What Would I Do if I had Hypertension?

A friend of mine came back from a physical the other day with an excellent report except for one thing; his blood pressure was 162/110. This is considered hypertensive, and long term, it poses some serious threats, such as stroke, heart problems and failed kidneys, none of which sound pleasant.

His doctor wanted to put him on medicine, but he was a bit reluctant to turn to pills, as many people would be. Knowing that I worked for who I do, he asked for some advice.

Blood pressure can vary from minute to minute. According to my dad who is a nephrologist, one blood pressure reading really isn’t going to tell you too much about your overall situation – you really have to monitor it over an extended period of time to see if you really have a problem. Even anxiety from being in a doctor’s office can cause it to spike, so the doctor’s immediate recommendation for drugs might have been a bit hasty. Regardless, I have no doubts the doctor was working in my friend’s best interest – you really don’t want your blood pressure staying that high.

Doug has outlined the ways fungi can affect the cardiovascular system in his Fungus Link 1 book, and he touches on it more in the Fungus Link to Diabetes. Are there genetic factors involved with heart and cardiovascular problems? Absolutely. Can fungi play a role, too? Doug brings up some compelling evidence. So, I pointed my buddy Doug’s way, and I told him what I would do if I were in his place. Here is what I told him:

Diet is critical, and it must be the first thing you fix.

If I were my buddy, I would immediately go on the Kaufmann 1 diet, very strictly. I would eliminate all grains, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, potatoes, starch and processed foods in favor of lots of vegetables, lean proteins from the right sources, limited fruits and nuts & seeds. In doing this, you’ll lose some weight, nourish your body, and get rid of the things in your diet that may contribute to any sort of fungal condition.

Exercise:

Your heart is a muscle, and it needs to be worked out. A good exercise regimen is critical to losing weight and keeping your heart healthy. My buddy’s doctor recommended this strongly.

Supplements:

Diet and exercise are the two most critical components of any health regimen. Most people would rather pop a few supplements to fix an issue, and that simply isn’t enough. But when you do get the first two components under control, supplements can be powerful tools. Here are a couple that may help with blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems:

Co-Enzyme Q10: There have been a number of studies demonstrating this remarkable nutrient’s ability to help lower blood pressure. CoQ10 (as it is often called) is a great supplement for anyone concerned about their heart health.

Fish Oil: You simply can’t get away from this stuff. Fish oil has demonstrated cardiovascular benefits, lowering blood pressure among them.

Garlic: You can simply eat garlic, but it also comes in supplement form.

Folic Acid: Folic Acid is a B-Vitamin that could help lower blood pressure.

A good multi-vitamin will help ensure my buddy that he’s getting everything he needs, too. None of these on their own would probably be strong enough to bring down his blood pressure. But in tandem with diet and exercise, I’d bet that he’s got a fighting chance. I’ll keep you posted!