Hypertension - What You Need To Know About The Silent Killer

Posted on May 20, 2007 and filed under Fitness

Surprisingly, in many cases, high blood pressure has no single identifiable cause. But many factors play a role: genetics and family history, environmental factors such as smoking, a diet rich in fat and cholesterol, a sedentary lifestyle with little or no exercise and stress can all contribute to hypertension.

Your blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood pumped by the heart, the size and condition of your arteries, the amount or volume of water in the body, salt content of your body, the condition of your kidneys, the condition of the nervous system, various hormones in the body, etc. There are many complex factors that determine how your blood pressure is regulated, but no single identifiable “cause”. It’s a combination of many different factors (by the way, there is new research emerging that contradicts the old recommendation that you should watch your salt intake). Now, since hypertension is dubbed the “Silent Killer”, that may lead you to believe it has no symptoms whatsoever. But this isn’t entirely true. Hypertension does have symptoms - lots of them - but many are subtle.

If you have any of the following symptoms, it may be a sign you have hypertension and need to see your doctor right away:

• Minor headaches
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Confusion
• Vision irregularities or changes
• Angina-like chest pains
• Blood in the urine
• Nosebleed
• Irregular heartbeat
• Ear noise or buzzing in your ears.

Any or all of these may signal hypertension. But like I said earlier, the most dangerous aspect of high blood
pressure is the fact that in many cases it has NO symptoms whatsoever. But the good news is this: If you are diagnosed as having high blood pressure, there are many different ways to treat it.

Getting Your High Blood Pressure Under Control

One of the most effective ways to treat hypertension is through weight loss and exercise. Studies show even a
modest amount of weight loss can have a very significant positive effect on your blood pressure. Incidentally, one of the very best activities for reducing blood pressure is an ancient martial art called “Tai Chi” (I had an announcement in last month’s issue regarding a Tai Chi class we’re offering soon.) Tai Chi’s gentle and graceful movements are used by millions of seniors in China every day to reduce stress, get positive exercise and lower blood pressure. And it’s one of my top exercise picks for people over 40. Not only is it low-impact and easy on the joints, but Tai Chi also helps strengthen concentration, enhances flexibility, builds muscle and gives you an opportunity to socialize and get out of the house. All of this adds up to a very positive impact on your health. No wonder Tai Chi has been around for over 2500 years!

But there are also other ways to treat hypertension in addition to exercise. Supplementation, lowering your stress levels and quitting smoking are all very effective at treating hypertension. (I know, I know. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you have to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is one of the quickest ways of reducing your risk for a whole HOST of dangerous and life-threatening diseases. But I know it’s not easy). Also, acupuncture, acupressure and other alternative medicines have proven effective with hypertension when used in conjunction with other methods. Plus, many alternative medicine treatments lack the side effects that some contemporary medications have. However, alternative methods are best when used along with other treatments such as lifestyle changes and medication prescribed to you by your doctor. It’s not a “cure all”. And if you’re thinking about trying something alternative, inform your doctor and get their feedback first.

Nutrition plays a vital role in controlling blood pressure, too. Some nutritional treatments such as garlic can lower blood pressure a whopping 5 to 10 percent. Garlic also lowers cholesterol and prevents clots from forming. This is backed by solid research. In Europe, hawthorne berries are one of the most popular herbs used in alternative medicines. Studies show hawthorne berries protect arterial walls, lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels, and strengthen the heart’s pumping ability. The full effect usually takes several weeks to months to develop, but the benefits are there. Also, if you read last month’s newsletter (May 2006), you now know the supplement Omega-3 can have a very positive impact on blood pressure. So can the everyday supplement calcium. Studies show calcium reduces blood pressure levels because it plays a pivotal role in muscle contraction including heart contraction.

Magnesium is another popular supplement that can benefit those with hypertension. Magnesium is involved in over 300 different biomechanical reactions in the body. Plus magnesium helps get calcium into the body and regulates the use of calcium when it’s in the body. Also, studies reveal potassium - another common supplement - may also reduce blood pressure. And the vitamins C and E help lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels and act as a natural anti-oxidant.

Finally, another enzyme called Q10 is another supplement which can help lower and regulate blood pressure by improving function of the blood vessel walls. Feel free to email me with questions about any of these popular supplements.

The bottom line is this: the way you live your life affects your blood pressure. Which means that if you want to lower your blood pressure, you need to make changes at the root level – your lifestyle - and change the way you live for long-lasting benefits. It’s just like weight loss or any other positive change you want to make. However, don’t think you need to overhaul your entire life overnight. That’s just setting yourself up for failure. The key to successfully changing your lifestyle is changing one small thing at a time - incrementally. Many people who go “gung-ho” with lifestyle changes eventually end up back where they started and, worse, frustrated on top of it. So start slowly. Get on that treadmill a couple times a week for just 10 minutes or so to get in the habit. Or lift weights three times a week for just 20 minutes per session. Once that habit is firmly established in your weekly routine, then you can start adding days and increase your time in each session. And so on. You get the idea.

If you have borderline or mild hypertension, the good news is that you may only need to make small changes and monitor your blood pressure at home. However, for very severe hypertension, your doctor may prescribe anti-hypertensive medication along with lifestyle changes and exercise. Either way, the first step is for you to get checked. Hypertension is a highly dangerous condition that silently kills thousands of people every year.