Homeopathy for Hypertension

The pharmaceutical assault on hypertension can be good or not. Longterm side effects of the drugs are often a cause for people to stop the medication.  Of course some in mainstream medicine and government controlled health programs do not want you to have access to anything not pharmaceutical to help you regain your health.  NHN hopes you take the high road and make the best choices for your good health.  And do not forget, nutrition does matter!

Excerpt from an article by Mahnaz Shahrzad Asr, a Homeopathic Doctor in Toronto

Hypertension, or abnormally high blood pressure, is often referred to as the “silent killer.” This is because it does not usually manifest any symptoms while causing damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.

According to the World Health Organization, “Hypertension affects 600 million people worldwide. Yet many are unaware that they have the disease and are at risk of developing a stroke, heart disease, blindness and kidney failure. Hypertension causes five million premature deaths per year, yet there is no proper solution for curing hypertension.”

There are two types of hypertension – primary and secondary. Primary hypertension does not have any specific identifiable causes, whereas secondary hypertension results from identifiable and often correctable causes. Only about five to ten percent of hypertension cases are thought to result from secondary causes, the most common of which are kidney disease, adrenal gland disease, narrowing of the aorta, and sleep apnea, among others.

Homeopathy, a branch of alternative medicine based on the Law of Similars, is one of the most effective hypertension treatments, in my opinion. Homeopathic theory views disease as a dynamic disturbance that affects the whole, as opposed to a specific part of the body. Homeopathy believes in holistic, totality, and individualized approaches. A holistic approach means that every manifested symptom in a body relates to a mental or emotional state. In a totality approach, homeopathy does not aim to treat a specific organ, but the body in its entirety. Many factors affect an individual’s life, including the environment and inherited diseases. Consequently, every individual experiences and manifests the same disease differently, and must be treated individually as a result. 

Cause of Hypertension

Doctors are often unable to pinpoint the exact cause of hypertension. However, it is a known fact that many prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs such as corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs can cause or exacerbate hypertension. Medication taken for pain and inflammation, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors may also raise blood pressure, because their anti-prostaglandin properties affect the kidneys. As well, tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) contain nicotine, which temporarily increases blood pressure (for about 30 min. or less). Chronic overuse of alcohol is a potentially irreversible cause of hypertension. In fact, 30 to 60% of alcoholics suffer from hypertension. Alcohol-induced hypertension is more likely to occur in women than men. Caffeine intake may also cause an acute (rapid but brief) increase in blood pressure.

Research indicates that about 62% of strokes and 49% of heart attacks are caused by hypertension. Homeopathy can help high blood pressure, determining its cause through a holistic approach that looks to cure the individual as a whole. Homeopaths simply use symptoms, and the sensation of experiencing those symptoms, to determine which homeopathic remedy will most effectively trigger the body’s healing response. 

Homeopathic treatment is recommended because it not only can lower and stabilize blood pressure, it also has a positive effect on overall health.

Here are some acute hypertension remedies, along with their symptom pictures. Please keep in mind that these remedies may be used for immediate situations in a palliative manner. They won’t necessarily cure hypertension unless the remedy appropriately matches the individual’s personality.

Arg-n: If blood pressure rises with anxiety and nervousness, this remedy may be indicated. “Stage fright” or anticipation of a stressful event can bring on dizziness, headache, diarrhea, and a pounding pulse. People who need this remedy are typically warm-blooded, imaginative, impulsive, claustrophobic, and have cravings for sweets and salt.

Calc-c: This remedy is often helpful to people with high blood pressure who easily tire and have poor stamina. They are typically responsible types who feel overwhelmed when ill and fear a breakdown. Palpitations and breathing problems can be worse from walking up a slope or stairs, and also when lying down. A general chilliness with clammy hands and feet (the feet may heat up in bed at night) and sweat on the head during sleep are other indicators. The person may have cravings for sweets and eggs, and tend toward weight problems.

Glonoinum: A flushed face with a pounding headache and visible throbbing in the blood vessels of the neck may indicate a need for this remedy. The chest can feel congested or hot, with a pounding or irregular heartbeat. The person is worse after moving around, heat and sun exposure, and drinking alcohol. A feeling of “being lost in a familiar place” is a strong indicator for this remedy.

Nat-mur: A person who needs this remedy seems reserved and responsible, but may have strong feelings (of grief, disappointment, anger, grudges, a fear of misfortune) inside. Headaches and palpitations are common, as well as a feeling of tension (even coldness) in the chest. The person feels worse after sun exposure, worse around mid-morning, and better when alone in a quiet place. A craving for salt and strong thirst can help to confirm this remedy choice.

Phos: A person who needs this remedy is usually sensitive, suggestible, and sympathetic, with a tendency toward weakness, dizziness, a “spaced-out” feeling, and fearfulness. Nosebleeds, facial flushing, palpitations, feelings of heaviness or pain in the chest, and left-sided problems are often seen. A strong desire for cold drinks and refreshing things, and a marked improvement after eating and sleeping are other indicators for Phosphorus.

More about hypertension here and here

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Posted in: home products,hypertension,Mahnaz Shahrzad Asr

Road to Health ? High Blood Pressure Drug Risk

A new report is out now indicating that a specific class of pharmaceuticals have a high risk of users developing cancer

Cancer link to common heart drugs - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/10295126.stm

You might be healthier if you begin to educate yourself about more natural ways to resolve high blood pressure - from our Road to Health Care Naturally series

Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are medications that block the action of angiotensin II by preventing angiotensin II from binding to angiotensin II receptors on the muscles surrounding blood vessels. As a result, blood vessels enlarge (dilate), and blood pressure is reduced.

Examples of ARB drugs include:

• losartan potassium (Cozaar), 2-butyl-4-chloro-1-[p-(o-1H-tetrazol-5­ylphenyl)benzyl]imidazole-5-methanol monopotassium salt. Death is higher in users than placebo for this drug, and it can cause sudden cardiac death. At one point FDA was going to remove it from the market but did not follow though with the action.
• irbesartan (Avapro), 2-butyl-3-[p-(o-1H-tetrazol-5-ylphenyl)benzyl]-1,3-diazaspiro[4.4]non-1-en-4-one. The manufacturer states that there is "No evidence of carcinogenicity was observed when irbesartan was administered at doses of up to 500/1000 mg/kg/day (males/females, respectively) in rats and 1000 mg/kg/day in mice for up to 2 years. For male and female rats, 500 mg/kg/day provided an average systemic exposure to irbesartan (AUC0-24 hour, bound plus unbound) about 3 and 11 times, respectively, the average systemic exposure in humans receiving the maximum recommended dose (MRD) of 300 mg irbesartan/day, whereas 1000 mg/kg/day (administered to females only) provided an average systemic exposure about 21 times that reported for humans at the MRD. For male and female mice, 1000 mg/kg/day provided an exposure to irbesartan about 3 and 5 times, respectively, the human exposure at 300 mg/day."
• valsartan (Diovan), N-(1-oxopentyl)-N-[[2 '-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) [1,1 '-biphenyl]-4-yl]methyl]-L-valine. In studies completed by the manufacturer they state "There was no evidence of carcinogenicity when valsartan was administered in the diet to mice and rats for up to 2 years at doses up to 160 and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively."
• candesartan (Atacand), (±)-1-Hydroxyethyl 2-ethoxy-1-[p-(o-1H­tetrazol-5-ylphenyl)benzyl]-7-benzimidazolecarboxylate, cyclohexyl carbonate (ester)."There was no evidence of carcinogenicity when candesartan cilexetil was orally administered to mice and rats for up to 104 weeks at doses up to 100 and 1000 mg/kg/day, respectively."
• olmesartan (Benicar), 2,3-dihydroxy-2-butenyl 4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-2-propyl-1-[p-(o-1H-tetrazol-5-ylphenyl)benzyl]imidazole-5-carboxylate, cyclic 2,3-carbonate. The manufacturer denies any carcinogenicity in tests up to 2 years of length.
• telmisartan (Micardis),4'-[(1,4'-dimethyl-2'-propyl [2,6'-bi-1H-benzimidazol]-1'-yl)methyl]-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carboxylic acid, and, according to the manufacturer, "There was no evidence of carcinogenicity when telmisartan was administered in the diet to mice and rats for up to 2 years." It is important to note that the report found Micardis to be the most at risk drug, and especially for people with diabetes, heart problems, and kidney function issues.
• eprosartan (Teveten), monomethanesulfonate of (E)-2-butyl-1-(p-carboxybenzyl)-α-2-thienylmethylimidazole-5-acrylic acid . "Eprosartan mesylate was not carcinogenic in dietary restricted rats or ad libitum fed mice dosed at 600 mg and 2000 mg eprosartan/kg/day, respectively, for up to 2 years."

Note that most of the drugs contain a benzene ring, known to be linked to carcinogenesis. Benzene has been linked to aplastic anaemia, leukaemia, and other cancers since reports were published in the Lancet in 1961.

Oddly ABC's reporter/MD did not seem to understand why these drugs would be a risk. I say 'oddly' because as an MD he, like I did in my health professional medical education to countless hours of pharmacology.

Keep looking for that benzene ring in any pharmaceutical drug and you know you may have a risk at hand.

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Posted in: ARB drugs,cancer,cancer risk in blood pressure drugs,health insurance keeps health care costs high,hypertension,Road to Health Care Naturally

Garlic Gives You That Sulfur

UPDATE: 20 August, 2010 -  Garlic to lower blood pressure

Garlic was once used to combat the Black Death, but doctors now claim it can tackle a modern-day epidemic of heart disease.
Just 12 weeks' treatment with garlic tablets led to a 'significant' cut in blood pressure, slashing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Researchers claim people with hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, could control their condition better by adding garlic to conventional medication. Read complete article

My comment to this article is that it is good information except for the misunderstanding that the researchers focus on standardized supplements rather than food based products.  We recommend you consider using the garlic you'll find in the right column, or Immortal Garlic or our specific unique garlic. 

UPDATE: 29 April, 2010 - More on the health benefits of sulfur bearing foods and compounds -

Lower levels of 'rotten egg' gas (hydrogen sulfide) in blood linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and poorer circulation

ScienceDaily (2010-04-28) -- Researchers have for the first time identified a link between blood levels of the gas hydrogen sulfide (a gas more commonly associated with the smell of rotten eggs), obesity and type 2 diabetes. ... > read full article

Originally posted in 2008
For several decades I've offered clients a garlic supplement that is known for reducing blood pressure. Now it seems that we need to wait for some new recombinant drug because of another medical study that overlooks the natural and known natural remedies.

Sulfur is one of the most important healing molecules we have known of and used in natural therapies for eons. It is mentioned in this 'special form' in my book, "Blood Pressure Care Naturally".

Oh, for the day when these folks get to recall all of the pharmacopoeia that first came from Mother Nature.

'Fart gas' link to blood pressure
The gas best known for being used in many stink bombs may also control blood pressure, say US researchers.

Small amounts of hydrogen sulphide - a toxic gas generated by bacteria living in the human gut - are responsible for the foul odour of flatulence.

But it seems the gas is also produced by an enzyme in blood vessels where it relaxes them and lowers blood pressure.

The findings in mice may lead to new treatments for high blood pressure, the Science journal reported.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, found that the gas is produced in the cells lining blood vessels by an enzyme called CSE.

We know hydrogen sulphide is not good for us at high levels but it seems that at the lower levels in the body it is essential
Professor Amrita Ahluwalia

In mice engineered to be deficient in this enzyme, levels of hydrogen sulphide were almost depleted compared with levels in normal mice.

The CSE-deficient mice also had blood pressure measurements about 20% higher than the normal mice, comparable to serious hypertension in humans.

When the engineered mice were given a drug which relaxes normal blood vessels - methacholine - there was no difference, indicating the gas is responsible for the relaxation.

Treatments

Another gas, nitric oxide, is already known to be involved in control of blood pressure.

Researcher Dr Solomon Snyder said: "Now we know hydrogen sulphide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension."

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, an expert in vascular pharmacology at Barts and The London Medical School, said: "This study shows that smelly hydrogen sulphide is also likely to have a role in regulating blood pressure and it will be a bit of an impetus for scientists to develop more specific tools to work out what's going on.

"We know hydrogen sulphide is not good for us at high levels but it seems that at the lower levels in the body it is essential."

Dr Allan MacDonald, a reader in pharmacology at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "Treatments based on hydrogen sulphide could become important in a variety of cardiovascular diseases," he said.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7686911.stm
Published: 2008/10/24 © BBC MMVIII

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Posted in: garlic,H2S,high blood pressure,hydrogen sulfide,hypertension,natural,sulfur

Too many Drugs, Too High Doses: Too Much for Elders

My mother was an Elder.  She was over-drugged for a number of years in a Florida Five-Star facility and the threat of forced relocation was held over her POA if she wasn't drugged.  I'm sure Medicare fraud is an issue here but needless to say, she was not alone.

I'm also wondering why doctors can't look at magnesium and B complex before drugs for hypertension, or even other natural approaches.

Old heart patients 'over-drugged'

Elderly patients are being treated too aggressively for high blood pressure, researchers claim.

They say the "oldest olds", meaning patients aged 80 plus, are being given too many drugs and in too large doses, which may do them more harm than good.

The Cochrane scientists who looked at the available data say doctors can set their targets lower for octogenarians.  This makes good economic and clinical sense given the expanding elderly population, they told bmj.com.

But doctors said high blood pressure is largely under-recognised and under-treated in the UK.

Growing need

Experts say the "oldest olds" are the fastest growing sector of the world's population.

According to latest estimates, the UK population of 85-year-olds will go up by a third by 2020.

And more than half of these will need treatment for high blood pressure, the British Medical Journal reports.

“ Most sensible GPs - which most GPs are - take a pretty cautious view to doling out drugs to old people. ”  Professor Peter Weissberg British Heart Foundation

But head of the Cochrane research group, Dr James Wright, says clinicians should change what they are presently doing and move towards a more conservative approach for the over 80s.

"I have done so with my patients," he said.

'Less better'

His review of existing studies, including data from two new trials which looked specifically at the effect of blood pressure drugs in this age group, found little evidence that aggressive treatment saves more lives.

Although fewer patients died of strokes, the total number of deaths from all causes was unchanged.

The only trial that found a significant reduction in overall mortality was the most conservative in terms of number of drugs and dose of drugs allowed.

Based on the findings, he suggests a target blood pressure of 150/80 mmHg is more sensible, and says doctors should not be worried if only half of their most elderly patients achieve it.

Professor Peter Weissberg, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "Most sensible GPs - which most GPs are - take a pretty cautious view to doling out drugs to old people.

"Hypertension is still largely under-treated. By and large, in the UK population, half of people with high blood pressure are not identified."

Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/8426199.stm
Published: 2009/12/23 © BBC MMIX

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Posted in: Dr. Gayle,Elder care,hypertension,over medicated. natural news,over prescribing drugs

Low Magnesium, High Blood Pressure

While the original purpose for ADVENTURX was to prevent arm pump in xtreme sports many other benefits have been found during the four years my formula has been available.

Most of us who study natural healing and nutrition already know how magnesium helps reduce blood pressure. Magnesium is nature's ACE inhibitor.

The added benefit of oxygen producing elements in ADVENTURX may be helpful to the process of lowering blood pressure as well.

Evidence that increased reactive oxygen species are link between magnesium deficiency and hypertension
The relationship between high blood pressure and magnesium deficiency has been explored in several studies, producing conflicting evidence. A study published in the November 2002 issue of the Journal of Hypertension submits the hypothesis that insufficient levels of magnesium may lead to hypertension by increasing the formation of reactive oxygen species, harmful molecules that cause oxidative damage.

The University of Montreal researchers divided stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats into three groups that received a control diet containing normal levels of magnesium, a magnesium-free diet and a high magnesium diet, and systolic blood pressure was measured each week for sixteen weeks. In a second experiment, stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats received a control diet, a magnesium-free diet and a magnesium-free diet combined with Tempol, a superoxide dismutase mimetic for seven weeks. Superoxide dismutase is one of the antioxidants naturally produced in the body.

Rats in the low magnesium group experienced an exacerbation in the development of hypertension after five weeks, accompanied by a reduction in oxidative stress markers which increased rapidly after two weeks. The ability of blood vessels to dilate in response to acetylcholine was decreased in the low magnesium group compared to controls. Vessel wall hypertrophy was greater and vascular superoxide higher in the rats who received the magnesium deficient diet compared to those on the high magnesium diet. However, rats on magnesium-free diets receiving Tempol did not experience a progression of hypertension or the vascular changes seen in magnesium deficient rats who did not receive the antioxidant.

In an accompanying editorial, Richard D Bukoski writes that the research provides, "the first link between an essential dietary nutrient and the key molecular pathways involved in regulating vascular smooth muscle growth and structure." (Journal of Hypertension 2002, 20:2141-2143)

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Posted in: ADVENTURX,health,health news,hypertension,magnesium,natural care,natural health news,natural news,nutrition,oxygen

Food Police in action on false facts

Standing Up To Big Pharma, Big Food, Big Medicine and Big Government

Dr. Eric Topol, a Cleveland cardiologist, one of the earliest critics of Vioxx, has learned the hard way that being outspoken and having integrity can carry a heavy price when speaking out.

In 2004, Dr. Topol published a paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association that first raised concerns that Vioxx, a painkiller, could cause cardiovascular problems.

During one of the class action lawsuits against Merck, the maker of Vioxx, Dr. Topol was called to testify. He reportedly accused Merck of scientific misconduct by misrepresenting its own laboratory findings about the drug's safety.

Less than a week after this testimony, Dr. Topol was fired as chief academic official of a medical college in Cleveland. The reason given by college officials was 'administrative reorganization.'

Dr. Topol was quoted in a newspaper report as saying his firing was a direct consequence of his outspokenness. "The hardest thing in the world is just trying to tell the truth, to do the right thing for patients, and you get vilified. No wonder nobody stands up to the (drug et al) industry."

Now we have the AMA, quoting on their web site that it is the organization that is helping doctors help patients.

The AMA is calling for measures to reduce sodium intake in U.S. diet and urges the FDA to revoke "generally recognized as safe" status for salt in an effort to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.

"Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of Americans. People who reduce dietary sodium intake are taking an important step in preventing future health problems," said AMA Board Member and practicing cardiologist J. James Rohack, MD. "We hope these recommendations will encourage food manufacturers and restaurants to modify their current practices of adding unhealthy amounts of sodium to their products."

The standard pitch for decades has been that excess sodium greatly increases the chance of developing hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Research shows most Americans consume two to three times the amount of sodium that is healthy, with an estimated 75 to 80 percent of the daily intake of sodium coming from processed and restaurant foods.

"Just one cup of canned soup can contain more than 50 percent of the FDA recommended daily allowance," explains Dr. Rohack. "A serving of lasagna in a restaurant can put a diner over their recommended daily sodium allowance in just one meal. These examples stress the importance of a national reduction in the amount of sodium in processed and restaurant foods."

The recommendations adopted today include:

* urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revoke the "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) status of salt and to develop regulatory measures to limit sodium in processed and restaurant foods;
* calling for a minimum 50 percent reduction in the amount of sodium in processed foods, fast food products and restaurant meals to be achieved over the next decade;
* working with appropriate partners to educate consumers about the benefits of long-term, moderate reductions in sodium intake;
* discussing with the FDA ways to improve labeling to assist consumers in understanding the amount of sodium contained in processed food products and to develop label markings and warnings for foods high in sodium.

The AMA is confident the implementation of these recommendations would reduce sodium intake, result in a better educated consumer, and eventually lower the incidence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in this country.

Now if you try to go to the core of this issue you find some very interesting things. *Some studies show it might be 'chloride' that is the culprit.
*Some studies show that it is the processing of salt, when heated to 1400 degrees F that drives out impurities, minerals, and any water in the compound that makes 'salt' the problem.

The AMA and obviously the FDA and perhaps the USDA have not looked at the food industry to take a more active role in addressing all the 'salt' in food and other consumer products. Then we have the upcoming artificial salt flavoring approved for consumption by humans without any labeling requirements. No one has look at soda. The AMA recently tabled the issue to limit the intake of soft drinks, so perhaps the pressure is on the medical mafia to ignore this source of dietary sodium.

You know you gotta start reading the labels.

And, just maybe the AMA oughta start paying more attention to the work of one of their own, Dr. John Laragh, who believes that salt is a critical factor in health.

It is true that pigs often eat their young. You might ask why, and when you do you find that the answer lies in having too little salt. You also might ask about al those salt licks used for animal health. Then you could ask just why animal studies are looked at so akin to humans. And I suppose the string could go on for more than a few miles on this one.

So where do I think this should go?

Just maybe to the use of natural salt*, you know, the funny looking stuff that is often in color but no matter the form, still is replete with precious minerals not burned out by processing.

This is just another call from me to say "Hey!" "How about reading some labels..."

It might just be that easy.

*natural salt information is readily available from the Leaflady

and look for her acclaimed book - The Road to Health Natural Care Series: Blood Pressure Care Naturally

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Posted in: hypertension,John Laragh,salt