In a healthy individual, the pressure of blood within our arteries will rise and fall throughout the day depending on what activities we are doing and what demands our bodies need to meet to cope with the changes in the environment around us. For example, stress/physical activity/excitement will cause an individual’s blood pressure to rise to get more oxygen and nutrients to the brain and muscles to cope with these challenges. Once the body and mind return to a restful state, the blood pressure will fall.
However, if such challenges remain for a while, weeks, months or years, then the brain may interpret this as the ‘new’ normal and the blood pressure may remain elevated, which means that even when we think we are relaxed the blood pressure stays elevated.
This adaptation is an ‘allostatic’ state which is where a chronic deviation of the regulatory systems away from their norm establishes a new set point for themselves. This sounds clever, right? In some ways it is clever that the body has adapted; however, this is an adaptation that can have devastating effects on the many different organs in the body, including blood vessels, the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes. High blood pressure (‘hypertension’) causes plaques to build up on the artery walls which in turn causes narrowing of the blood vessels and inhibits vital oxygen and nutrients reaching the brain and heart. This is called atherosclerosis. Hypertension/atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
Because high blood pressure has no symptoms, blood pressure readings are the most common and frequent tests to monitor it, often using a portable device called a ‘sphygmomanometer,’ which uses a cuff wrapped around the arm. Most of you will have had your BP taken at some point.
Blood pressure levels are determined by two readings made in millimetres of mercury (mmHg): systolic blood pressure measures arterial pressure when the heart beats (the first figure ie 120/80), and diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure between heartbeats (at rest and the second figure ie 120/80). The ideal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
What is high?
NICE guidelines are such that if you are under 80 years of age and your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90mmHg (or 135/85mmHg at home) OR if you are 80+ years of age with a reading of 150/90mmHg (or 145/85mmHg at home), assuming you are low risk of other problems, then you will most likely be advised to make some lifestyle changes by your GP before considering medication. If you have high blood pressure and you are at higher risk of other problems then you may be offered medication alongside lifestyle changes.
Over the years due to research the levels deemed normal have changed slightly with age and gender playing a part. Isolated systolic pressure in the over 50s, particularly in men, is the most important and the diastolic figure is all but irrelevant. This was reversed in the under-50s.
Even if your blood pressure is over the so-called ‘normal’ threshold of 140/90 mmHg and you are concerned that your high blood pressure will lead to a heart attack or stroke, some simple lifestyle changes can usually bring your blood pressure back to normal.
What is “White coat syndrome”?
We know your blood pressure changes throughout the day and when in different situations. Just sitting in a waiting room, waiting for your doctor to take your blood pressure can make some people feel uneasy and stressed and can cause your systolic pressure – the first number – to rise by as much as 30 mmHg, a phenomenon referred to as ‘white-coat hypertension’.
So before resorting to medication, it may be worth trying other ways to reduce your BP level, always talk to your GP first, they will be supportive of this assuming your levels are not dangerously high.
Natural ways to control your blood pressure
- If you are overweight then losing weight will lower blood pressure naturally.
- Regular exercise, at least 20 minutes per day.
- Avoid processed carbs and try to eat mainly low-GI foods. Limit alcohol intake.
- The contraceptive pill and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, raise blood pressure.
- Cook with traditional fats such as coconut oil, lard, duck fat or butter.
- Potassium-rich foods such as bananas or taking a potassium supplement, can help to dramatically lower blood pressure.
- Some natural minerals such as magnesium can have a positive effect on lowering blood pressure because it is a natural calcium channel blocker.
- Make sure your levels of vitamin D3 are adequate to ensure better uptake of calcium.
- CoQ10 supplements can help lower blood pressure
- Make time for relaxation or mind-body techniques, particularly yoga, meditation or the Chinese therapy qigong.
- Explore hypnosis with a qualified, experienced practitioner – there is good evidence that this can lower BP.
- Consider acupuncture with a qualified, experienced practitioner. One session of acupuncture could significantly lower blood pressure levels for up to six weeks in people with hypertension.
- Consider homoeopathy, some remedies have been shown to lower BP.
If you would like some help or advice, please call us at Walnut Grove, we may have the practitioner to help or be able to suggest an alternative locally for you.
