Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

An individual is considered hypertensive if his systolic blood pressure remains at 140 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher or both. The scientific literature, however, indicates that the ideal range should be around 115/75. When blood pressure exceeds 115/75, there is an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

High diastolic is a problem usually from cadmium which is found in chocolate, maybe shellfish. Avoid eating processed snacks as there are no medicines that control diastolic pressure. Refrain from eating chocolates and cheese if you're experiencing elevated diastolic.

Here are some sobering statistics:

• Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide.

• It kills 254 Filipinos a day and eating unhealthy foods accounts for 60% of all heart deaths.

• In the United States, 1 out of every 3 adults has high blood pressure.

• High blood pressure afflicts over 12 to 15 million Filipinos and half of them are “walking time bombs” who could succumb to a heart attack or stroke because they are unaware of their condition.

• Hypertension is a primary contributor to premature death in the PHL, with 200,000 deaths every year due directly or indirectly to high blood pressure, according to the DOH.

• Hypertension was the third leading cause of morbidity in 2014, behind topnotcher acute respiratory infection and pneumonia.

Try to shed some pounds. Greater amounts of fat in the abdomen point to an increased risk of developing hypertension.

Walk at least one mile per day, especially outdoors. Nitric oxide stored in the top layers of the skin reacts to sunlight and causes blood vessels to widen as the oxide moves into the bloodstream. That, in turn, lowers blood pressure.

Learn how to sleep better and deeper. Those who sleep deep have a lower risk for hypertension.

Reduce alcohol intake. High amounts of alcohol can certainly aggravate hypertension. Despite its heart benefits, drinking red wine raises blood pressure to the same degree as drinking beer.

Cold weather snaps can trigger heart attacks, particularly in people suffering from hypertension. The increased rate of attacks seen during wintertime lows is probably due to the fact that cold temperatures increase blood pressure and put more strain on the heart.

Bear in mind that a lot of people who have a stroke don't have high blood pressure!

Antihypertensive Supplements

WARNING: If you have hypertension, please discuss with your physician before changing your medicines or adding supplements, especially if you have unstable hypertension. Do not take too many of these supplements at one time but rather start with one or two and gradually add others if your BP needs better control.

CALCIUM Studies have suggested a link between high blood pressure and a low intake of calcium. I read a well-respected source posted in a forum to avoid calcium because excess of it causes stroke. You may want to ask your doctor about this so you can make an informed decision on whether to take this supplement or not and at what dosage.

MAGNESIUM Magnesium dilates arteries, and in doing so lowers blood pressure.

You may try taking calcium and magnesium supplement which also contains zinc and vitamin D3 for synergistic action and enhanced absorption. Foods high in magnesium include whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables.

Heart attack patients receive a high dose of magnesium in the ER, because the heart can’t function well without it. Hypertension is one of many symptoms of magnesium deficiency, along with cardiac arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and sudden cardiac death. Proper levels of magnesium relax the smooth muscle tissue in your blood vessels, allowing freer blood flow and keeping your blood pressure normal.

Stress, bad diets and other factors can burn up your magnesium levels faster than normal. If your magnesium level is depleted and you’re not supplementing, hypertension may be your first indicator that you’re deficient. Other symptoms will follow.

Low magnesium is critical in the elderly. If you’re a woman taking calcium without magnesium, calcium can build up in the heart, brain and other places, causing blockages. Magnesium metabolizes calcium. If you’re under an unusual amount of stress, you’re burning up your magnesium reserves even faster.

Magnesium is relatively inexpensive and is available in organic form. The liquid versions (ex: ReMag) are more expensive, but don’t have the laxative effect that pills might. You can also soak in it — get some “Epsom salts.” A foot bath or tub soak with Epsom salts is an easy way to increase magnesium.

Avoid taking all of your magnesium at one time, such as first thing in the morning, since it can cause diarrhea. Split-dosing your magnesium into morning and evening doses is safer to avoid the potential laxative effect.

If you’re looking for a better way to control your blood pressure, consider magnesium. It’s is an underrated mineral, but it’s also one of the most important to improve and keep your overall health. For high blood pressure patients, it can mean the difference between surviving a heart attack and not even having one.

OMEGA-3 Omega-3 in fish oil supplements can help in lowering both the readings for systolic (blood pumped from the heart to the cells) and diastolic (blood pumped from the cells to the heart) so that harmful blood clots are not triggered and lodged in the blood vessels.

Lipoic Acid This is a powerful antioxidant in dosage of 10 to 50 mg.

Grape Seed Extract

Has been shown to reduce hypertension. At least two human studies show it to be effective in lowering blood pressure. This supplement has many other health benefits.

Quercetin

This is known as a very strong blood vessel dilator. Certain studies show that quercetin prevents damage to LDL cholesterol particles, and it seems that people who eat the most flavonoid-rich foods typically have healthier and lower cholesterol levels, plus less incidences of hypertension.

DOSAGE:

No recommended dosage for this supplement. They usually come in 500 mg, taken 2x per day.

All types of tasty red, green and purple-pigmented plants come packed with quercetin — for example, red wine, blueberries, apples, red onion and even green tea are some of the best sources of quercetin. The amount of quercetin found in plant foods can vary a lot depending on where they’re grown, how fresh they are, how they’re prepared and so on. Some of the top sources of quercetin to add to your diet include: - Apples

- Peppers

- Red wine

- Dark cherries & berries (blueberries, bilberries, blackberries & others)

- Tomatoes

- Cruciferous veggies, including broccoli, cabbage and sprouts

- Leafy green veggies, including spinach, kale

- Citrus fruits

- Cocoa

- Cranberries

- Whole grains, including buckwheat

- Raw asparagus

- Capers

- Raw red onion

- Olive oil

- Black and green tea

- Beans/legumes

- Herbs, including sage, American elder, St. John’s wort & ginkgo biloba

Genistein

This is a type of flavonoid found mostly in soy. Genistein helps produce more nitric oxide, a powerful chemical in the blood stream that helps dilate blood vessels. Genistein is available as a supplement. Soy protein supplements are also helpful.

Soy Milk Soy milk drinkers have reason to raise their cup and cheer. A recent 3 month double blind study completed at the School of Medicine in Zaragoza, Spain tested the effect of 500 ml (about a pint) of soy milk compared with the same amount of cow’s milk in 40 men and women with mild-to-moderate hypertension. Before initiation of the study, urinary isoflavonoids (soy contains isoflavonoids, the best known being genistein) were undetectable in most cases, meaning that their diet contained little or no soy products. After 3 months of soy milk consumption, systolic blood pressure decreased by 18 mmHg compared with 2 mmHg in the cow’s milk group. Diastolic blood pressure decreased by 15 mmHg versus 4 mmHg in the cow’s milk group. The researchers conclude that chronic soy milk consumption lowers blood pressure in those with hypertension. This blood pressure-lowering action was correlated with the urinary excretion of the isoflavonoid genistein, meaning that the more genistein excreted in the urine (reflecting the higher amount in the body), the lower the blood pressure.

Dr. Sahelian:

Those who drink large amounts of milk should consider reducing their milk consumption and partially or mostly substituting soy milk instead. Try soy milk brands that have a minimal amount of added sugar. Use stevia drops for additional sweetness.

B Vitamin and Coenzyme Complex

B6, folate, and B12 are crucial for the health of arteries and to lower homocysteine, an amino acid-like compound in the blood stream that can be toxic in high doses. Some early studies indicated low body levels of vitamin B-12 or other B vitamins may be a cause of elevated blood pressure.

CoQ10 could be helpful in dosages of 20 to 50 mg. The study is discussed below. High CoQ10 dosages could lead to shallow sleep which is not helpful since deep sleep reduces hypertension risk.

Lycopene

This supplement lowered blood pressure in one study, but if you eat plenty of tomatoes and other foods with lycopene, a supplement is not necessary.

Green Tea and Oolong Tea

Tea drinkers are less likely to develop hypertension than non-tea drinkers. It would be better to drink tea in the morning since the small amounts of caffeine can interfere with sleep if you drink tea later in the day. It would be best to limit tea intake to one or two cups unless there is no caffeine in the herbal tea you are consuming. Another option is to take green tea extracts with breakfast or lunch.

Melatonin Can be taken once or twice a week at night for better sleep. People being treated for high blood pressure who also take melatonin sleep longer and have a more restful sleep. Daily nighttime melatonin reduces blood pressure in male patients with essential hypertension.

Ginkgo Biloba (Low Dose, not more than 40 mg)

Take this in the morning.

Arjuna

This is an Ayurvedic herb that has promising effects in blood vessel dilation. Users say taking this led to a lower blood pressure.

Low Dose Baby Aspirin

Be careful since a dose more than 100 mg a day can increase the risk for bleeding and stomach ulcer. Taking aspirin before bedtime--but not at other times of the day--may lower blood pressure in patients with mild hypertension as well as in pregnant women at risk for a dangerous blood pressure-related complication.

Apocynum Venetum

This is an herb used in China for hypertension treatment.

Pycnogenol

This is a French maritime pine bark extract, improves endothelial function of hypertensive patients. (Life Sci. 2004).

Vitamin K has been promoted to lower BP but more studies are needed to determine its effectiveness.

Vitamin E

Take a natural vitamin E complex, rather than the synthetic dl-tocopherol. On the supplement label natural vitamin E is listed as d-alpha tocopherol. In contrast, synthetic forms of vitamin E are labeled with a dl- prefix, ergo dl-alpha-tocopherol is the synthetic Vit E. Many studies evaluating the role of vitamin E in health and disease have focused mostly on synthetic vitamin E supplements without the investigators recognizing that health benefits could be different between the two. Also, some researchers do not recognize the likelihood that several types of vitamin E substances are beneficial, not just alpha tocopherol.

From Annals of Internal Medicine, November 10, 2004:

Taking a high dose of vitamin E routinely does not increase your chances of living longer, and in fact it seems to have a negative effect. Vitamin E supplementation at doses higher than 400 International Units (IU) per day apparently raises all-cause mortality rates and should be avoided. Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin E supplementation has been studied in many trials to prevent chronic diseases. Several of those studies have hinted at increased mortality rates, but the number of participants in the each study was too small to tell if the results were real or occurred by chance. Dr. Edgar R. Miller III, at John Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, pooled data from 19 trials. These included nearly 136,000 subjects who were randomly assigned to take vitamin E or placebo capsules and were followed for more than a year. Overall, vitamin E supplementation did not affect mortality rates. However, the 11 trials testing doses of 400 IU daily or higher showed 39 more deaths occurred per 10,000 people taking high-dose vitamin E than among the same number of people taking a placebo. For low doses of vitamin E -- less than 150 IU daily -- all-cause mortality rates were slightly decreased, although this difference was not significant from a statistical standpoint. When the researchers factored in the simultaneous use of other vitamins or minerals, the reduction in the risk of dying with low-dosage vitamin E was toned down, but the risk at higher doses was increased.

Dr. Ray Sahelian:

(author of Mind Boosters, The Stevia Cookbook and several other books)

I always thought that, for most people, taking more than 100 to 200 units a day of vitamin E was not necessary. The one problem with this study, though, is that it probably did not make a distinction between synthetic vitamin E supplements and natural vitamin E. Also, the study did not account for the d-alpha form of vitamin E versus a natural Vitamin E supplement that includes all the tocopherols and tocotrienols. Even though it is a flawed study, I still think 30 to 200 units of vitamin E a few times a week is acceptable and perhaps beneficial.

Vitamin E and CoQ10 work well together for heart and circulation.

Dr. Ray Sahelian:

For those of you with a heart condition or high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease, it would make sense to take vitamin E complex and CoQ10. Discuss with your doctor if these are appropriate for your condition. A reasonable amount would be 30 to 200 units daily of natural vitamin E complex, or 100 to 300 units two or three times a week since vitamin E is fat soluble and can be stored in fat cells. As to CoQ10, a range of 20 to 60 mg is appropriate, a few times a week. CoQ10 is also fat soluble and is best taken with breakfast. Vitamin E can be taken with any meal.

POTASSIUM Potassium citrate has similar hypertension lowering effects as the best-studied potassium compound, potassium chloride.

Go on a vegetarian diet as fruits and vegetables are the main sources of potassium, a known blood pressure lowering mineral.

Don’t take potassium supplements, unless your doctor has recommended them. Potassium supplements can supply dangerous amounts, resulting in abnormal heart rhythms; there’s little or no potassium in multivitamin/mineral pills. In any case, the beneficial effects appear to come mainly from the form of potassium found in foods, not the type in most supplements. Potassium is not great for everyone. People who have impaired kidney function or are taking certain medications may need to limit their intake in order to prevent potentially dangerous arrhythmias. This is especially true for those taking ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics.

The American Heart Association (AHA) explains that potassium is a powerful ally in your fight against sodium retention. Potassium plays a double duty in the body, not only encouraging sodium excretion but also relaxing blood vessel walls and lowering blood pressure.

Potassium-rich foods include bananas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, melons, apricots, raisins and yogurt.

AHA recommends a daily potassium intake of about 4,700 mg for the average adult — twice as much potassium as sodium.

Potassium is found in many foods, even tea and coffee so it usually isn’t hard to reach 4,700 mg, especially if your diet is semi-vegetarian. Obviously, if you are a man who consumes, say, 2,700 calories a day, the 4,700-milligram goal is easier. However, if you take in just 1,500 calories, it can be harder. Like most dietary guidelines for vitamins and minerals, this advice is one-size-fits-all. If you are small and consume relatively few calories, you probably need less potassium. In addition, sodium intake also affects potassium needs. Thus, if your diet is low in sodium, you may need less than 4,700 mg of potassium.

Many other foods have a lot more potassium that are helpful to counterbalance sodium - tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, avocado, potatoes are all really great sources. Certain brands of coconut water are high in potassium (check the label), kiwi is actually much higher in potassium than bananas but whatever is handy. Dried apricots and plain yogurt are also good sources. Tabbouleh (no salt), tomatoes, cucumbers (no salt), watermelon (or other melons), tea, agua frescas and cucumber/berry-infused waters help counter the effects of taking too much salt. Cabbage soup and low-salt borscht seem to help also.

The Institute of Medicine also recommends that adults consume at least 4.7 grams of potassium per day, but most Americans do not even get half this amount. A baked potato gives you about 610 milligrams of potassium, and a banana provides 422 milligrams. Dried fruit, spinach, fish and lima beans or white beans are also rich sources. If you eat a banana with breakfast, a salad with beans and greens for lunch and cooked halibut or tuna with a baked potato at dinner, you can give your body all the potassium it needs for the day, countering your sodium intake.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend an upper limit of 2,300 mg of sodium daily for young people, and no more than 1,500 mg for the middle-aged and older, for blacks (who are more prone to hypertension), and for people who already have hypertension. Table salt is actually 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. A teaspoon of salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium, so 1,500 mg is only about two-thirds of a teaspoon. However, Americans consume, on average, about 3,400 mg of sodium a day, and many eat much more.

Common table salts should be replaced with sea salt, as companies tend to add aluminum compound to the common table salt to look nice, but that causes the nice looking bleached sea salt to be quite acidic. My own common table salt pH is 5; technically a good salt should have a neutral pH of 7. Sea salt is much closer to our alkaline blood than a common table salt, such as 7.5-8.0 (our blood pH is 7.35).

The only way to reduce the blood pressure is to get rid of the excess water via the intestines, thus bypassing the kidney, and hence drinking more water and taking laxative medicines, while alkalizing is maybe the safest way to reduce the blood pressure.

BANANAS

Bananas are rich in potassium, vitamin B6, and folic acid. Have you seen Roger Federer eat a banana between games? The high potassium content prevents cramps and gives ready energy with its easily digestible starch. Its potassium content is also perfect for patients on water pills (diuretics) as well as those with heart disease and high blood pressure.

A medium-sized banana has 95 calories, more than an apple but less than a mango. Bananas are also the perfect antacid, coating the stomach and preventing stomach ulcers. The high vitamin B6 also helps women suffering from premenstrual syndrome.

In The Healthy Food Directory by Michael Van Straten, the author ranks bananas near the top because bananas help alleviate 14 medical conditions, including diarrhea, fatigue, heartburn, insomnia, nausea, menstrual problems, kidney problems, fluid retention, and circulatory problems. The doctor recommended the BRAT diet for patients with diarrhea. BRAT stands for banana, rice, apple, and tea.

PSYLLIUM HUSK FIBER Dietary fiber intake provides many health benefits. Individuals with high intakes of dietary fiber appear to be at significantly lower risk for developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Increasing fiber intake lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels.

SOY PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT The use of soy protein dietary supplements may help reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with early hypertension according to the July, 2005 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

BAKING SODA Test blood pressure (BP), then drink a glass of water with 1/8 or 1/4 tsp. baking soda. Test your BP again after 30 minutes.

BAKING SODA + APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (ACV) The formula of 2 tablespoons ACV to 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda comes to 7.3 pH.

CAYENNE PEPPER

CELERY

EDTA Gets rid of free iron metal. Lowers BP.

GREEN GRASS JUICES and ALGAE Chlorella, spirulina, and chlorphyll are not a quick fix but they lower BP.

PASSION FRUIT (or even passion fruit leaves)

FLAXSEEDS Not only do they help with healthy bowel movements, but they lower BP and cholesterol levels. The flaxseeds should preferably be whole as opposed to the oil since the whole seeds contain fiber. The oil is high in Omega-3 fatty acids but the levels can vary from the types and colors of flaxseed. The seeds come in a yellow and a brownish color and when taken appropriately have been shown to help reduce high blood pressure and influence the reduction of cholesterol levels.

FRUITS & VEGGIES Eat more fruits and vegetables -- preferably fresh and organic. Fruits and vegetables have numerous compounds that can dilate blood vessels, including flavonoids.

COCOA or DARK CHOCOLATE

Cacao dark chocolate, has wonderful components of resveratrol and flavonoids to protect your heart. Scientists are particularly excited about resveratrol because animal studies have shown that it can prolong life. In buying chocolate, choose the dark variety, which has 70% cocoa content. Yes, it has a slightly bitter taste, but dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate or white chocolate. Eating dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure, boost normal responses to insulin to keep blood sugar levels down, and improve blood vessel function in patients with high blood pressure.

BERRIES Berries, such as blueberries, are known to reduce blood pressure. GARLIC & ONIONS Eat more garlic since garlic has a potent effect on reducing hypertension in a significant manner. Although not as potent as prescription drugs, 2 or 3 cloves of garlic can help reduce cholesterol levels and can make the blood less sticky. Garlic, and onions, have compounds that have potent blood vessel dilating properties. Garlic-derived polysulfides stimulate the production of the vascular gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and enhance the regulation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO), which induce smooth muscle cell relaxation, vasodilation, and BP reduction. To release garlic’s potent compounds, you need to mash or mince it. Cooking garlic at high heat for a long time may destroy its beneficial effects. If you’re trying to take advantage of all garlic has to offer, you have to eat it raw. But even in its raw state, our bodies cannot digest and process all of garlic’s nutrients. However, lacto-fermented garlic far surpasses the nutritional value of fresh garlic. In other words, if we want to experience all of the health benefits in a clove of garlic, we can maximize it through consuming fermented garlic. The antioxidant activity of fermented garlic is much higher than that of fresh. The fermentation process also produces high levels of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide, something our bodies produce naturally, eliminates harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. As a result, fermented garlic is one of nature’s most powerful antibiotics. Plus, because of the fermentation, it also contains good probiotics. Fermented garlic really is a superfood!

So how do you make fermented garlic?

1. Peel enough cloves of garlic to fill a one-quart jar about three-quarters of the way full. This typically takes 9 to 12 heads of garlic.

2. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sea salt.

3. Fill the jar with filtered water, leaving one inch of space at the top of the jar.

4. Cover with an air-tight lid. Let it sit on a countertop at approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit, out of direct sunlight, for at least 10 days. For best results, let it culture for up to 6 weeks. Don’t open the jar until you’re ready for it to be done. When you open the jar it should smell fresh and garlicky!

As the garlic ferments it will bubble and expand, filling the extra space at the top of the jar. After a day or two, sometimes it is necessary to “burp” the jar. Don’t remove the lid; just loosen it a little, let some of the pressure out and tighten it again. This usually only needs to be done once.

Most people enjoy eating the cloves of garlic whole, as the taste of fermented garlic is salty and milder than fresh garlic. Alternatively, you can substitute fermented garlic in recipes that call for fresh, such as hummus, salsa, guacamole and homemade salad dressings.

If you really are struggling with the idea of eating a clove of garlic, you can crush a clove of garlic shove it into an empty gelatin capsule and swallow it quickly before the capsule starts to dissolve.

If some of your cloves turn purple, blue or green, don’t fret, it’s natural. The sulfur compounds in the garlic can react with the copper that is found in most drinking water. These cloves of garlic are still safe to consume.

Do not consume if you notice mold growing or if it has an aroma other than the wonderful smell of garlic.

A jar of fermented garlic should last for up to one year once it’s placed in the refrigerator and if it does not become contaminated. Always use a clean utensil when removing garlic from the brine.

WHEAT BRAN

Kerson Fruit (Aratiles) This helps fight gout-related pain, reduces heart attack risk, prevents inflammation, lowers blood pressure and cures headaches.

Folic Acid Higher intake of folic acid is associated with a decreased risk of developing hypertension, particularly among younger women.

CITRUS FRUITS These include calamansi, suha (pomelo), dalandan, grapefruit, ponkan, mandarin orange, kumquat, navel orange, blood orange, sweet orange, lemon, lime, tangerine, tangelo, and ugli fruit (yes, the fruit looks ugly indeed). Among citrus fruits, orange has the most vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content with about 70 mg of vitamin C found in a single medium-sized orange.

Mandarin Orange

Photo by http://www.stylecraze.com

Tangelo

Photo by http://www.stylecraze.com

Citrus fruits contain a fair amount of folate and potassium. Folate lowers homocysteine levels in the body and may reduce heart disease. The potassium in citrus fruits helps to lower blood pressure, too. All citrus fruits contain fiber, especially in the membranes separating the sections. For that reason, when you eat a fresh orange or grapefruit, it is always best to try to eat a bit of the white membrane around the juicy sections of fruit.

Ugli Fruit

Photo by http://www.stylecraze.com

Kumquat

Photo by https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/

Other health benefits of oranges are:

Oranges can aid in hair growth. The high Vitamin C content in fresh navel oranges attributes to collagen production, which helps to keep the tissues of the hair together and may help to reduce bald patches. A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that daily consumption of 100 percent fresh-squeezed orange juice may be beneficial to brain function in older adults. Oranges can aid in burning fat and weight loss. Their water and Vitamin C content may aid in speeding up metabolism. Oranges can eliminate muscle soreness.

Navel Orange

The arrow points to what looks like a bellybutton. This orange is rarely seen in our local markets or supermarkets, except perhaps in upscale specialty stores. Other citrus fruits are listed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_citrus_fruits

HIBISCUS (Gumamela) TEA Drinking hibiscus tea 2 or 3 times a day could lower blood pressure slightly. Studies have shown drinking Hibiscus tea can help lower blood pressure and it's rich in Vitamin C.

Testimonial "For 3 weeks, I drank a cup every day in the morning before breakfast. My BP reading is now 123/80. I'm going to continue drinking it for a few more weeks."

Testimonial "You can buy hibiscus from health food stores or from any Mexican grocery stores as well. It is called Jamaica in Mexican stores. Try using a combo of hibiscus and dandelion root to make a tea. I have been using this for over 3 months and my BP is 110/72 down from 164/98. I make a tea by adding 2 tsp of dandelion root and about 6 tsp of hibiscus in hot but not boiling water in a tea pot, let it simmer or sip tea for about 20 min, then add it to large 2 liter bottle and fill it with water and take it with you at work and drink all day. Very refreshing as well and your BP will come down in about 6 days. "

Hibiscus tea is also called Karkade. You will also find it in Arab stores, they drink a lot of hibiscus tea.

Hibiscus can bring your blood pressure down if your readings are around around 140/85 to 160/95 (mild hypertension). Drinking hibiscus tea for a two weeks can lower blood pressure to 125/70 or even lower.

Screenshot from http://www.mtspace.me/hibiscus-high-blood-pressure

Buy hibiscus dried leaves. Prepare a strong tea by measuring a heaping tablespoon to a cup. Let it simmer for a half an hour. You may simmer less time if you just let the tea sit overnight. The longer you leave the dried leaves in the tea the better. Drink one full cup of hot tea right before breakfast every day. You will notice that you pee a lot, and that is a good sign. You’ll note blood pressure coming down within a few days but the full effects will be noticed after a few weeks.

Drink the tea 3X a day. The morning cup is the most important one because they have the most diuretic effect. By drinking a lot you’ll also give your immune system a boost. Tea bags wont do it. You have to get the dried flowers which are easy to find online or in good health food stores. Buy hibiscus in bulk.

TAURINE Helps lower blood pressure.

IODINE

Testimonial "I cured my Hypertension simply by taking 4 drops of 10% Betadine in a glass of water first thing in the morning for two weeks. It all started after I read an old natural remedies book suggesting the intake of Iodine as being best friend of the heart."

Sesame Seed Oil

ARGININE

NAC

LYSINE

WATER Mineral water is rich in calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Distilled water has no sodium, which is ideal for those with high blood pressure and those who are stone formers. Make sure your water is safe and clean. Personally, I don’t drink tap water. Why? Three words: typhoid, gastroenteritis, cholera.

Alkalization

- in case of a severe high blood pressure

- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate, in 1/2 glass of water taken 3 times a day, as one way to reduce the high blood pressure. (advice from Ted of Thailand of Earth Clinic)

Testimonial

Read the following article. Taking L-lysine, L-proline, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, and Potassium ascorbates dropped my mother's cholesterol 30 points, and she never did build up to the levels proposed in this article. Her doctor was impressed! Too many ascorbates at once can cause diarrhea. My mom is supposed to take 3 doses a day but rarely gets more than one dose/day, and still it lowered her cholesterol more than 10%.

The Cause of Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, and High Cholesterol Author: Dan Jackowiak https://king-healthtoday.blogspot.com/2006/12/cause-of-heart-disease-high-blood.html

The cause of heart disease is basically the combination of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. You can either get one or the other first and if nothing is done about it, you will get both in the end. High (BAD) cholesterol will restrict the arteries if it forms as plaque causing high blood pressure. In the case of high blood pressure first, high cholesterol will eventually follow because the arteries get so hard they begin to crack. When they begin to crack you bleed internally. The cells of the arteries then send out the call for LDL cholesterol to patch the cracks and stop the bleeding.

The arteries, veins, and all soft tissue is made out of collagen, the largest protein source in the body. The tissues can be composed of this protein up to 95%. Its the glue that holds us together, if its not bone, it is made from almost all collagen. It also allows the skin, organs, arteries and veins to stretch. The heart pumps blood thru smaller and smaller tubes that become micro-small as it crosses the capillaries depositing nutrients in the body. The blood does not flow smoothly because the heart pumps. When the arteries stretch, the pressure going thru the small arteries is relieved. If they do not stretch, the pressure rises. If they become restricted, the pressure rises. Result high blood pressure.

Now why would the arteries become hard? Simple! Every cell in your body will replace itself in about 7 yrs or so. Bone takes the longest and most soft tissues are replaced in a couple years or less. Now if the body has the nutrients available to form new cells for the circulatory system, all is well throughout our life. If it doesn't, the arteries become hard and no longer stretch, result high blood pressure. Or, they crack and the cells request lipoprotein A to patch the cracks-high cholesterol, and eventually that ends up restricting blood flow.

So how do you solve high blood pressure and high cholesterol? Collagen is made from potassium ascorbates, calcium ascorbates, magnesium ascorbates, sodium ascorbates, l-lysine, and l-proline.

Ascorbates are a form of vitamin C, which is not a vitamin at all, but a metabolite. Vitamin C is made from acetone or alcohol; ascorbates are made by a water process. The body recognizes ascorbates but does not recognize vitamin C and has to process it before use. Ascorbates are instantly absorbed and used by the body. The liver itself needs 3000 mg a day to detoxify itself and to produce glutathione, the body's master antioxidant. The more glutathione you have, the longer you are going to live.

Lysine and proline are amino acids that make up collagen along with the ascorbates. They also strengthen cell walls so it is hard for a virus or whatever to penetrate the cell wall. Viruses need a host cell to survive and will secrete an enzyme that dissolves the cell wall so they can enter. After they enter the cell they feed and change the genetic codes of that cell, basically making it another viral cell, or cancer cell, or whatever. They then dissolve a way out and keep right on dissolving into the neighboring cell. They spread thru the collagen matrix, and if that matrix is weak, the easier it is for the invader to spread. Lysine and proline strengthen the cell walls and have been said to not allow the viral cell to get out of the cell. That is why it is suggested for herpes sufferers to take lysine, it makes it go dormant, it simply cannot spread. Ascorbates are important as well for all of this of course.

All animals but 4 produce their own mineral ascorbates with a liver enzyme that converts excess sugar into ascorbates. Those 4 animals are fruit bats, guinea pigs, primates, and humans. Science believes that about 10,000 yrs ago a genetic flaw took place and we lost the ability to produce our own ascorbates. All 4 animals have one thing in common; they all will develop heart disease. It is a known fact that gorillas in captivity fed just gorilla chow will get heart disease if their diet is not supplemented with ascorbates. In the wild they consume 6000 mg daily.

Animals produce 1 gram to 15 pounds of body weight per day of their own mineral ascorbates. The FDA says we need 60 mg a day of vitamin C -- this is ridiculous since the last time I looked we are still animals so why would we be any different from animals that produce their own? Your doctor will not tell you this because it is not economically feasible. They would much rather treat you with drugs getting their kickbacks, office visit fees, and eventually performing surgery than tell you about something that costs a dollar or two a day.

So.... if you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure? I would take 1000 mg of the 4 mineral ascorbates per 15 pounds of body weight per day, at least 6000 mg of lysine, and 1000 mg of proline until everything was normal. Then drop the maintenance dose down to 3000 mg to 4500 mg of mineral ascorbates -- 3000 mg of lysine, and 500 mg of proline a day. At the least, take 6000 mg a day of mineral ascorbates with the aminos while treating yourself for high cholesterol or high blood pressure, just like a gorilla.

This will allow you to grow new arteries and veins along with a whole lot more. Every organ in the body uses mineral ascorbates and needs them on a daily basis to function properly and stay healthy. The chances are also very very good that you will never be sick again because of the enhanced protection of the cells.

About the author: Natural Health Consultant & Nutritionist Member: American International Association of Nutritional Education

Herbal products to avoid The herbal products that may cause hypertension include arnica, bitter orange, blue cohosh, dong quai, ephedra, ginkgo, ginseng, guarana, licorice, pennyroyal oil, Scotch broom, senna, southern bayberry, St. John's wort, and yohimbine.

Prescription Drugs Most people I know who are hypertensive are commonly prescribed Losartan or Amlodipine by their cardiologist or neurologist. Is it because they are safest to use or they are cheap? I don't know. I read a glowing review online of Telmisartan, a BP drug I haven't heard of, and it praised it as a life-saver and that it really prolongs life. I was in Cubao a few days ago and I happened to go by a Generic Pharmacy. I asked them if they carry the generic of Telmisartan just for kicks. Aba'y na-shock ako. Meron sila. Though they have the generic version napakamahal pa rin -- P45 a pill. But still that's cheaper than Pradaxa which is P140 a pop. I can't wait for Pradaxa to turn generic. When Telmisartan came out in the U.S. it was $145 for a month supply. Buti na lang naging generic na siya. If Telmisartan is THAT GOOD, how come doctors don't prescribe it often? I'm guessing it's the PRICE. I also read Candesartan has the least side effects among the "-sartan" group of BP meds. But its cost is a few bucks more than the price of Losartan. How do I write to Pres. Duterte so I can ask him to order all these very expensive meds from India or Mexico or Canada, where they are much cheaper? Dengvaxia nga P10 lang sa India. Dito, isang libo mahigit ang presyo. WTF!? Someone is laughing all the way to the bank. I read in the news that one of Digong's purposes in going to India is to buy CHEAPER MEDICINE there. Ito ang presidenteng talagang may pagmamalasakit sa mga Pilipino! Pero DIKTADOR! Ha Ha Ha!

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