Hypertension Can Kill You — Unless You Know How to Prevent It

REPRINTED FROM BEYOND HEALTH® News by Raymond Francis Hypertension (high blood pressure) is an insidious condition affecting almost half the American population to at least some degree. Tens of millions are taking medication to lower their pressure. Occurring almost exclusively in developed countries that consume processed foods, this silent killer has no symptoms, but can kill you by bursting a blood vessel and causing a stroke, or by gradually destroying your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. What causes high blood pressure? Simple: Our bad diets, toxic overloads, lack of exercise, and stress—all of which are under our control. Because the causes are under our control, so is the prevention and the cure. Unfortunately, most hypertensive patients are told by their doctors that they have to take a drug for the rest of their lives and are handed a prescription. These toxic drugs lower blood pressure, but they don’t solve the underlying metabolic problems. Rather, like most prescription drugs, they cause cells to malfunction in new ways and create a whole new set of problems, while merely suppressing symptoms. No one is sick because they are suffering from a drug deficiency. One class of drug used to lower blood pressure is called a diuretic. These drugs elevate your triglyceride levels while depleting your supplies of potassium and magnesium. Diuretics increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and heart attack. In fact, aggressive treatment with these drugs has been shown in studies to actually increase mortality. Another class of drugs is beta blockers. They, too, disrupt normal cells and cause impotence, depression, and fatigue. Still another class is called calcium channel blockers. These damage the liver and also weaken the heart. Drugs are foreign to the body and interfere seriously with the body’s normal metabolism, blocking biochemical pathways that are necessary for health. When more than one drug is taken, the combination is even more damaging and dangerous. Remember—all drugs are toxins and several hundred people die from properly prescribed drugs every day. Prescription drugs alone are the #3 cause of death in the U.S., and they are major contributors to making medical intervention our leading cause of death. For those who don’t care about their health, drugs are the way to go. They are simple, easy to take, and do not require making any changes in lifestyle. For those who care, and who want to live a high-quality life without years of disability and dependency, there are better approaches. High blood pressure is caused by poor diet, toxins, lack of exercise, and stress. Successfully addressing each of these factors is almost certain to normalize blood pressure. A diet high in animal products is known to contribute to hypertension. High-fat diets increase blood pressure by thickening the blood, making arteries less elastic, and by stimulating hormones that cause blood vessels to constrict. Keep your consumption of saturated animal fats to a minimum; cut out dairy and keep meat to a minimum. Potassium deficiency can cause high blood pressure. To fix this, stop eating salt (most of our salt intake is from processed foods), and eat lots of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. The deadly poison known as sugar causes hypertension by a variety of mechanisms including the loss of magnesium in the urine. Magnesium deficiency will elevate blood pressure, and 80% of all Americans are magnesium deficient. Take high-quality calcium and magnesium supplements, and eat plenty of fresh organic vegetables. Take higher doses of magnesium until urine pH is normalized. In one study, magnesium lowered blood pressure in 19 out of 20 people. Garlic and other members of the onion family will lower blood pressure. Herbs such as hawthorn can also be helpful. Supportive nutritional supplements include: Vitamins B6, C and E, carotenes, CoQ10, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, flavonoids, and omega-3 fatty acids. Another tip: Start Beyond Health’s hypertension package. Toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury will cause hypertension. Two common sources of cadmium are cigarette smoke and white flour, so avoid them. Eat a diet high in vitamin C and zinc to flush cadmium out of your body. Regular saunas are helpful for hypertensives who are toxic with heavy metals. Exercise is essential to health and is known to reduce blood pressure. The minimum exercise needed is at least 20 minutes 3 times a week, and more is better. Stress reduction techniques such as biofeedback, yoga, and meditation are helpful in lowering blood pressure. Other contributors to hypertension include alcohol abuse, excessive caffeine intake, smoking, and toxic prescription drugs. Drugs such as NSAIDS, oral contraceptives, and steroids are known to increase blood pressure. Obesity and diabetes both cause hypertension by a variety of mechanisms. An effective “quick fix” method to lower blood pressure, which has been around for half a century, is to eat a diet of organic brown rice, potassium-rich fruits, and vegetables for 3 to 6 weeks. Virtually no one should get high blood pressure if they are living right. If you do have high blood pressure, it is best to lower it naturally. Avoid the use of toxic prescription drugs. If you are on hypertensive medication, bring this article to your doctor, and ask to be put on a natural program consisting of supplements and a good diet. Raymond Francis is an M.I.T.-trained scientist, a registered nutrition consultant, author of Never Be Sick Again, Never Be Fat Again, Never Fear Cancer Again, and an internationally recognized leader in the field of optimal health maintenance. Reprinted with permission from: Beyond Health® News email: [email protected] Copyright 2006, Beyond Health