Hypertension, or high blood pressure is increasingly common with modern diet and lifestyle trends. We are too busy and stressed to cook and exercise. We also have a myriad of unhealthy food options available to us that can perpetuate our lifestyle and health problems.
   
    Optimal blood pressure readings are 120/80 or slightly below. The first number is a measure of the pressure your blood exerts on your blood vessel (artery) walls as your heart contracts with the second number measures the pressure when your heart muscle is relaxed. The harder your heart is pumping and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure ans your risk for heart diseases including heart attacks and stroke.

    Many people never experience any signs or symptoms of hypertension even if their levels are dangerously high! In the later stages of the disease, one might experience dizziness, fatigue, frequent nose bleeds, headaches, nervousness or other symptoms. Make sure to have your BP check regularly, especially if you experience any of the above symptoms.

Here are some guidelines to help keep your blood pressure at a healthy level:

Dietary

  • A diet low in saturated fats and high in complex carbohydrates is recommended. Such a diet includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, soy products, onions, garlic, foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium (carrots, spinach, celery, alfalfa, mushrooms, lima beans, potatoes, avocados, broccoli, and most fruits), and restricts salt.

  • Minimal intake of processed foods (foods in packages, premade, cans, etc)

  • Eat 4 stalks of celery every day. The compound 3-n-butyl phtalide in celery has been shown to lower blood pressure.

  • Minimize coffee and caffeine consumption: caffeine causes the body to release stress hormones that elevate blood pressure

  • Eat onions and garlic liberally: the sulfur containing compounds in garlic and onions have been shown to lower blood pressure

Lifestyle

  • Adequate sleep: insufficient sleep can contribute to blood pressure. This may be due to increased sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous activity during the night.

  • Stress management and relaxation: take time every day to do something you find calming (yoga, meditation, walking, etc)

  • Exercise regularly! A minimum of 30min three times a week. In women, walking for a total of 2 hours/week and significantly reduce the risk of stroke!

    Diet and lifestyle interventions are great preventative and curative options for treating hypertension and all cardiovascular health risks. Another non-invasive option is EECP therapy, proven to improve circulation throughout the body and especially to the heart muscle. All of these therapies, including weight management and detoxification support are available at our clinic.

    Call us to book your consultation today and get your blood pressure under control while reducing your risk for serious cardiovascular disease! T
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Every 7 minutes in Canada, someone dies from heart disease or stroke. It has been estimated that heart attack risk can be reduced by up to 80% by using a comprehensive, non-invasive approach to treatment. EECP is a safe, non-invasive treatment accepted by mainstream medicine, Medicare approved, and available throughout the US and the world. EECP has been FDA approved since 1995 for treatment of stable angina, cardiogenic shock and for use during heart attacks. More recently in 2004, it was approved for treatment of congestive heart failure.

In Canada, there are only two EECP units west of Toronto (Vancouver and Kamloops, BC) developed exclusively by Vasomedical, a US manufacturer that has patented a timing mechanism that makes the EECP machine the most efficient one in the market. This machine is used exclusively in the clinical research regarding the therapy and its application to heart disease as well as stroke, diabetes, renal disease and other circulatory-related illnesses. EECP is beneficial for patients whether or not they have already undergone surgery. It is referred to as the “natural bypass” and can also prevent blockages from recurring.

EECP therapy will be offered at our clinic starting August 2010 within a comprehensive naturopathic cardiovascular health program. Call for your consult today!

For more information, visit www.vasomedical.com
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