The Blood Pressure Cure

Is it possible to lower blood pressure in only 8 weeks ?

The Blood Pressure Cure
Robert E Kowalski ISBN 978-0-470-12416-1


Robert Kowalski’s clinically proven programme draws on the very latest research on high blood pressure causes, development and treatment.  It contains the most up to date information on herbs, supplements, diet, physical activity and more.  

Hypertension is an important member of the quartet of risk factors for cardiovascular disease – the others are elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes and smoking.  Kowalski endeavours to bring all these risk factors under control without resorting to medication.  

The book documents how cocoa and wine can improve blood pressure as well making a clear correlation between blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.

The book begins with a question – if you had a crystal ball to look into the future and you saw not only actual evidence of fatal illness awaiting you but also simple ways that YOU could prevent it, but you had to take action now – would you take any notice?

The staggering fact is that 65m people in America (and we are fast catching up in the UK) have been diagnosed with mild hypertension and there are probably many more who have not been diagnosed.  And only one third of those diagnosed are being treated.  High blood pressure contributes significantly to the annual occurrences of 7.2m heart attacks and 5.5m strokes.  There’s a lot we can do to ensure we’re not counted among those statistics.  

The higher our blood pressure, the greater the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.  The risk is multiplied if there is family history of heart conditions or diabetes, high cholesterol levels, sedentary lives and or/are overweight.  To add insult to injury, Kowalski reminds us that high blood pressure increases the risk of developing Altzheimer’s.  One thing to consider in all of this is that family history of medical conditions does not necessarily mean it’s genetic. Another consideration must be learned behaviour patterns and eating habits.

Whilst there is a list of drugs as long as your arm which are used to manage high blood pressure, there is an even longer list of the negative side effects involved with any cocktail of drugs.  The most annoying of which are frequent urination, fatigue and low sex drive.   

High blood pressure (hypertension) is not a medical condition in itself.  It is a symptom.  A warning sign the body is giving us a sign that all is not well within.  It may well be a precursor to coronary heart disease.  Hypertension CAN be brought under control with lifestyle medications and herbs and supplements which are completely safe.  

Stress
Stress is highly controversial.  There is some evidence that high cholesterol has nothing whatsoever to do with dietary factors.  Stress alone is said to be the major precursor and the same is believed in some quarters of the major cause of high blood pressure. Stress boosts the production of harmful substances, (adrenalin and cortisol) and increases heart rate and blood requirements.  This can eventually increase blood pressure and precipitate a heart attack or stroke.  

Orthodox v Complementary and Alternative persepective
It has been suggested in some studies that doctors are aware of these benefits and they are too quick to reach for the prescription pad without giving safer and more acceptable alternatives a fair chance.

However, to be fair, it is also reported that without any indication from the patient that they wish to take responsibility for their health, GP’s prescribe medication because it’s a safer option than relying on the patient to comply with lifestyle changes!  Personally, what concerns me is that patients rarely are given the choice.  They worry when they hear they’ve got high blood pressure, put their lives into the hands of the professional and by doing, assume that the only solution is medication.  Because the doctor doesn’t offer an alternative (dietary), the patient then starts the lifelong programme of drug taking which usually results in cocktails of drugs and before they know it, they’re on the ever decreasing cycle of poisoning the body even further.  

The book also suggests that doctors can’t be expected to keep themselves familiar with all the discoveries about supplementation.  That’s not their area of expertise.  Half an hour in one seminar at the start of their medical training is said to be the extent of a GP’s nutritional expertise.

In spite of thousands of studies, many doctors remain sceptical about nutritional benefits and are more likely to raise their eyebrows if a patient suggests they want to go on a healthy nutritional programme instead.  So patients are nervous about going down that route because they fear if they have a life threatening condition, they don’t want to upset their doctor.  

It has to be said that for those whose blood pressure levels are dangerously high, a nutritional programme by itself will not be the answer.  Too late the maiden cried!  Though healthy changes can make a positive difference, the drugs in these circumstances may well save your life.

Magic Pill?
Let me say straight out, there is no magic pill.  Taking supplements alone is not enough.  Success requires effort; a commitment to supplementing a healthy diet, regular physical activity and a positive state of mind acquired through learning strategies to manage stress.  

There is no need for anything radical or unreasonable.  There is no one who is prepared to completely change their lives.  Unless they’re completely obsessive; in which case, that will create problems eventually anyway, emotionally if not physically.  Regular physical activity does not mean running yourself into the ground at the gym.  Neither is there any need for food deprivation.  Supplementation does not necessarily mean taking handfuls of different pills and potions for the rest of your life.  Blood pressure and general body function can be optimised through healthy eating plans and minor lifestyle changes.

Everything in Moderation
It means a sensible and simple approach to life, food and alcohol intake.  Baby steps are all that’s required initially to protect yourself against heart attack and stroke. The problem is, we tend to have forgotten what moderation is.  Fast food is OK if we eat it once a month or as a treat and we resist the “super size” but unfortunately, it’s Christmas all year around for many of us.  Alcohol is fine provided men have no more than 2 units a day and women only one.  Saving it all up and bingeing at the weekend is dangerous.  It’s not helped by advertisements which inform us that busy Mums can feed the whole family for under £10 with no effort.  

The most convenient, colourful, nutritious and attractive food is nuts, fruit and vegetables.  The majority of people do not eat enough of these basic foods.  We (particularly our children) consider them boring and tend only to eat them as snacks or if forced on us!.  We should all be eating 10–12 portions EVERY day, the bigger the variety, the better.   Fast foods on the other hand are full of calories and very little nutritional value.  Therefore, very soon after we have eaten, we’re starving hungry and so we eat more.   Hence are calorific intake can amount to thousands on a daily basis.  Processed food is full of sugar and salt.  Low fat foods are full of sugar.  

Low fat foods
When the body is overwhelmed with sugar. It will turns into fat and stores it for use at another time.  Hence those who are on low fat diets continue to gain weight, much to their surprise.  We absolutely must have the good fats every day.  Pregnant mothers who keep all fats out of their diets are weakening the quality of their baby’s life, after birth. EFA’s are required to develop healthy cells.  Babies are the result of cells dividing and multiplying!! They need to be healthy.  The fats we need to eliminate are the saturated, hydrogenated, trans fatty acids found in processed food, spreadable margarines and animal fat.  

Diabetes and Sugar link
More importantly, excess sugar in the diet is the primary cause of late onset diabetes which will require additional medication added to the cocktail of drugs already being consumed, thus creating more side effects, unless the patient takes matters into their own hands and makes those required lifestyle and nutritional changes.  So there is no way out!!  Unless we want to have a lifetime on medication, changes HAVE to be made.  We DO need to take responsibility in the end.

Those who attempt to lose weight by drastically restricting their intake of food and especially those who substitute proper meals with “energy bars”, rice cakes or oat cakes and cottage cheese also tend to put on weight because when there is insufficient NUTRIENTS in the body for it to function fully, it goes into starvation mode; saving what nutrients there are as fuel for a rainy day. Everything slows down. So even though they’re restricting what they eat, they still put on weight.  The most important point to note is that in the long term, this will affect the thyroid (responsible for metabolism) and also the adrenal glands, creating adrenal exhaustion.  Chronic fatigue and all that goes with it.

Almost everyone who has been dieting, as soon as they are put on a healthy nutritional plan are shocked how much food they’re allowed to eat and lose weight.  It’s because they’re taking on board fuel, as soon as the body realises that there is a regular supply, plus there is more physical activity, it goes up a gear and functions faster and more effectively. Hence excess fat is lost and muscle is toned and honed.  

Salt and Sodium  
Another aspect of our diet which is often misrepresented or misunderstood is the role of salt and sodium.  Only those who are “sensitive” to salt (inherited) need to restrict their intake and even then the emphasis should not be on restriction of sodium.  There are others which may need to be increased at the same time to ensure a healthy balance.  Sodium is the offending part of the salt molecule.  

Sodium chloride is only one of a group of chemical substances in the body called electrolytes.  The others in the group are magnesium, calcium and potassium.  These should never be supplemented on their own because it will upset the delicate balance of the group.  

Properly balanced electrolytes has a positive effect in balancing blood pressure.  Everyone needs a teaspoon of salt each day.  Suggest it is added to cooking but NOT at the table OR at the table but not in food and keep away from processed fast food.  If you eat fast food do NOT add salt to cooking or at the table.

Effort?
In his book, The Blood Pressure Cure (8 weeks to lower your blood pressure) Robert E Kowalski suggests those who consider making a few changes to their diet is not worth the effort, should take time out and look at those they love and consider everything they love about life and ask yourself “are your loved ones no worth it”? He goes on to say that taking the pressure off your heart can add years to your life and improve the quality of those years.  

Ideal Blood Pressure level
Relying on having your blood pressure taken at the doctors once or every six weeks is not sufficient for an accurate reading and I would suggest, certainly not reliable enough to start taking powerful medication dependent on those questionable results.  We’re all as different on the outside as we are on the inside but the ideal we should be aiming for is in the region of 115/75.

What is Hypertension?
Your blood pressure is a bit like the plumbing in your house.  There’s nothing nicer than a power shower with plenty of hot water gushing over your head.  Plumbers have devices by which they can measure water pressure and we may even call out a plumber if the pressure drops too low and they will make suggestions as to how to improve the pressure throughout the house.  

It may be that mineral deposits have clogged up the pipes.  This is a good analogy as to what happens in arteries.  When we’re young our arteries are elastic and flexible and more easily allow blood flow, as we get older, arteries can stiffen, are unable to dilate and constrict the adequate flow of blood and oxygen.  This process is very gradual and one that we hardly notice.   The first sign of an oncoming heart attack or stroke might be a dull headache.  It’s not called a “silent killer” for nothing.  

Kidneys
The importance of kidney function on high blood pressure is not commonly understood.  There are three methods by which our body controls blood pressure.

>    receptors in various organs that detect changes in blood pressure and automatically make adjustments by altering the speed of the heart’s contractions and the total resistance to pressure.

>    Kidneys are responsible for the long term adjustment of blood pressure through a system involving various chemical substances in the system (electrolytes)

>    Responses to high levels of potassium or angio-tensin which is a steroid released from the adrenal glands situated at the top of each kidney result in an electrolyte balancing act.  Excess excretion of potassium encourages the body to retain sodium.

If these control methods are hampered in any way, then the body is no longer able to control blood pressure itself. This will have a knock on effect throughout the entire body, slowing everything down and if the heart is suddenly put under stress and attempts to pump out more blood which the arteries are unable to convey or dilate sufficiently to carry the larger than normal blood volume, abnormal pressure is put on the walls of the arteries and if the “pipes” have started to fur up, bits (plague) may break off from the inside of the artery walls.  In an attempt to repair the damage, blood clots form which block narrowed arteries and the result is a heart attack or stroke.  

Measuring Blood Pressure
When measuring blood pressure, the top number is called the SYSTOLIC and it measures the pressure in the arteries are pumping out blood and the heart is beating.

The DYSTOLIC is the bottom number and measures the pressure whilst the heart rests after pumping out blood.  

Home Blood Pressure Monitor
Blood pressure monitors can be purchased cheaply these days and from many outlets.  It’s a good idea to self monitor blood pressure on a weekly basis at the same time and on the same day.  Measurements can also be taken on a daily basis but care needs to be taken not to become obsessive about it.  Take a mean average over three readings.  Doesn’t matter what time or what day you take it.  The monitor should be one that has a “cuff”. It’s sensible to ask your GP to calibrate yours against the one used at the surgery for accuracy, dependent on your relationship with your GP?!

Supplementation
In his book, Kowalski suggests various supplements and foods like oats which may be helpful and advises on the hazards of smoking, excessive alcohol and stress. Whilst oats are a known helpful factor in reducing blood pressure, that is of course IF you don’t have an intolerance to gluten!

Whilst the information in this book is very helpful, in all cases, it is the reviewer's perspective that it is in everyone’s best interest to seek professional advice either from a medical practitioner and/or an appropriately qualified practitioner in complementary and alternative medicine before attempting to make any lifestyle changes where high blood pressure has been diagnosed.  

Sunday, 30 March 2008

© 2008 Bromley Health Management