HEALTHY LIFE, HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE
MAY 2010

If you're like many Americans, your blood pressure has crept up as you've gotten older. But it doesn't have to. Our lifestyle has a direct impact on blood pressure; in fact, in parts of the world where people still live as their ancestors did, high blood pressure is rare.  Our high paced life and high processed foods are the main contributors.  Things that contribute to a healthy blood pressure include a diet with little or no preservatives and one high in fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are pure foods and have a high vitamin and mineral content such as vitamin C.  A new study from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute sheds light on this, suggesting that higher vitamin C levels are linked to healthy blood pressure. In the Growth and Health Study, 242 girls ages 8-11 were followed for 10 years, and their blood pressure and vitamin C blood levels were measured regularly.

Researchers found that the girls with the highest blood levels of vitamin C had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It wasn't clear if the vitamin was helping to lower blood pressure or there was a marker for some other healthy nutrient. More research is needed.

In the meantime, multiple things will help keep your blood pressure normal as you age, and also protect your heart. Here are some lifestyle tips:

-Eat lots of fruits and veggies every day, especially those high in potassium and vitamin C, such as citrus; dark green, leafy veggies; and melons.

-Keep up that fiber intake. Aim for at least 50 grams per day. Some studies suggest that fiber such as psyllium and wheat bran can help lower blood pressure. It's estimated that prehistoric folks got about 100 grams of fiber per day in their diet; the average American now gets about 10.

-Avoid foods with artifical ingredients such as artificial colors, artificial fats, artificial flavors...These are difficult for the body to process and lead to health problems such as high blood pressure. 

-Eat calcium-rich food every day. Calcium also seems to help regulate blood pressure. Or take a calcium supplement twice daily with food.

-Take a vitamin D supplement daily. Population studies suggest that people with low vitamin D blood levels are at higher risk of developing hypertension as well as obesity and diabetes.

-Fish oil may help to reduce blood pressure, so try to eat high-fat fish at least twice per week or take a fish oil supplement daily.

-Consider taking garlic, coenzyme Q-10 and dark chocolate. These all help to relax blood vessels and may help to lower blood pressure as well.

-Watch that sodium! If you have high blood pressure, keep your dietary sodium intake under 1,500 mg/day; otherwise, try to stay under 2,000 mg/day.

-Exercise every day and maintain your weight, two of the most powerful things you can do for your blood pressure.

If you are already taking blood pressure medications and you decide to try some of the above, be sure to talk to your doctor - you may need an adjustment in your meds. By leading a healthy lifestyle, you're bound to need less medication, which is good news for the health of your body and your wallet!

Homeopathy & First Aid

For those who use homeopathy in their every day life it is easy to say that you have seen amazing things happen.  Homeopathy and first aid is very often a first place where people will experience some of the amazing medicine called homeopathy.  If each person only knew a handful of first aid homeopathic medicines it would make a huge impact on our daily lives.  In fact if we all just started with the homeopathic medicine Arnica and each American knew how to use Arnica in a first aid situation healing would be much improved.  Arnica is the default homeopathic medicine for first aid situations.  It's indication is for any injury resulting from a fall, a blow, a sprain, strain or laceration.  This remedy is a life savor for anyone including parents with young children.  For example a one year old was playing next to a shelf and pulled a heavy statue off, falling and landing on her forehead.  You could hear the painful blow as she fell to the ground screaming.  In a "normal" circumstance she would have had a huge bump on her forehead followed by two black eyes as the injury began to heal.  In this case she was given Arnica 200c every 15 minutes for 2 hours then as needed from there.  By bed time there was a small bump where the statue fell and by morning there was no evidence of any injury at all.  This case is an example of Arnica being given with in minutes after an injury.  Weeks of bruising was completely aborted.  Arnica can be administered in any first aid situation, the sooner after the injury the better.  There are many homeopathic medicines that can be used in a first aid situation, and the rule of thumb is to use Arnica unless there is a better indicated homeopathic medicine.  So if you are faced with a first aid situation, remember Arnica.  Take what ever potency you have, preferably a 30c or a 200c if it is more severe every 15 minutes for the first hour then as needed from there. If there is no improvement after 4 hours time then search for a better indicated homeopathic medicine.