Hypertension / high blood pressure

What is hypertension?

Causes of hypertension

Measurement of hypertension

Symptoms of hypertension

Consequences of hypertension

Prevention / remedies / treatment for hypertension

References

What is hypertension?

High blood pressure (arterial hypertension) is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is too high. This means that the heart has to work harder than normal to circulate the blood through the arteries around the body.

The resistance in blood vessels has the greatest direct influence on blood pressure. Healthy blood vessels are elastic, and are not scarred or blocked (See atherosclerosis). Other factors include gravity, the condition of the valves in veins, the pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles, and the change in pressure momentarily from standing up. Indirect factors include the general level of health, stress, nutritional factors, drugs, disease and exercise. Sometimes the variations are large.

Hypertension is when arterial pressure is abnormally high, as opposed to hypotension, when it is abnormally low. Low blood pressure can cause a lightheaded feeling, dizziness, weakness or fainting. In extreme cases hypotension can cause shock.

About 25% of all adults in the world suffer from hypertension. (1) In the USA hypertension affected 76 million adults (34% of the population) in 2006. Almost 25% of all adults in the USA take antihypertensive medications. (2) African American adults have among the highest rates of hypertension in the world at 44%. (3) Hypertension is more common in men (though menopause tends to decrease this difference); blacks and native Americans; and those who are economically or socially disadvantaged.

Causes of hypertension

Primary hypertension is when there is no obvious underlying medical cause according to conventional medicine, and this occurs in 90-95% of cases after examination by a mainstream doctor.

Secondary hypertension (that occurs in the remaining 5-10% of cases) is usually caused by diseases that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart or endocrine system. They include obesity, glucose intolerance, diabetes and thyroid diseases, for example.

The underlying causes of primary hypertension are:

• Potassium deficiency, sodium deficiency, upset of the sodium/potassium balance and deficient electrolyte function. The cause is often a low-salt diet. (8, 13, 14, 15)
• Zinc deficiency.
• Gut biome damage. (5, 6)
• Vitamin D deficiency. (11)
• Insulin resistance. (9, 10)
• Magnesium deficiency.
• Stress that affects the nervous system. (12, 13)
• Calcium deposits, hypercalcemia.

The root cause of these deficiencies are a high sugar, high carbohydrate diet with a high processed food content, and insufficient sunlight. A high carb diet is low in potassium and also reduces the uptake of the little potassium which is available (this is in contrast to a high-vegetable diet, which is high in potassium). Sugar feeds harmful bacteria and fungi. High levels of stress, the resulting high levels of cortisol, and low levels of vitamin D (what I call pro-hormone D) also raise blood pressure.

Measurement of hypertension

Two metrics are used to measure blood pressure - systolic and diastolic readings. During each heartbeat, there is a high pressure as the heart contracts, and a low reading as the heart relaxes between beats. Normal blood pressure while at rest should be 100-140mmHg systolic and 60-90mmHg diastolic. High blood pressure is said to occur if it is continually at or above 140/90 mmHg.

A resting, healthy adult should have a blood pressure of 120 mmHg (16 kPa) systolic and 80 mmHg (11 kPa) diastolic (written as 120/80 mmHg). This figure of 120/80 can have large individual variations. In children, the normal ranges are lower than for adults, and rise for taller children. 140/90 may be considered normal for older adults, though this is bordering on hypertension. On the other hand, a BP of 90/60 is considered as bordering on hypotension.

The risk of cardiovascular and other diseases increases progressively above 115/75 mmHg. Severely elevated blood pressure (180/ 110) is also known as accelerated or malignant hypertension, or hypertensive emergency or crisis. It increases the risk of symptoms and consequences.

Up to 25% of patients feel stressed when having their blood pressure taken, making the reading higher than it would normally be.

Symptoms of hypertension

Mild or even moderate hypertension is rarely accompanied by any symptoms. Usually it is only identified during a regular check-up or when seeking advice for some other problem.

For those suffering only mildly elevated blood pressure, the following symptoms are more likely to be caused by the associated anxiety than the high blood pressure itself.

Severely elevated blood pressure (malignant hypertension) increases both the risk of the following symptoms, and the consequences.

• Headaches (particularly at the back of the head and in the morning).
• Feeling lightheaded, confused, drowsy.
• Dizziness / vertigo.
• Tinnitus.
• Visual deterioration.
• Fainting episodes.
• Breathlessness, cough, lung diseases (pulmonary edema). (7)
• Anaemia through destruction of blood cells.
• Malaise. Generally not feeling well.
• Swelling of the brain. At first, this will cause several of the above problems. But with severely elevated blood pressure (malignant hypertension) it is a serious, even life-threatening problem which needs urgent attention.

Consequences of hypertension

Hypertension is a major risk factor for:

• Stroke.
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction).
• Heart failure.
• Aneurysms of the arteries (aortic aneurysm).
• Peripheral arterial disease.
• Chronic kidney disease / failure.
• Reduced life expectancy (even with a moderate elevation of blood pressure).
• Hypertension occurs in approximately 8-10% of pregnancies. There is a high risk of pre-eclampsia (protein in the urine) with risks to both the mother and baby.

Prevention / remedies / treatment for hypertension

• Eliminate sugar. Stop eating all kinds of sweet foods and high carbohydrate foods. This includes all foods to which sugar has been added, foods made with flour, all dried fruits, sweet fruits, and all sweet drinks, especially fruit juice. (9, 10)
• Zinc.
• Potassium. Use of high-potassium foods which are artery-friendly. The most valuable include beet greens, leafy greens, celery, avocado, lemons (the whole lemon, not just the juice), and kefir. (8)
• Salt. Use unrefined sea salt and unrefined rock salt on your food and in your cooking. When using healthy, unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, there is no need to ration yourself. Eliminate REFINED salt which is toxic and dangerous. (13, 14, 15)
• Sunlight and vitamin D. It is not possible to get sufficient vitamin D from your diet alone. Getting out into the sun when the sun is at a higher angle than 45 degrees is essential. Of course, do not over-expose, which is indicated by the slightest redness or discomfort on the skin. (11)
• Deep breathing. Slow your breathing to six breaths per minute for a time. Breathe in for five seconds, and then out for five seconds. Do this periodically, when your remember to. This is a gentle exercise, relax and slow down. (16, 17)
• Probiotics, especially home-made raw sauerkraut. (5, 6)
• Taurine.
• Relaxation. Meditation. Stress reduction. Re-think all the ongoing causes of stress in your life. (12, 13)
• Exercise (cardiovascular exercise). (7)
• Weight loss - reduce weight if overweight.
• Magnesium.
• Apple cider vinegar in combination with sodium bicarbonate. (4)
• Berberine.
• Cayenne pepper, a natural blood thinner.
• Garlic.
• Celery. A couple of stalks of celery with your last meal of the day helps your body produce nitric oxide, a potent blood pressure inhibitor.
• Caffeine. Reduce if using in excess (Say, more than three cups of tea or coffee per day).
• Alcohol - reduce or eliminate if using in excess. Ideally limit to one small glass of wine (or equivalent) with the last meal of the day.
• See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.

References

1. Kearney PM, Whelton M, Reynolds K, Muntner P, Whelton PK, He J. Global burden of hypertension: analysis of worldwide data. 2005, Lancet 365 (9455): 217-23. PMID 15652604.

2. Burt VL, Whelton P, Roccella EJ et al. Prevalence of hypertension in the US adult population. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1991. March 1995, Hypertension 25 (3): 305-13. PMID 7875754.

3. Lloyd-Jones D, Adams RJ, Brown TM et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics - 2010 update: a report from the American Heart Association. February 2010, Circulation 121 (7): e46-e215. PMID 20019324.

4. Setorki M, Asgary S, Eidi A, Rohani AH, Khazaei M. Acute effects of vinegar intake on some biochemical risk factors of atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Lipids Health Dis. 2010 Jan 28;9:10. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-9-10. PMID: 20109192; PMCID: PMC2837006.

5. Yang T, Santisteban MM, Rodriguez V, Li E, Ahmari N, Carvajal JM, Zadeh M, Gong M, Qi Y, Zubcevic J, Sahay B, Pepine CJ, Raizada MK, Mohamadzadeh M. Gut dysbiosis is linked to hypertension. Hypertension. 2015 Jun;65(6):1331-40. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.115.05315. Epub 13 April 2015. PMID: 25870193; PMCID: PMC4433416.

6. Wang G, Hao M, Liu Q, Jiang Y, Huang H, Yang G, Wang C. Protective effect of recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in HUVEC cells. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2021 May 15;22(5):348-365. doi: 10.1631/jzus.B2000441. PMID: 33973418; PMCID: PMC8110467.

7. Calbet JA. Chronic hypoxia increases blood pressure and noradrenaline spillover in healthy humans. J Physiol. 2003 Aug 15;551(Pt 1):379-86. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.045112. Epub 2003 Jul 4. PMID: 12844510; PMCID: PMC2343162.

8. Ellison DH, Terker AS. Why Your Mother Was Right: How Potassium Intake Reduces Blood Pressure. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2015;126:46-55. PMID: 26330658; PMCID: PMC4530669.

9. Tim Heise, Kai Magnusson, Lutz Heinemann, Peter T Sawicki. Insulin Resistance and the Effect of Insulin on Blood Pressure in Essential Hypertension. Hypertension. August 1998; 32:243-248.

10. Brooks V L. Insulin: a sweet deal for human baroreflex function. J Physiol. 2010 Oct 1;588(Pt 19):3629. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.197830. PMID: 20889487; PMCID: PMC2998212.

11. Dogdus M, Burhan S, Bozgun Z, et al. Cardiac autonomic dysfunctions are recovered with vitamin D replacement in apparently healthy individuals with vitamin D deficiency. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2019; 24:e12677. doi/10.1111/anec.12677.

12. Biaggioni I, Shibao C A, Diedrich A, Muldowney J A S 3rd, Laffer C L, Jordan J. Blood Pressure Management in Afferent Baroreflex Failure: JACC Review Topic of the Week. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 Dec 10;74(23):2939-2947. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2019.10.027. PMID: 31806138; PMCID: PMC6939863.

13. DiBona G F, Jones S Y. Effect of sodium intake on sympathetic and hemodynamic response to thermal receptor stimulation. Hypertension. 2003 Feb;41(2):261-5. doi: 10.1161/01.hyp.52829.50997.fe. PMID: 12574092.

14. Sergio A. Gonzalez, Pedro Forcada, Elena M V de Cavanagh, Felipe Inserra, J Chiabaut Svane, Sebastian Obregon, Carlos Castellaro, Daniel Olano, Alejandro Hita, Carol V. Kotliar. Sodium Intake Is Associated With Parasympathetic Tone and Metabolic Parameters in Mild Hypertension. American Journal of Hypertension, Volume 25, Issue 5, May 2012, Pages 620-624.

15. Guido Grassi, Bianca Maria Cattaneo, Gino Seravalle, Antonio Lanfranchi, Giambattista Bolla, Giuseppe Mancia. Baroreflex Impairment by Low Sodium Diet in Mild or Moderate Essential Hypertension. Hypertension. March 1997; 29:802-807.

16. Luciano Bernardi, Cesare Porta, Lucia Spicuzza, Jerzy Bellwon, Giammario Spadacini, Axel W Frey, Leata Y C Yeung, John E Sanderson, Roberto Pedretti, Roberto Tramarin. Slow Breathing Increases Arterial Baroreflex Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure. Circulation. January 2002; 105:143-145.

17. Lin I M, Tai L Y, Fan S Y. Breathing at a rate of 5.5 breaths per minute with equal inhalation-to-exhalation ratio increases heart rate variability. Int J Psychophysiol. March 2014; 91(3):206-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.12.006. Epub 28 December 2013. PMID: 24380741.