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High Blood Pressure… Myths and Solutions b y D r . B a r t P r e c o u r t
S adly, there are over 80 million Americans diagnosed with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This statistic in my opinion is crazy, mostly because this condition is beatable. The bad news… High blood pressure increases the risk of developing some types of cardiovascular disease or even death from heart disease. The good news… You can do something about this. Even cure your own hypertension! Let’s first review some of the myths most of us have been told about high blood pressure. Then I will outline some ways you can improve your heart health. MYTH #1: IT’S GENETIC Do we have the genes and genetic characteristics of our parents? Of course we do. Does that mean all of our dysfunctions are their fault? No. Too often I hear patients that have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and subsequently put on meds tell me that their doctor said it was genetic. Just because your daddy, uncle, cousin, or neighbor had it does not mean you will too. What’s more import is your “Epi-genetics.” This means the way your lifestyle, environment, and habits effect how your genes are expressed. The foods you eat, stress, alcohol etc. If these are similar to your parents then yes, you will likely experience the same health issues that they did. MYTH #2: IT’S A HEART PROBLEM. High blood pressure is not a heart issue. In fact, your heart does not determine how high or low your blood pressure is; this is the job of your adrenal glands. These are two little glands located on top of your kidneys that help you manage stress. When you have more stress, whether it’s emotional, chemical, or physical, your adrenal glands signal your heart to raise or lower blood pressure to help manage the demands of stress. A diet high in sugar or processed foods will create a chemical stressor. That stress is due to a nutritional deficiency. Therefore, the adrenal glands signal the heart to increase rate and pressure to get more vitamins and minerals to your body. Yes! High blood pressure is often a sign of a nutritional deficiency. B vitamins and magnesium are often deficient in diets with sugar, processed foods, and alcohol.
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS: Get more sleep! Get better quality sleep. Our bodies rest and recover when we sleep. Poor sleep habits are very stressful to your body and will keep you stuck in sympathetic dominance, also known as “fight-or-flight”. If alcohol or sugar is consumed before bed you will likely decrease the quality of your sleep and not feel fully rested. Drink more water. Dehydration is another common stress that is overlooked. Ideally you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. This is too easy not to implement. Many of my clients have helped manage their blood pressure by staying properly hydrated. GET YOUR ADRENAL GLANDS TESTED. Reducing stress, hydrating better, and eating plenty of vegetables is the ideal way to reduce high blood pressure. Yet another smart strategy is to get your adrenal gland function tested. It’s an easy at home saliva test that you can get from your doctor. This test will let you know how healthy or dysfunctional your adrenal glands are. If your adrenals are tired or over-producing cortisol, your blood pressure will be difficult to manage and you may end up on more meds. One thing I’m certain of is that high blood pressure has never been caused by a lack of medications. Although the meds might provide a quick fix to lower the numbers, they will never fix the root cause. TAKE ACTION! High blood pressure may be one of the easiest health issues to fix on your own. Yet it will require some self- love and some action. The self-love comes in the form of loving yourself and your health more than you love the doughnuts, sugar, or wine. The action involves you improving your diet, getting some daily exercise, and quieting the mind. It’s too easy not to. And…. You are worth it!
Dr. Bart M. Precourt
Dr. Bart M. Precourt, D.C., is a Holistic Doctor, chiropractor, acupuncturist and nutritional consultant. For nearly 20 years he has helped people get healthy, lose weight and create healthy sustainable lifestyles. He currently practices in Seagrove Beach, FL at Balance Health Studio, www.balance30a.com. For a consultation, contact Balance Health Studio at (850) 231-9288. Reducing stress, hydrating better, and eating plenty of vegetables is the ideal way to reduce high blood pressure.
IN SUMMARY: Eat right, move right, sleep right, and think right!
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