High blood pressure is not a life sentence
Get off those deadly pills and learn to control your blood pressure with safe, effective cures.

If you’ve ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure, I bet your doctor had his prescription pad out faster than a gunfighter drawing his pistol.

And here’s the reason—most docs don’t want to spend the time it would take to learn what’s causing your hypertension. I’m not kidding—mainstream medicine claims that over 90 percent of all cases of high blood pressure are “essential,” which is a bizarre medical term for “we don’t know the cause.”

In my experience, it’s not that doctors don’t know or can’t find out—it’s that finding out will take more time and effort than they’re willing to spend.

So doctors are literally trained to throw up their hands and put you on a drug for the rest of your life (as if your blood pressure problem is due to some sort of drug deficiency). In fact, they’ll put you on…

Drugs so terrible you wouldn’t wish them on your enemies!

Docs will usually start you off with a cheap first-line drug called hyrdochlorothiazide (HCTZ). HCTZ is a water pill that helps your body absorb less salt. But that’s not all it does—is can cause dry mouth, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, nausea, stomach pain, clay-colored stools and dark urine, to name a few. And get this—HCTZ actually hastens the onset of diabetes, probably because is depletes your body of magnesium.

But even if you try to avoid the prescription pill carousel, you might find that some of the most popular recommendations for lowering blood pressure aren’t all that effective either.

Why most blood pressure advice isn’t worth its salt

I remember one patient, Tom, who was 52 years old and in reasonably good shape, except for his high blood pressure. He didn’t want to take HCTZ, so, like a lot of people, he tried to get his blood pressure under control by lowering salt.

Lowering your salt intake isn’t a bad idea—but don’t expect it to be the silver bullet that lowers your blood pressure. Recent research tells us that only about 20 percent of the population is salt sensitive, where salt would have a significant impact on their blood pressure. So unless you’re consuming loads of processed foods and making heavy use of a salt shaker, reducing salt is unlikely to fix the problem.

But, somehow, cutting salt consumption remains the number-one recommendation doctors dole out for people with high blood pressure—even though, in all likelihood, it won’t change a thing! My recommendation—keep your salt consumption to about 2 grams a day (preferably sea salt), and you should be fine.

If you’ve been told to lose some weight and exercise to lower your blood pressure, that’s pretty good advice. Tom started taking brisk walks with plenty of arm swing 45-60 minutes a day, at least five days a week. He dropped 10 pounds, got into better shape, and did see his blood pressure drop—but still not to a desirable level.

And, really, prescription drugs, exercise and reducing your alcohol and salt consumption are all that mainstream medicine has to offer for lowering blood pressure. It’s no wonder so many people never get their blood pressure under control!

Fortunately, alternative medicine has taken a more thorough and holistic approach to identifying the causes of—and curing—high blood pressure. We’ve got a little more in our toolkits than typical mainstream M.D.’s, and you can use these tools to get hypertension out of your life.

The vitamin deficiency that sends your blood pressure skyrocketing

You’ve heard me talk before about how most Americans are deficient in vitamin D and how this deficiency can unleash a barrage of health problems. High blood pressure is one of them.

One important function of vitamin D is to normalize renin levels. Renin regulates salt and fluid balance, key determinants of blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high and your vitamin D levels are low, getting more vitamin D may help lower your pressure. It may be all you need, as it was for one of my patients, a 66-year-old woman who lowered her blood pressure by taking vitamin D supplements and getting a little more sun during the warm months.

A high renin level of over 0.6 ng/ml (which your doc can determine from a simple blood test) might require vitamin D3 therapy, even if you’re getting enough vitamin D.

If your renin levels are very low, your doc may recommend diuretics and calcium channel blockers, two drug types. But drugs are by no means your only option. In fact, you may even be able to…

Replace prescription drugs with celery!

Celery is a potent diuretic—try a few stalks (4-6 would be a typical daily dose) or a glass of celery juice, and you’ll soon see what I mean. Or you can try celery seed extract in capsule form.

Celery seed has a long history of use in the Indian Ayurvedic tradition for water retention, calming nerves, muscle cramps, arthritis and gout. Nature’s Way, Natural Factors, Swanson and Puritans Pride all offer reliable celery seed products.

Celery seed is not the only natural tool you can use to bring your blood pressure under control. Here are five other natural cures that I’ve used with good results:

• Grape seed extract: This helps relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. New Chapter offers a remedy called Blood Pressure Take Care that also includes Hawthorn, which has been used for decades in Europe to treat high blood pressure.
  
• Coenzyme Q10: Try 100 to 300 mg daily. CoQ10 also supports an ailing heart and is a must if you happen to be on a cholesterol-lowering “statin” drug like Lipitor, which depletes your CoQ10 levels. Make sure you take a gel cap for optimal absorption.
  
• Garlic: Try the equivalent of one clove a day. Cook with garlic or get it in a supplement from New Chapter, Mediherb, Kyolic, Garlique or Garlicin.
  
• Taurine: This amino acid is used by savvy doctors to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and anxiety. For blood pressure, it helps regulate fluid balance and normalize aldosterone levels, so it may be useful in people with primary hyperaldosteronism (See my sidebar, “The blood pressure problem that most doctors miss”). Take 2—4 grams daily, split into two doses.
  
• Bonito Fish peptide: This is a fish-derived protein that has been used with a lot of success in Japan. It’s available in a product called Vasotensin from Metagenics.

In addition to these supplements, there are plenty of other treatment strategies patients have used with success. In fact, here are three questions I get all the time as people look to make lifestyle changes to improve their blood pressure.

Question #1: Will eating more vegetables really make a difference?

Quite possibly. The magnesium and potassium found in a variety of plant-based foods help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. If you’re not getting enough magnesium (which you can find out from a red blood cell magnesium test), eat more nuts and leafy green vegetables, or add a magnesium supplement. Avoid magnesium oxide, which is poorly absorbed and will just cause diarrhea. Instead, use magnesium citrate, orotate, malate, or fumurate: 400—1200 mg daily. Magnesium is a good calmative, so take it in the evening to promote better sleep.

Question #2: Is there such a thing as a “chocolate cure” for high blood pressure?

In a word, yes. Even small amounts of high quality dark chocolate (< 1 oz) have been shown to drop blood pressure by a few points. I don’t recommend dark chocolate as a first-line therapy for blood pressure—it is loaded with calories. Instead, enjoy small amounts a few times a week as part of your overall blood pressure program.

Question #3: How big a role does stress really play in raising blood pressure?

I get this question all the time, because people who think they live low-stress lives will sometimes end up with high blood pressure. On the other hand, people who are constantly stressed may find their blood pressure isn’t a problem.

The truth is, each of us handles stress a bit differently. But, as a rule, stress can have a tremendous effect on your blood pressure. The patient I talked about earlier, Tom, got great results from RESPeRATE (see www.resperate.com), an FDA approved device that directs you to breathe slowly and rhythmically, reducing stress.

I’ve seen other patients get great results through regular yoga that includes deep breathing, called Pranayama. For others, biofeedback may be the answer (see my “Knock anxiety out of your life” article on page 4 for more information on this treatment). Deep breathing training in the Buteyko Method or Yogic tradition also can be effective (search online for training opportunities).

Finally, both acupuncture and various forms of massage can be useful parts of an overall blood pressure management program. They key here is to connect with the therapy that personally appeals to you, then stick with for at least three months.

The blood pressure problem that most doctors miss!

I’ve seen plenty of patients who’ve lost weight, eaten smart and taken a fistful of prescription drugs, only to see their blood pressure stay put. If that sounds like you, ask your doc is you may be suffering from primary hyperaldosteronism.

Primary hyperaldosteronism is something every doctor learns about in medical school— but it’s probably more common than they’re ever told. Researchers now say that as many as 15 percent of people with high blood pressure have primary hyperaldosteronism—much higher than the 1 percent I was taught in med school.

When you have too much aldosterone, a hormone made by your adrenal glands that regulates salt and fluid balance, your high blood pressure may not respond to most drug treatments. A simple blood test that measures both aldosterone and renin is the first step. If levels are high, one cause may be a non-cancerous mass on your adrenals, which forces them to make a lot of aldosterone. A relatively safe surgery can solve the problem.

Or, your adrenal glands may just be enlarged and overactive. If that’s the case, you’re doc may try a drug called spironolactone, although an amino acid supplement called taurine may be useful here.

At any rate, if you have hard-to-treat blood pressure, get tested! I’ve seen three cases of primary hyperaldosteronism myself the last two months!

What is normal blood pressure anyway?

When it comes to blood pressure, many patients wonder how high is too high. The following are simplified national guidelines used by doctors.

Normal: Under 120/85
Borderline: 120/80 to 140/90*
High: Over 140/90

* Most doctors will start a drug around 140/90 or above.

Knock anxiety out of your life
You could be just 10 steps from living the calm, stress-free life you deserve.

In my experience, there are few things that can cripple a person’s well-being like anxiety.
Some worry is normal. But when that worry becomes non-stop…when you can’t keep your mind from wandering from one issue to the next…when you start obsessing over the smallest of issues…you need help.

Left unchecked, anxiety can trap you in a cycle of negativity that can undermine your relationships and your physical health.

People with anxiety disorders may tire easily, have difficulty concentrating, and suffer from restlessness, poor sleep and memory impairment. As many as 40 percent of anxiety sufferers are plagued by other medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and depression.

A menace affecting millions

If you suffer from anxiety, you’re not alone. Over 13 percent of the population—19 million people—suffer from involuntary, difficult-to-control, irrational thoughts.

And, because anxiety is so quickly missed or dismissed by doctors, the average individual with an anxiety problem ends up consulting 10 medical professionals before getting a correct diagnosis. And then guess what happens?

Most doctors’ “cures” for anxiety are worse than the problem itself!

You see, getting to the root of a person’s anxiety problem is complicated. It can be caused by so many things. Some people with anxiety experience low cortisol and high levels of epinephrine, which keeps them in a state of constant perceived threat. Others may have low levels of the brain chemical serotonin, while still others may have a genetic tendency toward anxiety or learned it from their family.

Rather than root out the cause of a person’s anxiety, most docs simply turn to prescription drugs. This is a crazy idea if ever there was one, as many anxiety sufferers are already self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. It’s like giving the wolf the key to the henhouse.

And these are some pretty serious prescription drugs. The most commonly prescribed drugs for anxiety are called benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” and they include Valium, Ativan, Xanax and Halcion.

Long-term use of these drugs can lead to physical and psychological dependence. Side effects include confusion and memory loss. Sudden, unsupervised withdrawal could kill you. Plus, they have been associated with increased risk of falls and motor vehicle accidents.

You get the picture—these drugs are bad news unless used with great care and discretion. And that’s often not the case.

Fortunately, if you suffer from anxiety, you don’t have to be sentenced to a lifetime of misdiagnosis and ill-advised treatment. Here are 10 supplements and techniques that I have prescribed to really improve the lives of people suffering from anxiety.

1 Green tea’s secret ingredient

Theanine is a calming amino acid found in green tea. It helps you focus and think better, and it reduces blood levels of stress hormones epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin). It also acts gently and safely at the same brain receptors targeted by common tranquilizers like Valium and Ativan. Try 100-200 mg once or twice day.

2 Restore your balance with this versatile amino acid

Taurine is getting a lot of interest from medical researchers and clinicians, who are impressed by its ability to reestablish the balance between glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, and GABA, a calming neurotransmitter. It is also involved in the production of serotonin. You can use 1000-2000 mg once or twice a day.

3 A sleep aid from “across the pond” that’s running circles around Valium

Valerian has been used in Europe for over 100 years to treat insomnia. It has been used in combination with passionflower and St. Johns Wort, and it has been more effective than Valium in small trials. Try 150 to 300 mg in the A.M. and 600-900 mg in the P.M. in standardized formulations containing 3.3 percent valpotriates. I recommend formulations from Nature’s Way and Mediherb. It takes two to three weeks for valerian to take effect, so it cannot be used to treat acute anxiety or insomnia.

4 The “Swiss Army Knife” of minerals

Magnesium is an incredibly versatile mineral and it is lacking in most Americans. Most folks suffering from anxiety are probably low in it, too. I recommend 400 to 1200 mg of magnesium citrate, orotate, fumurate or malate, which should help you sleep. Don’t bother with magnesium oxide, which is poorly absorbed and more likely to cause diarrhea.

5 A delicious new way to calm your nerves

NuSera is a latte-flavored soft chew from a company called Metagenics. NuSera is new to the market, but the results so far have been excellent. Within 30 minutes it has a noticeably calming, relaxing effect. Research on the active ingredient, derived from milk protein, shows that it reduces the stress response and calms GABA receptors in the brain. Because NuSera can work so quickly, it’s worth keeping some on you as an “as needed” anti-anxiety aid.

6 Soothe your brain with a calming energy

Alpha Stim is a well-researched, safe product that sends a very low-energy, electric waveform through your brain. It has been used extensively to treat pain, depression and especially anxiety. Access to Alpha Stim devices is only available through licensed health care practitioners. It can be highly effective for anyone suffering from debilitating anxiety, especially when accompanied by chronic pain. See www.alpha-stim.com.

7 Let in some air—and feel your stress melt away

Some form of structured breathing should be part of any anti-anxiety program. Deep nasal breathing activates the calming branch of your involuntary nervous system, reduces the stress response and quickly brings about favorable changes in your brain chemistry. Most Yoga programs include Pranayama breathing. I also recommend the easily learned and applied Buteyko breathing method (www.buteyko.com), devised by a Russian physician, and sudarshan kriya breathing methods, which you can learn at courses given worldwide by the Art of Living Foundation (www.artofliving.org).

8 Learn the Chinese art of meditation in action

Tai Chi Chuan is a traditional Chinese medicine practice. It incorporates soft movement, breathing and focusing your mind to promote health and longevity. Tai Chi is an excellent way to reduce stress. Think of it as meditation in action. You can practice it alone or in a group. It is now widely taught in community centers, schools and hospitals across the country. As with all mind-body therapies, regular practice and lifelong commitment is key.

9 Connect with your spiritual side

Centering prayer traces its roots back to early Christianity. It involves emptying the mind of all thoughts, achieving an inner silence and focusing on the presence of God, or a greater universal being beyond oneself. In its practice, it bears a striking resemblance to other forms of prayer and meditation from the world’s great religious and spiritual traditions. It offers the promise of profound, long-lasting results to those who are inclined to make a strong commitment. For more information, go to www.centeringprayer.com.

10 Get control of your body

Biofeedback is one of the best studied forms of stress reduction and anti-anxiety therapies. It uses devices that measure quantifiable bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature and tension. You become aware of these functions and start to exert conscious control over processes once thought to be involuntary. And it works quickly. In terms of its benefits, it’s like an effective, accelerated form of meditation. Heartmath (www.heartmath.com) and Healing Rhythms (www.wilddivine.com) both offer excellent, easy-to-learn programs. Or you can work with a biofeedback specialist (www.bcia.org).

As always, you’ll get best results when you tailor treatment to your individual needs, combine multiple therapies and work with an experienced professional.

Any anti-anxiety program also should include a whole foods diet with plenty of healthy omega 3 fats from fish and B vitamins. Exercise at last five days a week, and remove unnecessary stimulants, such as nicotine, drugs and caffeine. Also consider trying acupuncture and massage, which help some people break the anxiety cycle.

Forgotten cures
Use this Native American secret to ward off heart disease, memory loss and cancer

For centuries, Native American tribes regularly gathered their members in hunting expeditions that scoured Maine’s rocky coast looking for something they considered critical to their survival.

They weren’t hunting deer, or elk, or any of the other dietary staples you might imagine.They were hunting blueberries.

In Maine, Native American tribes cherished the wild blueberry for its powerful healing properties. They believed these wild blueberries—which only grow naturally along the coast of Maine and the eastern coast of Canada—kept them strong and disease-free as they aged.

We know now that they were right—and that this miracle fruit may be the key to warding off heart disease, dementia and even cancer!

This health-packed berry leaves other fruits in the dust!

When it comes to health benefits, most fruits can’t hold a candle to wild blueberries. It’s not just that other fruits aren’t in the same ballpark—they’re not in the same Zip Code.

Wild blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant content over 20 other fruits, including apples, cranberries and grapes—they’re even miles ahead of cultivated, farm-grown blueberries.

Wild blueberries are also particularly effective at boosting antioxidant levels in your blood. You see, eating and digesting a meal is a major cause of oxidative stress on our bodies. The digestion process releases harmful free radicals, so topping off a meal with wild blueberries can actually protect your body from the damage these free radicals cause.

Like most antioxidant-rich foods, wild blueberries are great for your heart. They work at the gene level to suppress inflammation that can lead to heart disease and other degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, cancer and dementia.

The powerful polyphenols in wild blueberries also help protect the inner lining of your arteries from the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

While much of the early science focused on the heart-health benefits of wild blueberries, researchers now realized that they’ve only scratched the surface of what this wonder food can do.

Just over the past several years, study after study has shown that wild blueberries might:

• Stop cancer in its tracks—The compounds in wild blueberries help prevent early steps in the formation of cancer cells.
  
• Ward off Alzheimer’s—Researchers believe wild blueberries could be the key to reversing the loss of memory and muscle coordination found in early Alzheimer’s disease.
  
• Restore your youthful eyesight—As we age, we lose the sharp vision we enjoyed when younger. Studies suggest blueberries may help reduce eye fatigue and improve night vision.
  
• Keep urinary tract infections at bay—Wild blueberries may be able to prevent bacteria from adhering to your bladder wall, which helps you avoid the pain and discomfort of UTIs.

All blueberries are not created equal—insist on the best

If you’re interested in tapping into the health benefits of wild blueberries, keep in mind that those little blueberry cartons in the supermarket produce section are not the same thing. As I said, wild blueberries only grow in certain areas of North America, and they are either organic or cultivated using sustainable integrated pest management, which carefully limits the use of pesticides.

Look for Wyman’s Wild Blueberries in the freezer section of your local grocery store. Flash frozen, they retain the rich nutrient content of the fresh berry. Dried wild blueberries are available from multiple sources online, and you can order frozen, organic wild blueberries from Vital Choice (www.vitalchoice.com).

And remember—all the health benefits of wild blueberries come packaged in a delicious food you can enjoy in countless ways. I add them to my breakfast cereal, cooked barley or oatmeal—along with some pecans, walnuts or almonds, and a little cinnamon. This usually supplies me with enough energy to get through the morning in fine form.

Your Questions Answered
Fishing for the truth about mercury poisoning

Q. I know fish is supposed to be good for you, so I’ve started to eat more. But I hear so much conflicting information about mercury and PCBs and am confused about safe choices. What is safe, and what isn’t? I’m 67 years old and have a little blood pressure problem.
––C. King, Danvers, MA

A:You know, I hear this all the time—and it’s not your fault you’re confused. Health officials have presented the issue of fish safety as a frightening trade-off.

Sure, you’ll get some toxic mercury, they say—but it’s worth it because of the numerous health benefits of fish. Fatty, cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring are especially rich in healthy omega 3s and vitamin D.

So, they’re basically saying you need to eat some poison in order to get vital nutrients—and then they wonder why people feel so ambivalent about fish.

Here’s the unvarnished truth—it is ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE to eat fish safely. You just need to follow a few simple rules.

When it comes to fish, size matters

The first rule of eating safe fish is that smaller is better. It’s hard to go wrong with anchovies, sardines and herring. I know some people don’t like the taste, but in France canned sardines are regarded as a gourmet food, kind of like wine, with certain high-end, premium brands. No kidding!

Large fish at the top of the food chain concentrate toxins, so tuna (including canned albacore tuna), shark, swordfish and sea bass, for example, should be eaten rarely, if at all.

Other types of fish can be safe, as long as you’re smart about how frequently you eat them. According to the Health Alerts List from the Environmental Defense Fund, the following fish are safe to eat over four times per month: anchovies; Atlantic herring; Maine lobster; Atlantic mackerel; wild Alaska salmon (especially sockeye); sardines; farmed bay scallops; squid; American farmed tilapia; and farmed rainbow trout (See www.edf.org for more information).

There’s plenty fishy about fish farms

Just as important, you should take note of what did not make the list of fish you can eat regularly—farmed shrimp and salmon. These are both extremely popular and consumed in massive amounts in the United States.

But the wide-scale farming of both of these species is causing massive destruction to natural habitats around the world, and they lack the nutritional value of wild shrimp and salmon.

Because of the conditions at the farms where these shrimp and salmon are raised, they also are likely to contain undesirable toxins and are best avoided.

For the definitive list of fish that are either sustainably farmed or caught, I recommend the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List at www.mbayaq.org.

You’ll be surprised at how many endangered fish are still widely available at your supermarket and at restaurants serving fish!

For excellent sardines, mackerel and wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon—plus a variety of other healthy goodies—I highly recommend Vital Choice Seafood at www.vitalchoice.com.

I just placed a large order for canned sardines and salmon myself. I enjoy them as part of an easy-to-prepare lunch that keeps me alert and energized until my late afternoon snack.

Finally, check out two just-published books on the subject. The first is Diagnosis MERCURY: Money, Politics and Poison by Jane M. Hightower, M.D. This is an unsettling account of a San Francisco doctor’s encounters with mercury toxicity in patients eating fish and how the government and the health-care industry are dragging their feet on the issue.

The second book is Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically In a World of Vanishing Seafood by Taras Grescoe. Grescoe has written an extremely readable account of the disastrous destruction of fish populations as well as the toxic consequences of high-intensity fish farming around the world.