Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

• Age 55 or older
• Heredity/family history
• Men
• History of heart attack and/or stroke
• Medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure levels, vascular disease, atrial fibrillation, and sickle cell anemia
• Drug/alcohol abuse
• Poor diet
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Living in the southeast US (“stroke belt”)
• Low socioeconomic status

Drugs typically prescribed for reducing cholesterol have no impact on Lp(a) levels. In fact, a study involving these drugs showed an increase in Lp(a) levels! And therein lies the dilemma.

While drugs prescribed to help you attain and maintain healthy cholesterol can reduce LDL, they can’t alter Lp(a). If you find that Lp(a) runs in your family, you must attack it with an alternative approach. Here’s what I recommend:

• Follow my Pan-Asian Modified Mediterranean diet, making sure to eat fresh fish at least two to three times a week. Eat fresh fruits, legumes, cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel or fish oils, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which blocks the inflammatory and blood-clotting capabilities of Lp(a). Omit saturated fats. Instead, choose monounsaturated fats like olive oil and polyunsaturated fats like alpha-linolenic acid, found in flaxseed and flaxseed oil.   (These are excellent tips to adhere to for overall cardiovascular nutrition.)
• Take 100 mg of niacin, twice a day. If you experience side effects like flushing, headache, and diarrhea, follow the diet and stop the niacin. You can try a lower dosage at a later date, then slowly increase the dose to 500 mg a day, twice a day for further protection. TwinLabs' quick-acting Niacin is a good product.
• Take 1–2 grams of vitamin C and 100–200 mg of CoQ10 each day.
• Policosanol—20 mg daily at bedtime.
• Exercise regularly.
• Ask your doctor about screening techniques to assess your heart risk factors. If you’re concerned, you and your family members should have your Lp(a) and other risk factors (homocysteine, fibrinogen and serum ferritin) evaluated by your doctor.
• Be aware of other risk factors for cardiovascular problems, including smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, glucose intolerance and repressed emotions, which can have a harmful effect on the health of your heart.

 Drugs typically prescribed for reducing cholesterol have no impact on Lp(a) levels. In fact, a study involving these drugs showed an increase in Lp(a) levels! And therein lies the dilemma.

While drugs prescribed to help you attain and maintain healthy cholesterol can reduce LDL, they can’t alter Lp(a). If you find that Lp(a) runs in your family, you must attack it with an alternative approach. Here’s what I recommend:

• Follow my Pan-Asian Modified Mediterranean diet, making sure to eat fresh fish at least two to three times a week. Eat fresh fruits, legumes, cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel or fish oils, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which blocks the inflammatory and blood-clotting capabilities of Lp(a). Omit saturated fats. Instead, choose monounsaturated fats like olive oil and polyunsaturated fats like alpha-linolenic acid, found in flaxseed and flaxseed oil.
• Take 100 mg of niacin, twice a day. If you experience side effects like flushing, headache, and diarrhea, follow the diet and stop the niacin. You can try a lower dosage at a later date, then slowly increase the dose to 500 mg a day, twice a day for further protection. TwinLabs' quick-acting Niacin is a good product.
• Take 1–2 grams of vitamin C and 100–200 mg of CoQ10 each day.
• Policosanol—20 mg daily at bedtime.
• Exercise regularly.
• Ask your doctor about screening techniques to assess your risk factors for heart disease. If you’re concerned, you and your family members should have your Lp(a) and other heart risk factors (homocysteine, fibrinogen and serum ferritin) evaluated by your doctor.

Let me start out by saying that I realize it may feel strange to discuss cardiovascular problems in the context of your emotions. Your feelings are probably not something you ever thought about in connection with heart risk factors. 

You may already be aware of heart risk factors commonly reported in the popular press and medical journals: older age, unfavorable family history, poor diet, elevated blood fats, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and personality type (the infamous “Type A”).

This is why I want to make you aware of how the “lesser known” heart risk factor—your mind—affects your body. I want you to take advantage of new information that could dramatically improve your healing process.

I’m not surprised that you haven’t heard much about heartbreak’s role in heart disease. Heartbreak is not considered a medical “condition” because love is not a recognized physical function. Until recently, physiology has limited itself to the mechanics and chemistry of how organs work and has ignored the impact of various emotional states on those functions. Science is necessarily confined to phenomena that can be measured and quantified.

Although the feeling states lie outside the realm of science, I think it’s a mistake to exclude them from our understanding of the human body. Love is a tremendously vital force in human behavior, and I firmly believe that we must try to understand its nature and the role it plays in our emotional and physical health.

I want to make it clear that love and intimacy cannot “cure” cardiovascular problems. But if you learn to cope with heartbreak, anger, or resentment, rather than suppressing the feelings, you’ll be doing your heart a world of good. You will harness the power of your emotions to heal your body. Honesty, tears, and smiles have as much to do with recovering from cardiovascular problems as eating well, exercising, and taking vitamins.

Diabetes. Diabetic women have a higher risk for heart disease than diabetic men. This is because the incidence of diabetes and its complications (including heart disease) is much higher in women. If you are a diabetic woman, your risk for heart disease is five to seven times normal, compared with a risk of only two to three times normal for a diabetic man. For you, proper heart sense means you should increase your physical activity and watch your diet to maintain a healthy body weight.

Overweight. Women have a higher heart disease risk from being overweight than men do. Recent studies indicate that being only 20 pounds overweight doubles your risk of heart disease. If you are overweight, I don’t want you to go on a diet. Instead, get physically active—it’s your most powerful weapon against fat—and begin eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, pasta, fish and lean poultry.  Eating this way is what I call “healthy heart nutrition” and it just makes sense. (See other blog entries for additional advice on cardiovascular nutrition.)

Cholesterol. Women have a higher risk for heart disease than men if they don’t have good cholesterol levels. More specifically, if they have have low levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol) they increase their heart risk factors.

You probably already know that there are two types of cholesterol. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol, which oxidizes in your blood and forms the plaque that clogs arteries. HDL carries LDL out of your blood vessels before it can do its damage. Volumes of data have shown that a high LDL is a powerful risk factor for heart disease in men. But for women, the story is different. Recent research indicates that a low HDL, not a high LDL, is the more significant risk factor for a woman to develop heart disease. (This means that some women may need to increase HDL cholesterol levels.)

The good news is that HDL is sensitive to factors such as smoking, obesity and lack of exercise. If your HDL is low (less than 35 mg/dL) you can raise it by quitting smoking and dropping excess weight through a combination of smart eating, healthy heart nutrition, and physical activity such as walking and dancing. If you are postmenopausal, you might also consider estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), which raises HDL, lowers LDL, and has other beneficial effects on your heart. Have your HDL level checked six weeks after you start an HDL-raising program. Chances are you will see a change for the better.

High Triglycerides. When you get your cholesterol checked, I also want you to have your doctor check to see if you have healthy triglycerides levels. Triglycerides are another type of blood fat. A high triglyceride level is more dangerous for women than for men, so if your triglycerides are elevated (above 200 mg/dL), I want you to put some effort into lowering them, especially if you are a diabetic. This is because if you are a diabetic woman who also has high triglycerides, your risk of developing heart disease increases to 200 times normal. Please stop and think about this. You can lower your triglycerides using the powerful combination of exercise and weight control.

Historically, it was assumed that if you couldn’t keep good cholesterol levels, you were at risk for coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular problems. But there is now evidence that elevated homocysteine levels is another serious heart risk factor. 

Multiple studies have confirmed the connection between high-plasma homocysteine levels and occlusive artery disease, including coronary atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, and carotid artery disease. In fact, some research shows that 42 percent of strokes, 28 percent of peripheral vascular disease, and approximately 30 percent of premature cardiovascular disease are directly related to excessive levels of homocysteine.

High homocysteine levels can be caused by foods—red meat, avocados, sunflower seeds, wild game, poultry, and ricotta cheese. These foods contain the amino acid methionine. If you don’t get enough B vitamins, your body cannot break down methionine, resulting in homocysteine.

These deficiencies can be further exacerbated by caffeine and alcohol, which cause excessive urination and wash out precious B vitamins from our bodies. (That’s why it is so important to adhere to the healthy heart nutrition tips I often share here in this blog.)

Research also shows that five percent of the population may have inherited a rare genetic enzymatic defect that leads to higher homocysteine levels and premature heart disease (which can lead to heart attack and stroke). Because of this new genetic data, the evaluation of serum homocysteine levels should become standard in preventive cardiology, especially in anyone with a family history of premature heart disease.

When Should You Get Your Homocysteine Tested?

If you eat a healthy diet, supplement with vitamins and minerals, exercise, and have no family history of heart disease and or other heart risk factors, then you don’t need to be tested for homocysteine. But if there was a sudden death of a family member at a young age from stroke or heart disease, or if you have heart disease (especially if you are under age 60), you should be tested for homocysteine.

Research has shown that 400 mcg of folic acid a day will help prevent high homocysteine levels. However, to be safe, I recommend 800 mcg folic acid and 20 mg of vitamin B6 per day. Natural sources of folate include dark green leafy vegetables, beans, legumes, oranges, orange juice, and fortified cereals.

Ground flaxseed has the ability to lower your blood pressure levels and to help you to reach good cholesterol levels. It can also reward you with healthier skin, improved digestion, and a cleaner bowel, which results in less energy drain on the liver – the most important filter of the body.

You see, you can get two key types of essential fatty acids from flaxseed because it contains 19 percent activated omega-6s and 48 percent of an omega-3 precursor, alpha linolenic acid. This makes it a perfect food for people who are looking for natural ways to lower blood pressure and maintain overall good health.

In general, freshly ground flaxseed is better than flax oil because you’re assured the oil in the seed is fresh, plus you’re getting extra fiber and plant lignans. Simply grind two tablespoons of flaxseed and sprinkle on food or blend in a breakfast drink three to four times per week.

Click here for a delicious smoothie recipe using flaxseed and here for the recipe for a heart healthy flaxseed bran muffin to go with it!

As a cardiologist and a holistic health practitioner, I take blood pressure levels of every patient who comes into my office. And sadly enough, oftentimes, I find that that their blood pressure levels are too high. As you probably know, high blood pressure levels are often a precursor to serious cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke, so this is a situation that I take very seriously.

Some of these patients, however, tell me that they are doing all they can to control high blood pressure and that when they go home and measure it themselves, their blood pressure levels are normal. Occasionally they’ll ask if the instruments in my office are off, or if my staff misread the result.

The actual problem, however, is a common condition called white-coat hypertension (WCH). It’s used to describe people who become anxious over a visit to a physician, dentist, or medical facility. The visit evokes a fight-or-flight response, and their blood pressure levels go up.

Research has shown that abnormally high blood pressure readings in a medical setting could be more than just a benign byproduct of anxiety.  Although the condition is poorly understood, WCH could be a precursor to high blood pressure levels, poor blood circulation, and other cardiovascular problems.

A Danish study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension found a heightened cardiovascular event risk for patients with WCH over a 10-year period. A Japanese study reported in the journal Hypertension Research suggests that WCH contributes to carotid arteriosclerosis. And in another Japanese medical report, based on eight years of observation, researchers suggest that WCH is a “transitional condition to hypertension” and may carry a “poor cardiovascular prognosis.”

If you experience WCH, I suggest you take the following high blood pressure remedies to get it under control and avoid potential cardiovascular problems:

• Introduce a regular stress-reduction program into your life. That could include activities such as exercise, tai-chi, meditation, or yoga. This is a wonderful way of lowering blood pressure naturally.
• Watch the salt (again). This cardiovascular nutrition tip can’t be stressed enough.
• Start taking blood pressure-friendly supplements on a daily basis—such as fish oil (2,000-3,000 mg), magnesium (400-800 mg), hydrosoluble CoQ10 (50-150 mg), and a garlic supplement high in allicin (500-1,000 mg). You can find these supplements in most health food stores.

One of the many things you can do to control high blood pressure levels is to carefully watch your salt intake. Doing so is one of those simple high blood pressure remedies that doesn’t involve a doctor’s visit or a pill -- and that’s a very good thing!

Your body requires sodium (a component of salt) to regulate fluid balance and distribution, as well as nerve and muscle cell function. But, while you need some sodium, the standard diet includes way too much. This is one of the reasons why so many people have blood pressure levels that are too high and suffer with a myriad of other cardiovascular problems.

The current recommendation for salt consumption is less than 2,400 mg of sodium a day, which amounts to about one teaspoon of salt. Recent research suggests that people ingesting less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day are better able to maintain healthy blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure levels, you should definitely aim for that number. Don’t use salt from the shaker, and read labels to add up the amount you’re taking in.

Many items at fast food restaurants are high in salt, so you can easily exceed the recommended level with one serving.   That’s why I’ve always strongly urged people who are looking for natural ways to lower blood pressure levels, improve blood circulation, or to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke to avoid fast food restaurants. Going to one once in a while is okay for most people, but regular visits are a sure way to cause cardiovascular problems.

You can easily make up for the reduced salt in your diet by cooking with fresh herbs and spices such as basil, garlic, oregano, rosemary, chives, parsley, and onion. What’s more, all of these flavorings contain natural substances that make them good for any cardiovascular nutrition program, but also good for your overall health.

Those of you who follow my newsletter or hear me lecture know that I am very bullish on the dangers of wireless technologies in general, and cell phone radiation risks in particular. It’s my personal belief that we’ll soon have the science to defend legitimate concerns that what we cannot see is indeed hurting us.


(The view is from above the head, looking down; ear at bottom of frame)

If you look at the images above, you can see that the younger the skull, the more the brain is penetrated when a cell phone is held against the ear. As parents and grandparents, it only makes sense to exercise caution when it comes to trading convenience and technology against long-term health risks. I applaud countries that are taking a much more cautious approach to encouraging wireless telephony. One Scandinavian legislative impetus even prohibits the use of cell phone by children.

In a recent study, Swedish researchers actually polled some kids and asked if they thought that cell phone use had any impact on their health. Both children and adolescents who were regular cell phone users reported more health problems—especially headaches and asthma—than those who didn’t user them regularly. They also admitted to more problems with concentration and scored lower on measures of well-being.

In addition, investigators did something very scientific. They tested blood samples from adolescents and documented an association between a protein called transthyretin and cell phone use. And while lead investigator Fredrik Soderquist cannot yet make a connection between this specific protein and a cause for concern, it does indicate that the brain is being affected by these wireless devices.

I don’t know about you, but with the increase in brain cancers and acoustic neuromas (tumors of the ear) as of late, I think an ounce of caution may definitely prevent that pound of cure.

You may remember that last month, I wrote about breast cancer awareness and the importance of raising awareness about this dreaded disease. Today I want to share another message of urgent importance to women: As bad as breast cancer may be, you are far more likely to die of heart disease. 

Women are often surprised to learn that their chance of dying from heart disease is six times greater than their chance of dying from breast cancer. But statistics show that while four percent of women will die of breast cancer, more than 30 percent will die of heart disease. So you need to pay attention to your heart risk factors, especially as you pass menopause and lose the natural protection against heart attack and stroke provided by estrogen.

Fortunately, you can reduce your chance of heart attack and stroke by eating a healthy PAMM diet, exercising regularly, and taking nutritional supplements that support heart health (fish oil and CoQ10 are two of my favorites). You should also do the following:

• Get regular blood tests to monitor your heart risk factors. Cholesterol fractionation tests are essential. Known as the VAP and LPP, these tests measure the various components of cholesterol and more accurately assess your risk of heart disease than standard blood lipid tests. The tests also measure Lp(a), a highly inflammatory form of LDL cholesterol that causes blood clots. Lp(a) rises in menopausal women so it’s important to watch your level. In addition, ask your doctor to check your levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, and fibrinogen. These biochemicals help predict cardiovascular disease. CRP is a marker of chronic inflammation, and homocysteine is a toxic amino acid involved in the early stages of arterial damage. Fibrinogen is a protein with inflammatory and clot-forming properties. It rises during menopause, particularly among smokers.

• Refuse to take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs unless you have evidence of inflammation, advanced cardiovascular disease, or have had a prior cardiac event or procedure. Many doctors prescribe statins at the first sign of high cholesterol, but I believe statins should be prescribed only to people with advanced arterial disease. Not only do the drugs inhibit your body’s production of CoQ10, but depletion of CoQ10 levels can lead to low energy and muscle weakness. Moreover, statins may increase Lp(a), one of the most dangerous heart risk factors.

• Avoid hormone replacement therapy that uses synthetic hormones. Conventional HRT drugs (Premarin, Provera, Progestin) have been documented as dangerous to the cardiovascular system. I recommend biodentical hormones instead. These natural plant-based substitutes that have chemical structures identical to those in the body, and they achieve excellent results without serious side effects.

• Lower your stress level. Happiness is a healer. Stress is a killer. Be happy—and stay healthy!

 

I can’t say enough about the health benefits of exercise. It strengthens the heart and circulatory system, builds stamina, and improves mood. It’s also an effective means for lowering blood pressure levels, increasing HDL cholesterol, and improving poor blood circulation.

I’m often asked what the best form of exercise is. I say it’s the one you will consistently do! Walking, dancing, cycling, lifting weights—it doesn’t matter. The goal of exercise is simply to get out and get moving.

That said, I have to admit I’m a big fan of walking. It’s simple, doesn’t require special equipment or a gym membership, and it can help reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. In a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 4,065 nurses ages 40 to 65, without cardiovascular disease or cancer, completed detailed physical activity questionnaires. The surveys revealed that walking was associated with reduced risk of stroke.

Walking is easy to incorporate in your day. Walk up and down stairs instead of taking elevators. Steadily increase the distance while walking your dog. Instead of parking in the closest space to the store or office entrance, park at the far end of the parking lot. Consider walking short distances for errands instead of driving.

If you’ve been inactive for a while, start slow. Walk 10 minutes every other day for one week. Each week, increase your time by increments of 5 or 10 minutes. Within a month, you’ll be taking 30-minute strolls. Do this every other day, and you’ll have a good workout routine. Five days a week is optimal.

As for speed, you don’t have to maintain a brisk pace. Actual walking speed isn’t as important as we’ve been led to believe. In fact, researchers in the JAMA study I mentioned found that speed didn’t matter; it was the length of time women walked that was significant.

Simple, right? If you agree, lace up those sneakers and get out there. It’s one of the simplest—and most effective—steps you can take (literally) to prevent heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.

 

With all of the unnecessary attention lavished on HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, the importance of healthy triglycerides has been largely lost. And that’s too bad—because keeping them in a healthy range is essential to heart health.

Triglycerides are the chemical form of most fats in the body. The triglycerides in your blood come from dietary sources, primarily fats and carbohydrates. I consider a healthy triglyceride level to be 50–150 mg/dL. Levels above that have been linked to coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome.

Given that the typical American diet is laden with processed and fast foods, it’s no surprise that high triglyceride levels are a problem for many people. To bring them down, cut back on the amount of sugar and carbohydrates in your diet, and eat more protein. I would also strongly recommend that you exercise regularly. Lifestyle changes such as these are very effective in keeping triglycerides in the healthy zone. Remember, the lower your weight, the lower your triglycerides, so weight loss and weight management are KEY to success!

Another good option for lowering triglycerides is a high-quality fish oil supplement. Start with 2–3 grams daily in divided doses, and let me know how it works for you.

 

While I’ve been a fan of Robin Williams since “back in the day” when he was in the vintage television series Mork and Mindy--I never thought that years later I'd be writing about him and his heart risk factors.

Back then, Williams played Mork, an alien who is befriended by Mindy, a young woman in her twenties. Mork spent his nights sleeping is his “egg,” and his days observing and trying to understand human behavior. He also got himself in a lot of funny situations because he interpreted the world, language, and colloquial expressions so literally. My favorite scene though, was always Mork’s closing monologue. Williams would interpret the human experience from the perspective of his naïve alien character. Pretty funny… pretty right-on Williams’ humor. Insightful quips about nuances of human behavior that are not usually talked about openly.

My husband loved Williams in The World According to Garp. Dr Sinatra wrestled his way though high school and college, and Garp had some pretty funny wrestling moments. We all have a favorite Williams’ character.

Last week Williams was on Jay Leno’s show, announcing that after all the films he’s made he’ll be going back to his roots as a standup comedian—performing in an upcoming 40-city tour. I was surprised to hear Leno remind Williams to take it easy after his heart surgery. I didn’t know he’d had particular heart risk factors, or heart surgery. As is typical of Williams’ comedic style, he boiled down his human experience to a couple of funny one-liners that cut to the chase, and opened up a subject we rarely address.

“It’s a weird thing after the heart surgery, you know, because you get very emotional. I thought that maybe instead of a valve, they gave me a vulva.” said Williams, talking about his heart risk factors and recent surgery.

A lot of folks may have missed how Williams went to the heart of the matter about his heart risk factors and surgery before quickly skipping off to his next funny line. Did he just say he was feeling more emotional? More like a … woman?

One of the perks of working with heart risk factors in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) was really getting to know people.  Patients with heart risk factors attended class three times a week for three months. (In the CCU, I might only have one 8-hour shift with a person, or less if they were transferred.) Safely exercising the healing heart to get over their heart risk factors was not as important as all the emotional healing that happened in CR. Over time, many of the men with heart risk factors opened up, and shared what they were thinking about all that had happened.

I can still see one man in particular, walking the treadmill to help heal his heart, lowering his heart risk factors, while we spoke. He was trying to understand why he was SO emotional after his bypass operation. “I cry like a woman now…over movies… tough things I watch people going through on the news… weddings... Why is that happening? What’s WRONG with me?” He was not alone.

Well, I’d never really heard of the phenomenological experiences my male patients were telling me about, and I couldn’t find anything to explain it in a textbooks or research findings. Like Mork, I was just observing human behavior and trying to infer a cause. These post-op men were getting more in touch with their emotions than sometimes felt comfortable for them initially. Dr Sinatra was hearing similar “confessions” at his “Healing the Heart" workshops. Sometimes, it is life that’s the best teacher.

We did our best to assist these men to appreciate their newfound sensitivity, and reframe it into a positive experience. Their families certainly appreciated the “soft side” these men were showing. Then one day, the reason behind the phenomena came through the voice of a loving spouse.

I was facilitating our monthly Cardiac Couples evening; a two hour session to afford spouses to come in and talk about what they’re going through as a “heartmate” of men with heart risk factors.  We’d started the sessions when a young man told me his wife had nowhere to go with her stress since his heart attack, and was afraid to share it with him lest she strain his heart.

One of the wives was speaking about how frightened she and her daughter were as they waited for the surgeon to bring news of her husband’s heart operation. His was an emergency coronary artery bypass. He’d been the “picture of health” despite all the stress he was experiencing at work, with no visible heart risk factors.  Then the bottom fell out. Now it had been hours since they’d had any word from the operating room. Their stress was sky high!

Finally, the kind surgeon appeared, removed his mask, and took the wife’s hands in his own. He looked right in her eyes, and reassured her that her husband had done well, and would be fine. As the surgeon turned and walked away, her grown daughter, an artist, whispered “Mom, you just touched the hands of the man who touched dad’s heart!”  

As she finished her heartfelt story, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. It was a moment of amazing realization for all of us. You could have heard a pin drop. I still tear up each time I tell or type those insightful words. 

Yes, when you have heart surgery, whether it’s a new valve or a bypass, someone reaches in and touches your heart. In that rich experience of human contact—a pair of hands trying to heal a stilled heart—there can be a profound shift.  

Some hearts are healed on more than just a physical level. I am sure the positive intention of the surgeon is part of the equation as well. We can be so mechanical about surgery, that we forget what is realty happening in the operating room. A beating heart has taken a pause to rest and be nurtured by another. Dr Sinatra refers to heart surgery as the ultimate laying on of hands, and a form of “energy medicine” that brings man and matter into a state of balance and connectedness.

So, if you are a man who finds himself more emotional after heart surgery, it’s normal. You’ve had your heart touched in a special way. No one slipped you a vulva! Hopefully, you will stay more in touch with your feminine side—and those you love—as part of your emotional and spiritual healing.

For more on the connection between emotions and the heart, check out Heartbreak and Heart Disease, by Dr. Sinatra; his best book in my book!

In my last blog post, we talked about the importance of monitoring your blood pressure regularly. But what do you do if your blood pressure levels are high, or borderline high? There are several things you can (and should) do to control high blood pressure as a woman.

1.      To Control High Blood Pressure, Be Careful with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): In 2004, results were published from the Women’s Health Initiative, a study including women taking Premarin. The women taking this pharmaceutical form of estrogen, (made from the urine of pregnant mares), were observed to have “skyrocketing” blood pressure levels. But Premarin is not the only HRT that causes high blood pressure.

Dr. Sinatra has noted that Provera, another HRT mainstay, drove up blood pressure in the women he treated, many of whom were no longer hypertensive once they discontinued the drug.

What we’re learning is that to control high blood pressure, individually tailored bio-identical hormone therapy from more natural plant and synthetic sources are better for women. Combining estradiole, estriol, estrone, testosterone, and progesterone may soften those arterial walls that can stiffen with age, and may even intercept elevating blood pressure.  So please consider this approach if you are on the traditional HRT medications, especially if you’re trying to control high blood pressure.

2.      Watch the Painkillers: A report from the Harvard School of Medicine’s ongoing Nurses Health Study, published in the September 2005 issue of Hypertension, concluded that women are at increased risk for high blood pressure if they take daily doses of non-aspirin painkillers such as extra-strength acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

If you take painkillers regularly and are trying to control high blood pressure, please ask your doctor for safer recommendations. What we use at our house—and it works well for various muscle aches and pains—is Traumeel, a homeopathic remedy you can find in health food stores. Traumeel is available in both a topical cream and a tablet that you place under your tongue.

3.      Control High Blood Pressure with Some Simple Changes to Your Diet: To control high blood pressure and keep your heart healthy, you want to increase your intake complex carbohydrates (like oatmeal); low-glycemic vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli and kale; legumes like chick peas and lentils; fruits; cold-water fish (especially fatty ones); organic eggs; olive oil; and nuts, seeds, and flaxseed.

At the same time, to control high blood pressure you want to decrease your intake of refined white flour and sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, starchy vegetables like corn and peas, processed fruit juices, organ meats, cashews (because they’re high in saturated fat), full-fat dairy products, and omega-6 oils (such as corn, safflower, and sunflower). 

4.      Eat More Garlic:   An Australian review of 11 studies in which hypertensive patients were randomly given a garlic supplement or placebo, found that garlic can lower blood pressure as effectively as some drugs. On average, the mega-analysis turned up blood pressure reductions of 8.4 systolic points, and 7.3 diastolic points. The higher a patient’s blood pressure was at the beginning, the more it was lowered by taking garlic.

To control high blood pressure, I recommend four cloves of raw garlic (about four grams) daily to achieve a noticeable blood pressure lowering effect. You could also toss crushed garlic into food for the last few minutes of cooking, but anything more than lightly warming it will destroy its medicinal properties to control high blood pressure.

5.      Control High Blood Pressure with Exercise:  Regular exercise is a sure way to help control high blood pressure. Physical activity also lowers levels of stress hormones circulating in the blood, which is important since stress tends to constrict arteries and drive up blood pressure. To control high blood pressure, you want to strive to exercise three to four times a week. Try taking a brisk walk, getting on your bicycle, playing noncompetitive golf or tennis, or even dancing —all of which are great for your blood pressure and your stress level. Even simple day-to-day activities like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking further back in a parking lot, or a leisurely walk, are helpful to control high blood pressure.

6.      De-Stress—It’s a Surefire Way to Control High Blood Pressure: Stress is a major mitigating factor when it comes to your blood pressure, so be aware of the psychological pressures you’re juggling. Overachieving and time urgency are all-too common “normals” for women. We juggle multiple roles as breadwinner, wife, daughter, mother, and friend that often involve nurturing others at our own expense if we don’t refuel.

Some good ways to de-stress and control high blood pressure include meditation, relaxation, imagery, yoga, prayer, Tai Chi, exercise, reading, listening to calming music, or playing with children and friends into your daily life.  

Also remember that not all venting is “complaining.” Talking with someone you trust about the stresses in your life, benefits your wellbeing—and helps you control high blood pressure.

Lastly, remember to stay positive! No woman is sentenced to a life of high blood pressure because of her DNA. It’s not our destiny! Our blood pressure reading is only a number, and it’s one we can lower with our own conscientious lifestyle changes, and medication if needed.

Watch for more information about women and high blood pressure in Dr. Sinatra’s monthly newsletter, Heart, Health & Nutrition.