High Blood Pressure

When diagnosed early, high blood pressure can be controlled with diet, exercise, and healthy life habits.  Find out what foods to avoid, and which ones to load up on; what herbs and spices can help; and suggestions on activities to keep you moving.

Music composed and performed by V. Karaitis

Transcript

Hey!  Thanks for listening!  I’m Chris Wagenti, and this is Who Gets It, Naturally.  Music was composed and performed by V. Karaitis.  I’m not selling anything, diagnosing anything; offering any cures or replacing your doctor.  I’m just sharing my passion for natural products.  If you’re pregnant, please consult your doctor before trying anything new.  Everyone is different so you may need to tweak the recipes a bit to work for you.  Always start with the least amount of essential oils…you can always add, you can’t take away.  Remember, these remedies don’t last forever, you need to reapply as needed.  If you are allergic to any of the ingredients I use, please substitute for something you’re not allergic to.  Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean you can’t be allergic to it.

I was asked about high blood pressure, so let’s talk about that…  according to the American Heart Association, whose website can be found at www.heart.org, QUOTE: “High blood pressure is also known as hypertension.  It happens when the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is too high.  High blood pressure can lead to other serious problems such as heart attack and stroke.”  END QUOTE

High blood pressure is referred to as the “silent killer” because the only way to know you have it is by measuring your blood pressure.  There are no symptoms of high blood pressure, when your blood pressure is high, and you experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, weakness, change in vision, difficulty speaking, confusion, dizziness or vomiting, you are experiencing a hypertensive crisis which can indicate heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, kidney failure, heart disease, atherosclerosis, vision loss and sexual dysfunction.  

Blood pressure is read in two numbers, like 100 over 80.  The first number, or the “upper number” is your systolic blood pressure and measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls when your heart beats.  The second number, or the “lower number” is your diastolic blood pressure and measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls when your heart rests between beats.

There are 5 levels blood pressure is measured in:  Normal, Elevated, High Blood Pressure, or Hypertension, Stage 1, High Blood Pressure, or Hypertension, Stage 2, and Hypertensive Crisis. 

Normal blood pressure is when your systolic, or upper, number is less than 120 and your diastolic, or lower, number is less than 80.  

Elevated blood pressure is when your systolic, or upper, number is between 120 and 129, and your diastolic, or lower, number, is less than 80.

High Blood Pressure, or Hypertension, Stage 1 is when your systolic, or upper, number is between 130 and 139 OR your diastolic, or lower, number is between 80 and 89.

High Blood Pressure, or Hypertension, Stage 2 is when your systolic, or upper, number is 140 or higher, OR your diastolic, or lower, number is 90 or higher.

Hypertensive Crisis is when your systolic, or upper, number is higher than 180 and/or your diastolic, or lower number is higher than 120.  In this instance, consult your doctor immediately.  This is the American Heart Association’s recommendation on the website… honestly, I’d head for the closest ER.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are two types of high blood pressure.  The article can be found at www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410.  QUOTE:  Blood pressure is determined by two things: the amount of blood the heart pumps and how hard it is for the blood to move through the arteries. The more blood the heart pumps and the narrower the arteries, the higher the blood pressure.

There are two main types of high blood pressure.

Primary hypertension, also called essential hypertension

For most adults, there's no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure is called primary hypertension or essential hypertension. It tends to develop gradually over many years. Plaque buildup in the arteries, called atherosclerosis, increases the risk of high blood pressure.

Secondary hypertension

This type of high blood pressure is caused by an underlying condition. It tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension. Conditions and medicines that can lead to secondary hypertension include:

• Adrenal gland tumors
• Blood vessel problems present at birth, also called congenital heart defects
• Cough and cold medicines, some pain relievers, birth control pills, and other prescription drugs
• Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines
• Kidney disease
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Thyroid problems

Sometimes just getting a health checkup causes blood pressure to increase. This is called white coat hypertension.”  END QUOTE

There are many risk factors, including, but not limited to, age – risk increases with age, especially for women after the age of 65; race – according to the Mayo Clinic, high blood pressure is not only more common in black people, but it also develops at an earlier age than it does in white people; family history; obesity or being overweight; a sedentary lifestyle; smoking – including chewing tobacco and vaping; excessive sodium in the diet; potassium deficiency; excessive alcohol use; stress; chronic conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes and sleep apnea; some pregnancies – between 8 and 16% of all pregnant women experience high blood pressure during pregnancy.  This can be controlled and why it’s so important to keep all of your pre-natal appointments when pregnant.  

High blood pressure can’t be cured, but it can be managed.  How? By eating a well-balanced diet; limiting your alcohol intake; regular physical activity; keeping stress levels low; maintaining a healthy weight; quit, or don’t start, smoking; properly taking any medications your doctor prescribes.  Let’s look at each of these a little more closely.

What’s a “well-balanced diet”?  This one is fun.  On one hand, you’re told to eat low-fat dairy products, sugar-free products, canned fruit with light syrup, powdered milk, limit sodium and fat.  On the other hand, your body needs sodium and some fats; low-fat, fat-free and sugar-free products are pumped with a bunch of chemicals to make them taste just as good as the regular products; powdered milk may be made from real milk, however, it’s processed excessively to turn it into powder.  So now what?  Use some common sense and critical thinking.  Studies show that calcium, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants, nitrates, which convert to nitrous oxide, Vitamin D, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and fiber help lower high blood pressure and cholesterol.  So, where to you find this stuff?  Here’s a list of some foods that help lower blood pressure: 

Unsweetened natural and Greek yogurts contain high amounts of calcium, potassium and magnesium - you can add almonds, walnuts, berries and flax seeds to create your own flavors; 

Strawberries and blueberries are great for antioxidants; 

Beets and leafy greens such as cabbage, collard greens, spinach and kale are high in nitrates; 

Sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber, magnesium and potassium; 

Bananas are known for their high potassium content; 

Fatty fish supply Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D; 

Whole grains such as oatmeal are high in fiber, specifically beta-glucan – like the yogurt, stick with plain and add your own fruit, nuts and spices; 

Tree nuts, as long as you’re not allergic to them and they aren’t loaded with salt (I like the “raw” versions of the nuts), can help lower blood pressure – these are my favorites:

· pistachios are high in calcium, magnesium and potassium  

· walnuts are a good source of a plant-based Omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA

· almonds are high in magnesium, Vitamin E, healthy fats and fiber

· cashews are also a great source of magnesium

For more information on Magnesium, and other foods with high Magnesium content, listen to Season 2, Episode 24.

Garlic’s antibiotic and antifungal properties help lower blood pressure, arterial stiffness and cholesterol – all good stuff.  I add chopped garlic to rice; cheat with a garlic and basil pizza;  I love garlic…haven’t said this in a while, I am a freak; 

Dark chocolate, which I love, has higher amounts of cacao (50-90%) than milk chocolate (10-50%) – cacao contains an antioxidant known as flavonoids, which help reduce blood pressure.  I can pass up milk chocolate, but can’t turn down dark chocolate.  The higher the cacao, the better, but, cacao is bitter…I am a freak.  Now, this doesn’t mean you can load up on dark chocolate.  But, it is approved as part of a healthy diet in small amounts.  Enough to quell the sweet tooth when needed;

Kiwis are high in Vitamin C, another nutrient that helps lower blood pressure;

Watermelon contains citrulline, an amino acid that the body converts to arginine, which helps produce nitric oxide.  This gas relaxes blood vessels and increases flexibility in the arteries, which can lower high blood pressure.  I’m allergic to all melons.  You’ll have to play with this one on your own;

I know I’ve said this before, Cinnamon can help reduce high blood pressure.  It contains potassium, magnesium and calcium; and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  I sprinkle some in my coffee every morning.  The girls in work thank me quite a bit!  It makes the whole area smell good!  You can add it to yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies.  Listen to the Cinnamon Episode – Season 1, Episode 8, for more information and ideas;

A study in 2020 showed that fermented foods such as tempeh, miso, kombucha, kimchi and apple cider vinegar lowered the risk of hypertension in post-menopausal women;

Salt and Caffeine are on the fence.  While both have benefits in moderation, too much can be detrimental to blood pressure;

Things to stay away from? 

Alcohol – again, moderation is the key.  The recommended amount of consumption is no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.  What constitutes 1 drink?  A bottle of beer, which is usually 12 ounces; 1 to 1.5 ounces of hard liquor or 5 ounces of wine.  Personally, I don’t drink alcohol on a daily basis, or a weekly one.  When I do drink, the most I’ll have is 3 beers or 2 glasses of wine (ok, my wine glasses are kind of big, and I may have a heavy pour). 

Processed foods are a big no-no whatever condition you have.  They just aren’t all that good for you.  Big clue – “processed”.  This means they are loaded with salts, bad fats, and probably lots of other chemicals to make it look, smell and taste good.  

Physical activity.  You don’t need to join a gym.  There’s plenty you can do on your own.  I’ve mentioned this before, walking is probably one of the best things you can do.  Walk around your neighborhood.  If the weather isn’t conducive to an outdoor walk, go to the mall, not to shop, but just to walk.  When I first moved to Clearwater, I was about 15 minutes from the beach.  Every night after dinner I would drive out the beach, easily get a parking space, and walk on the edge of the water barefoot.  Talk about a workout!  Get a bike!  There’s lots of bike paths all over.  Start hiking.  Take up martial arts, like Tai Chi.  Learn how to dance.  All of these ideas are not for everyone, my point is, there’s lots of options.  Here’s another, invest in a vibration plate.  At the very least, it’ll get your blood circulating and get the muscles moving.  

This is a great segway to the next topic, manage your stress.  Ok, I’ve talked about ways to destress several times, including Season 3, Episode 1 – Resolutions.  There are several things you can do to destress:

Meditation – if you can get on the floor and cross your legs, more power to ya!  If not, you can sit in a comfy chair.  Either way, keep you back straight, rest your hands palms up, on your knees, close your eyes, and concentrate on deeply breathing in through your nose, and slowly releasing it through your mouth.  If any thoughts pop into your head, put them in a bubble and let them float away.  You’ll probably have to start off slowly, like for a minute or two.  As you continue to practice meditation, you’ll be able to do it for longer periods of time.  This is a great opportunity to diffuse essential oils or burn incense with one or more of the following scents: Lavender, Clary Sage, Cinnamon, Ylang-Ylang, Frankincense, Cedarwood, Lemon, Lime, Cypress, Ginger, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Marjoram.  These essential oils have properties that help reduce blood pressure.  For more information, listen to Season 1, Episode 5 Clean Up for information on Citrus Essential Oils, Episode 6 Muscle Relaxers has information on Eucalyptus, Episode 7 for Ginger, Episode 8 for Cinnamon and Episode 9 for Frankincense; Season 2, Episode 15 for Lavender and Episode 19 for Clary Sage; Season 3, Episode 12 for Cedarwood and Episode 18 for Cypress.  I haven’t delved into Marjoram or Ylang-Ylang yet.

Physical activity can reduce stress.  Not just walking or excising…learn to box, or like I mentioned above, dancing or Tai Chi.  Hobbies that bring joy like painting, gardening or ceramics can also help.

Because I am a freak, driving relaxes me.  There’s nothing like cruising down a country road with hills or crops or livestock roaming around.  Find a spot with a relaxing view, be it a beautiful sunset, or a valley to look out on.  

Notice some of these things are overlapping.  All of these suggestions will help you reach or maintain a healthy weight.  Another factor in controlling your blood pressure.

Another overlap is quitting smoking.  Besides the obvious of never starting, I give a whole list of suggestions to help you quit smoking… Season 2, Episode 3 is a re-play of Season 1, Episode 3, with extra tips and suggestions, including how I quit.  

Most importantly, work with your health care provider.  The sooner you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure, the better your chances of getting it under control with diet, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, de-stressing and quit smoking.  If these things don’t do the trick, you may need some help from some medications, like ACE Inhibitors, Alpha blockers, vasodilators and diuretics, to name a few.  If your health care provider does put you on medications, be aware of the Essential Oils, herbs and spices you use.  They may interfere with the medications.  Let your health care professional know about all supplements, essential oils, herbs and spices you use.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at vobyjypsee@usa.com, or send a text from the podcast… You can follow me on X and Instagram … @vobyjypsee; or LinkedIn…search either Chris Wagenti, Who Gets It, Naturally or Voice Overs by Jypsee.  Please download this episode, and make Who Gets It, Naturally a favorite on your preferred channel so you don’t miss an episode.

You can buy me a coffee or get a membership at www.buymeacoffee.com/vobyjypsee4,   or click on the link after episode description.  Thanks for your support and for listening!  The next episode will be published on Monday, December 16th.