The Blood Pressure Reduction Guide

If you have unexplained high blood pressure it could be due to the misalignment of your C-1 vertebra.

The C-1 vertebra (or atlas vertebra) is found at the base of the brain at the top of the neck. It is the only vertebra that is not connected to another bone.

A study was carried out on 50 people suffering with high blood pressure who also had a misaligned C-1 vertebra.

The 50 patients were split into two groups with one group having their C-1 vertebra realigned correctly and the other having a sham treatment that did not realign the vertebra.

X-rays were taken at the beginning and the end of the study to prove the position of the C-1 vertebra.

The study results were quite impressive with those having their C-1 vertebra correctly adjusted showing a significant lowering of their blood pressure.

The study researchers claim that the one-off spinal adjustment lowered blood pressure by 17 points with the measurements holding steady 8 weeks after the adjustment.

The C-1 vertebra is very easily misaligned and often goes undected as it is not neccessarily painful.

It is thought that the misalignment may cause blood pressure to rise is due to the brain stem being pinched. This causes arteries to narrow and therefore the blood pressure has to be higher to push through those narrowed arteries.

If you think that your high blood pressure may be related to back problems then speak to a qualified chiropractic specialist for further assessment.

If like many people today you are using St Johns Wort in order to help treat a condition such as mild depression it is important that you are aware the effect this particular herb can have on blood pressure levels. Hypertension is a growing concern for many people, so is hypertension caused by St Johns Wort?

St Johns Wort supplement is extracted from a bright yellow hedgerow flower, and is well known for being used as a dietary supplement in order to treat mild cases of depression.

What has been found is that a compound known as Hypericin in St John’s Wort has an affect on chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) in much the same way as many anti-depressant medications prescribed by doctors and health professionals do.

However hypericin reacts adversely when it mixes with Tyramine (an amino acid found naturally in the human body), which can lead to elevated blood pressure levels.

Often a person will find if they have excess amount of Tyramine, which is found in various foods, and drinks, it can cause various reactions to occur.  Below we list the symptoms a person may notice:

A fast rise in their blood pressure levels (hypertension)
Severe headaches
Their heartbeat becomes irregular

However, it should be noted that although these reactions may occur in some people they do not always occur in everybody.

It is important that if you are taking St Johns Wort you are well aware of what the actual signs and symptoms of hypertension are as well.  And this is where the difficulty arises.  Although some people may exhibit symptoms of elevated blood pressure like headaches and nausea, most symptoms do not surface until the condition is severe.

So, if you are at risk of elevated blood pressure it is important to have blood pressure levels checked on a regular basis when taking St John’s Wort.

One way of reducing the risk of elevating blood pressure levels with St John’s Wort is to reduce the consumption of certain foods and drinks which are high in Tyramine.  Included within this are aged, dried, smoked, processed as well as pickled meats and fishes (especially herring, pepperoni and salami).  Also reduce or restrict consumption of chicken liver, cheese that has been aged, soy sauce and yeast or protein extracts (Vegemite and Marmite).

It is also important you decrease the amount of legumes, figs and raisins as well as the amount of alcoholic drinks that you have in your diet.

The majority of the research into St John’s Wort has been carried out in Germany, and the researchers that have been involved confirmed that there should be no impact on blood pressure levels if a person stays within the normal dosage of St John’s Wort.  However, this should be discussed with your doctor to ensure this is applicable for your circumstances.

Some people may feel that the elevated blood pressure they are suffering with is hypertension caused by St Johns Wort, and although this is unlikely, they are better to stop taking St John’s Wort until it can be excluded as a cause and the high blood pressure treated successfully.

Plus, if you haven’t already done so, sign up for the free Relieve Blood Pressure Newsletter and discover new and natural methods to manage high blood pressure. In the newsletter you’ll also find other ways to lower blood pressure along with more information on how to manage potential hypertension complications like the link between hypertension caused by St Johns Wort.

There are a number of different ways that a person can check if they have a normal blood pressure reading.  They can either visit their doctor or medical advisor, or a health visitor can take a reading for them using a sphygmomanometer or they can do it themselves using one of the many home blood pressure monitoring kits that have come on the market in recent years.

The traditional sphygmomanometer you find in your doctors and the home monitoring kits available today all work on the same principle.

They will often include a cuff, which you place around your arm (usually half way between the shoulder and the elbow) and some form of pump in order to put air into the cuff to exert pressure on the arteries so the blood pressure reading can then be taken.

Traditionally the monitor you see in your doctor’s surgery has a glass or plastic tube with numbers on either side and contained within this tube is mercury, which rises as the cuff is inflated.

When taking a reading the doctor will use the numbers on the left-hand side of the tube to provide the systolic pressure and the numbers on the right hand side of the tube to provide a diastolic reading.

The systolic reading refers to the arterial pressure when the heart contracts and pumps blood, the diastolic reading refers to the arterial pressure when the heart is at rest between contractions.

Home monitoring kits come with digital read outs, and sometimes print outs that can make understanding the reading easier for some.

Blood pressure is normally given in ranges, and can vary from country to country.  Below are the ranges for the US:

Normal blood pressure is when a reading is less than 120/85mmHg

PreHypertension is when a person has a systolic reading of between 120 – 139 OR a diastolic reading of between 80-89mmHg

And people are considered as hypertensive if they have a systolic blood pressure reading of greater that 140 OR a diastolic reading of greater than 90.

Both the systolic and diastolic numbers are important, and if either fall into the range for prehypertension and hypertension then there is cause for concern.

Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, more and more people are being diagnosed with high blood pressure.  The main causes seem to relate to the kind of lives we lead, which have become much more sedentary (less physical activity being undertaken) as well as worsening dietary habits.

As we are now all leading very stress filled lives we rely on convenience foods that can be high in sodium and fat and are often highly processed.  All of these are factors that increase the risk of turning a normal blood pressure reading in to one that is elevated.

Plus, if you haven’t already done so, sign up for the free Relieve Blood Pressure Newsletter and discover new and natural methods to manage high blood pressure. In the newsletter you’ll also find other ways to lower blood pressure along with more information on how to manage and maintain a normal high blood pressure reading.

So, what does someone need to do in order to gain the high blood pressure control they seek?  In this article we will take a look at the various steps a person should take in order to get the right balance in their lives so they are able to lower their blood pressure and keep it low.

The first thing a person should do, and probably the simplest is to regularly have blood pressure readings taken to ensure that they are showing a improvement over time with their efforts.  Blood pressure checks can be carried out by either visiting their doctor or health professional, or they can do it at home with a home blood pressure monitoring kit. 

These particular kits do exactly the same job as the blood pressure monitor you see at your doctors, but it means that measurements can be taken on a more regular basis and at the same time of the day to avoid natural daily fluctuations that can skew the readings. Although it is worth taking your machine into the doctors to ensure that the two readings are similar to give you a baseline to work from.

If a person is overweight and has been diagnosed with high blood pressure they should start to follow a diet and exercise plan that sheds the excess pounds. One of the major causes of high blood pressure is because people are overweight or obese. This places additional stress on the heart as it needs to work harder in order to get the blood around the body to all those essential organs and areas of the body that need the nutrients, minerals, vitamins and oxygen that it is carrying.

Generally after you have been diagnosed with having high blood pressure your doctor may provide you with a diet that can help reduce blood pressure levels, which is low in salt/ sodium, low in fat and processed foods and high in fruit and vegetables. 

Regular physical activity is also advised, as it will help reduce the weight, suppress appetite and lower blood pressure.  Even a few minutes per day can make a difference to blood pressure levels. It is important to carry out activities that elevate the heart rate, as cardiovascular exercises have the most beneficial impact on blood pressure levels.  Although, if it has been a while since a person has exercised, or they are overweight, then they should get a physical examination before starting an exercise regime.

Recommended exercises include brisk walks, swimming and bike riding.  Start out slowly and then gradually build up when your body feels comfortable.

A doctor may prescribe hypertension medication for the condition.  These are generally used to quickly bring high blood pressure to within more normal levels, however, without lifestyle changes the levels may soon rise again.

Ensure that any medication prescribed is taken as instructed.  The biggest cause of malignant hypertension (a very severe form of hypertension) is caused by misuse, or not following prescriptions correctly.

For many people, making lifestyle changes and removing the habits that increase the risk of elevated blood pressure levels, and choosing “healthier” habits, and dietary choices they will soon start to achieve the high blood pressure control they seek.

Plus, if you haven’t already done so, sign up for the free Relieve Blood Pressure Newsletter and discover new and natural methods to manage high blood pressure. In the newsletter you’ll also find other ways to lower blood pressure along with more information on how to maintain blood pressure control.