles and stood angrily atop of our soap boxes to preach the fallacy of this ridiculous conclusion. Months later, it was determined that this “panel of experts” were actually cronies for the drug companies—having direct ties to the companies that make drugs used to treat hypertension, and now, pre-hypertension. Alas, the word was out and the damage done. Medicine had accepted their phony pre-disease as another medical “fact” that was beyond contestation.

Recently, a controversial article that was published in the reputable Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, issue 3, determined that lowering blood pressure to levels below 140/90 provided no benefit to the risk of heart attack, strokes or funeral rates (death rates per year). In this review, lowering blood pressure to 135/85 compared to 140/90 did nothing to improve the health and longevity of over 22,000 patients in the review.

So, yes, this is a big “I told you so!” It is not our first and it certainly will not be our last! But, I don’t want to end with an “I told you so.” Let’s talk about blood pressure, why it happens and how to fix it.

First, I am going to speak in generalities here. There certainly are extenuating circumstances that could lead to atypical hypertension. These include the use of certain medication and kidney disease. We will not discuss these less common situations in the interest of helping the majority of our readers. This article is for people who have run-of-the-mill hypertension without any definitive cause; this is called “idiopathic hypertension”. People with idiopathic hypertension often ask the doctor, “why is my blood pressure high?” and they receive the dismissive reply, “because you are getting older.”

The number one cause of elevated blood pressure is what we call “metabolic syndrome” or “insulin resistance”. This occurs when we consume more carbohydrates than our body can tolerate. When this happens, insulin steadily increases resulting in a catastrophic series of biochemical events that causes blood vessel constriction and water retention. Here is a quick and easy method to begin correcting this health issue:

1. Regulate the amount of carbohydrate that you consume. People with insulin resistance may want to consider decreasing carbohydrate intake to approximately 20% of their daily caloric intake. So if your daily caloric intake is 2,000 kilocalories; 20% equates to approximately 400 kilocalories or 100 grams of carbohydrates. After the body has normalized, you may be able to increase this to 25-30%.

2. Pay attention to the quality of carbohydrate that you consume on a daily basis. A high quality carbohydrate is one with a low glycemic load. For more information on glycemic load, see www.mendosa.com .

3. Exercise at least 5 days a week for at least one-hour. Exercise burns sugar and fat while improving insulin sensitivity. Most people do not exercise often enough, nor do they exercise for long enough. Commit to one-hour a day, if you do this then you will enjoy improved blood pressure and overall health and wellbeing. Your exercise program should include weight training, walking (or light jogging) and stretching.

4. Eat your fruits and veggies. There is no faster way to help normalize the potassium/sodium balance in the body than to cut the amount of refined/prepared foods while filling the void with fruits and vegetables.

5. Supplement to correct deficiencies and improve blood vessel health. Rather than taking herbs for blood pressure, we want to correct deficiencies that may cause elevated blood pressure. These include:

a. Omega-3 fatty acids – Fish oil is the best for improving blood pressure.

b. Magnesium/Potassium aspartate – Be careful if you are on medications for blood pressure as some medications, such as ACE inhibitors, can increase potassium levels to dangerous levels. Standard dose: 2 capsules two to three times daily.

c. Vitamin D3 – This will enhance the absorption of minerals such as potassium and magnesium while providing other benefits to the cardiovascular system. 2,000-4,000 iu daily.

d. HTN Complex – This formula is designed for those who need to more aggressively lower blood pressure. It contains many nutritional and herbal ingredients to improve blood pressure when the above mentioned measures are insufficient. Recommended dose: 2 capsules twice daily.

As this fat builds up it damages the delicate machinery of the cell, ultimately leading to complications and disease. While reading various studies on how this fat gets into places that it shouldn’t, I came across a study that was investigating the impact of high fat versus high carbohydrate intake on the burning of fat. While reading the study I was fascinated and horrified by the method used to block the burning of fat in the healthy subjects who took part in the study. How did they do it? How did they block the healthy participants’ bodies from burning fat?

They gave them a popular blood pressure medication.

That’s right, they gave them a medication called a “beta blocker” that is very commonly prescribed to overweight, obese and diabetic patients with high blood pressure. This class of medication is, more accurately, called a beta adrenergic blocker. This means that the medication blocks certain receptors which bind to adrenaline, a hormone produced by the body which causes the heart to race, the blood vessels to constrict and thus blood pressure to increase. By blocking the beta adrenergic receptors of the body, the heart does not beat as strongly or as fast and the blood vessels relax thus lowering blood pressure. Unfortunately, the beta adrenergic receptors on fat cells get blocked as well and thus a decrease in fat loss occurs as well as an increased propensity to store fat.

Does anyone see a problem with this?

As I mentioned previously, the people who are most prone to high blood pressure are people who already have too much fat in their bodies. These include diabetics, people with pre-diabetes, as well as the overweight and obese. We give these people a medication which further inhibits fat use thus stoking the fire of their metabolic difficulties. Perhaps this is why many studies on these medications have resulted in an increased risk of disease and premature death. That’s right, not only have studies not proven these medications to prolong life, many have even shown them to shorten life.

It never ceases to amaze me how the medical establishment can turn a blind eye to the side effects of their treatments. The use of beta blockers to inhibit fat loss is apparently a standard practice in research studies and yet medicine just brushes it aside and convinces themselves that this class of medication is safe to use in overweight and obese people who are already afflicted with fat-clogged cells.

We need to open our eyes and accept the fact that medications are not nearly as effective as they are made out to be. We need to convince ourselves that the right approach is to take the reins of health into our own hands and although it is not as easy as popping a pill in the morning it is far better than the delusion that there is a medication for every disease…that, ladies and gentlemen, is nothing more than a mirage created by the drug industry.

For those of you who have high blood pressure and may have been prescribed a beta blocker such as propranolol, metoprolol or any other generic medication ending in “olol” I am not recommending that you stop your medication. In fact, to do so may cause a rebound elevation in blood pressure that could put you in the hospital or worse. I am simply saying, perhaps there is a better way to control blood pressure. In our experience, people can start living the right lifestyle can find that the need for the medication decreases or goes away as they get healthier. At this time you can work with your doctor to start weaning yourself from the medication. If you would like to learn more about natural methods for controlling blood pressure, check out our article onHigh Blood Pressure. If you are looking for help developing a healthy lifestyle, learn about First Line Therapy that we offer at our wellness center.

While reading various studies on how this fat gets into places that it shouldn’t, I came across a study that was investigating the impact of high fat versus high carbohydrate intake on the burning of fat. While reading the study I was fascinated and horrified by the method used to block the burning of fat in the healthy subjects who took part in the study. How did they do it? How did they block the healthy participants’ bodies from burning fat?

They gave them a popular blood pressure medication.

That’s right, they gave them a medication called a “beta blocker” that is very commonly prescribed to overweight, obese and diabetic patients with high blood pressure. This class of medication is, more accurately, called a beta adrenergic blocker. This means that the medication blocks certain receptors which bind to adrenaline, a hormone produced by the body which causes the heart to race, the blood vessels to constrict and thus blood pressure to increase. By blocking the beta adrenergic receptors of the body, the heart does not beat as strongly or as fast and the blood vessels relax thus lowering blood pressure. Unfortunately, the beta adrenergic receptors on fat cells get blocked as well and thus a decrease in fat loss occurs as well as an increased propensity to store fat.

Does anyone see a problem with this?

As I mentioned previously, the people who are most prone to high blood pressure are people who already have too much fat in their bodies. These include diabetics, people with pre-diabetes, as well as the overweight and obese. We give these people a medication which further inhibits fat use thus stoking the fire of their metabolic difficulties. Perhaps this is why many studies on these medications have resulted in an increased risk of disease and premature death. That’s right, not only have studies not proven these medications to prolong life, many have even shown them to shorten life.

It never ceases to amaze me how the medical establishment can turn a blind eye to the side effects of their treatments. The use of beta blockers to inhibit fat loss is apparently a standard practice in research studies and yet medicine just brushes it aside and convinces themselves that this class of medication is safe to use in overweight and obese people who are already afflicted with fat-clogged cells.

We need to open our eyes and accept the fact that medications are not nearly as effective as they are made out to be. We need to convince ourselves that the right approach is to take the reins of health into our own hands and although it is not as easy as popping a pill in the morning it is far better than the delusion that there is a medication for every disease…that, ladies and gentlemen, is nothing more than a mirage created by the drug industry.

For those of you who have high blood pressure and may have been prescribed a beta blocker such as propranolol, metoprolol or any other generic medication ending in “olol” I am not recommending that you stop your medication. In fact, to do so may cause a rebound elevation in blood pressure that could put you in the hospital or worse. I am simply saying, perhaps there is a better way to control blood pressure. In our experience, people can start living the right lifestyle can find that the need for the medication decreases or goes away as they get healthier. At this time you can work with your doctor to start weaning yourself from the medication. If you would like to learn more about natural methods for controlling blood pressure, check out our “Health Issues” section of this website. If you are looking for help developing a healthy lifestyle, learn about First Line Therapy that we offer at our wellness center.

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Have you ever stopped to wonder who taught a monkey what to eat? I realize that you are here to learn about the benefits of potassium, bare with me a moment, I promise I will give you the answer. for now,, back to the monkey question, it will all make sense in a second…

I am willing to bet that you’ve never given it much thought because, admittedly, the question is quite ridiculous. Monkeys just seem to know what to eat. Through this mysterious force we call “instinct”, most animals exit the womb and just know exactly what to put in their mouths.

Although humans are more than animals, we do have instincts, like our monkey ancestors.

In recent years scientists have been trying to understand what man consumed when we didn’t have government agencies to tell us what to eat. During this time, approximately 50,000 to 100,000 years ago, Paleolithic man was comprised of hunters and gatherers who consumed a diet motivated by instinct. Then approximately 10,000 years ago began the Neolithic Revolution.

The Grand Mistake

During this new age of human development; we adopted more of an agriculture and animal husbandry practice. I imagine this is about the time when those nasty little creatures called “food scientists” came into existence. A “food scientist” is someone who thinks they can make food better, tastier, and more nutritious than nature.

Although the study of the Paleolithic lifestyle is quite complex, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what kinds of foods our ancestors consumed. It’s no surprise to see that most experts in the area of Paleolithic eating suspect that these people consumed primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some wild game. If you’re reading this list and feel that this is common sense, that “knowing” that you are experiencing is the remnant of your Paleolithic instinct.

Our abandonment of the Paleolithic way has resulted in a number of harmful and even life-threatening nutrient deficiencies…

Potassium Deficiency and the Benefits of Potassium

One nutrient that many scientists believe was much more abundant in our diet during Paleolithic times was potassium.

The Stone Age humans likely consume approximately 15 grams of potassium on a daily basis. Compare that to the recommended daily allowance of 4.7 grams per day. A ridiculously low level, I may add, that most of us never achieve.

In addition to a deficiency of potassium, the average American consumes a large excess of sodium. The sodium to potassium ratio is important for proper function of the body; when this ratio gets imbalanced the body suffers. Our Stone Age ancestors only consumed less than a gram of sodium (0.6 g) and it is estimated that the average American now consumes approximately 3.5 g of sodium and an embarrassing 2.8 g of potassium.

Why Should We Be Concerned With Our Sodium/Potassium Balance?

The balance of sodium and potassium is crucial for the function many cellular systems; some signs of potassium deficiency include:

1. Fatigue
2. Heart arrhythmias
3. Heart failure
4. Muscle weakness
5. Constipation
6. Delayed emptying of the stomach

Isn’t Potassium Dangerous?

Contrary to popular belief, potassium is a safe nutrient when taken properly. In healthy adults without heart or kidney problems, daily potassium intake should not exceed 8 grams.

If you suffer with kidney and/or heart disease, or you are on certain medications for blood pressure, potassium toxicity can occur at lower dose. For this latter group, ask your doctor before taking potassium supplements.

When supplementing with potassium, you must take into account how much potassium you are taking in through diet. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, legumes are all good sources of potassium. It is possible to get sufficient potassium levels from your diet, however, it requires discipline and a hefty appetite for fruits and vegetables.

For the rest of us, supplementation may be required in order to achieve healthy potassium levels.

Who’s At Risk of Potassium Deficiency?

Before we get into the benefits of potassium, let’s talk about the risks of potassium deficiency.

It is important to realize that certain lifestyle habits, medications, and conditions can lead to an increased risk of potassium deficiency, these include:

1. The use of diuretics
2. Diarrhea or vomiting
3. Chronic dieting
4. Chronic kidney failure
5. Magnesium deficiency
6. Strenuous exercise

Keep these variables in mind when considering supplementation. See our Daily Potassium Requirements for Optimal Health for more information on supplementing with potassium.

What Are the Benefits of Potassium?

Potassium is essential for regulating fluid balance, acidity within the body, blood pressure, and muscle function. There are numerous outward benefits of supplementing with potassium, including:

1. Lowering blood pressure – An analysis of 33 published studies have demonstrated potassium supplementation to be of benefit in people who suffer with hypertension. The effective dose used in the research was 2,400 mg daily. (JAMA 1997;277:1624–32
2. Protection from Cardiac Arrhythmias – Studies show that people with low potassium levels are at a heightened risk of arrhythmia. Supplementation with 1,000 mg of potassium was shown to decrease the risk of arrhythmias in people who were prescribed a potassium-depleting blood pressure medication called hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). (Int J Cardiol 1989;25:93–8)
3. Prolonged life and Improved Quality of life – One study demonstrated that men who consumed high levels of potassium had a longer life. More importantly, those with higher potassium intake enjoyed an improved quality of life. See the article: Potassium for a Longer and Healthier Life – Benefits of Potassium for Seniors
4. Improved energy – Electrolytes, such as potassium, can allow the body to manufacture needed energy. Potassium deficiency can cause physical and mental exhaustion.
5. End to muscle cramps and charlie horses – Potassium deficiency can promote muscle cramps, as can calcium or magnesium deficiency.

Some health experts claim that nutrient deficiencies are a thing of the past and supplementation is unnecessary in today’s day and age…they are dangerously mistaken!

In fact nutrient deficiencies are quite common, and such deficiencies are the direct cause of many health problems that result in hospitalization and even death.

One such nutritional deficiency is potassium and in today’s article, we will talk about the benefits of potassium supplementation as well as the daily potassium requirements for optimal health. Published research shows that potassium deficiency can be a direct or indirect cause of many health problems, including:

• Cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beat)
• High blood pressure
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Constipation

Benefits of Potassium

Potassium can be an important part of any supplement program. Studies have shown that potassium supplementation can result in significant decreases in blood pressure, improvements in constipation, decreases in cardiac arrhythmias, and improvement in fatigue and muscle weakness.

Daily Potassium Requirements

The majority of your potassium should come from your diet; supplementation should be used as a means of optimizing your dietary potassium intake. I recommend reading the article on the Benefits of Potassium for a discussion of dietary potassium from the perspective of our evolutionary history. Although the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of potassium is 4.7 grams (4700 mg), our Paleolithic ancestors consumed between 10-15 grams per day from fruits and vegetables!

For most healthy people, taking up to 1,000-2,000 mg of potassium daily in supplement form should be very safe (depending on diet). If you are on medications, such as loop diuretics or ACE Inhibitors, or suffer with heart or kidney disease, check with a health care provider prior to supplementing with potassium.

The Potassium Supplement That I Recommend

K+2 Potassium is a high potency potassium formula that provides 300 mg of potassium per capsule. In addition to providing 300 mg of potassium per capsule, this formula provides two impressive forms of potassium…

Potassium glycinate is a chelated form of potassium that mimics food sourced potassium in absorption and utilization.

Potassium bicarbonate provides a source of bicarbonate, which helps to alkalinize the body. This advanced combination makes this one of the most potent and powerful potassium supplements on the market. This form would be especially good for people who have bone loss and/or those who eat a high meat diet.

As an alternative, Potassium Amino Acid Complex by Your Prescription for Health is an inexpensive and high-quality form of chelated potassium. Each tablet provides 99 mg of potassium in a form that mimics potassium found in food. Potassium chelate by Your Prescription for Health is considered the most cost-effective form of potassium. The only negative to this potassium supplement is it is limited to 99 mg per tablet.

Summary:

As I mentioned in the article, Benefits of Potassium, we are designed to consume far more than the ridiculously low amounts suggested by the RDA. So if you are a healthy person, with normal kidney function and currently not taking any medications for blood pressure or heart problems, eat as much potassium as you can from fruit and vegetable sources. If you have difficulty getting large quantities of fruits and vegetables, try 4-6 capsules of K+2 Potassium by Designs for Health.