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Richard Diehl (Ph.D. M.Ed. L.Ac) specializes in
nutrition and gentle detoxification. He is a member of the American Association of
Diabetes Educators and is a Certified Advanced Rolfing® Practitioner (he studied with
Dr. Ida Rolf). He is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Traditional Naturopath®
and has many other credentials. Richard has lectured in 9 countries on 5 continents.
Email:
wellnessworkshawaii@yahoo.com
PO Box 11991 Honolulu, Hawaii 96828 Tel +1 (808)
923 4041 |
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a
deadly disease that is common in older people. Over time, high
blood pressure damages the heart and kidneys and increases the risk of
stroke, aneurysm and heart attack. Hypertension is almost symptomless, and
is often untreated or undertreated. Hypertension is related to dietary, lifestyle
and relationship choices and is largely preventable.
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Hypertension, the silent killer,
normally takes the form of high systolic blood pressure, low
diastolic blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension. (Blood pressure
is expressed by two numbers, e.g. 120/80.
The first is the systolic blood pressure and the second is the
diastolic. Orthostatic hypotension is an excessive drop in blood pressure
when a person stands up, causing dizziness.)
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Hypertension is common - and a common cause of death. Symptoms of hypertension
include:
- Fatigue
- Chest pressure or pain
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Dizziness or fainting spells (syncope)
- Bluish color to lips and skin (cyanosis)
- Racing pulse / increased heart rate (tachycardia)
- Swelling in ankles, legs and later in the abdomen
(edema)
Medical Risk Factors for Hypertension
- High alcohol intake
- Family history of hypertension
- Obesity - risk of hypertension increases with excess
body weight
- Hypertension is more common and more severe in people
of African descent
- High salt diet - the relationship between hypertension,
diet and salt intake has been shown
Health Coaching: Food/Diet to Control Hypertension
Healthy eating can reduce the risk of
developing high blood pressure and lower elevated blood pressure.
Vegetarians often have lower blood pressure and a lower incidence of
hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. A vegetarian diet often contains
more potassium, complex carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fat, fiber, calcium,
magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A, all of which may benefit blood pressure.
Fiber
High-fiber diets are known to be effective in preventing
and treating hypertension. The types of
dietary fiber are important. The greatest benefit to hypertension are water soluble gel-forming fibers such as oat bran, apple pectin, psyllium
seeds, and guar gum. These fibers may also reduce cholesterol levels,
promote weight loss and help remove heavy metals. Consider taking a herbal formula
containing things like oat fiber, guar gum, apple pectin, psyllium seed,
dandelion root powder, ginger root powder, fenugreek seed powder and fennel
seed powder.
Sugar & Starches
Table sugar elevates blood pressure - sugar may increase
adrenaline production, which increases blood vessel constriction and sodium
retention. Vegetables and fruits can provide a diet rich in
potassium and essential fatty acids, and low in
saturated fat, sugar and salt. Choose whole foods, with plenty of green
vegetables, garlic and onions.
The "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
(DASH)" study showed that elevated blood pressures were reduced by diets rich in
fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and low in saturated fat, total fat
and cholesterol. This diet included whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts;
and low fat, red meat and sugar.
Magnesium
Magnesium is needed for over 300 body processes - an optimum intake of magnesium
may be from 6 - 10 mg / kilo of body weight. Magnesium is easily absorbed
and interacts with potassium, so magnesium supplements appear to work best
with a high-potassium diet. People who drink "hard" water that is
high in magnesium have lower incidence of hypertension.
Consider taking 200 - 400 mg of Magnesium Oxide, 3 times daily.
Garlic
Eating fresh garlic regularly may help prevent
and control hypertension. Fresh garlic contains 0.1 to 0.36% of allicin and other
sulfur compounds. Allicin is primarily responsible for the
pungent taste of garlic, but it is deactivated by heat - cooked garlic loses its
taste and its physiological effects ... allicin is destroyed within an hour
of opening garlic, hence garlic pills may offer limited value.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can lower blood pressure by 5 mm Hg and increase
"good" cholesterol. Clinical studies have shown that vitamin C can normalize blood
cholesterol, decreasing cholesterol in people with high cholesterol and
optimizing it in people who have low blood cholesterol. Vitamin C also helps
blood lipid levels have a favorable HDL/LDL ratio. Together with fat soluble ascorbyl
palmitate, and amino acids such as L-proline and
L-lysine, vitamin C supports healthy blood vessels and helps decrease other risk
factors for heart disease.
CoQ10, L-Carnitine & Lipoic Acid
CoQ10 (ubiquinone) is essential for
healthy mitochondria yet some medications (e.g. statin drugs used to lower
cholesterol) inhibit CoQ10 production. CoQ10 deficiency has been found in 40% of
patients with high blood pressure, which highlights a need for CoQ10. Two
antioxidants work synergistically with CoQ10 to enhance mitochondrial function
and reduce free radical damage - L-carnitine and lipoic acid.
L-Carnitine
optimizes the production of ATP by mitochondria in heart cells to keep the
heart properly functioning. L-carnitine assists cells to utilize fatty acids. In
a double blind trial, 500 mg per day of propionyl-L-carnitine led to a 26%
increase in exercise capacity after six months.
Lipoic acid neutralizes free radicals
in cells. Lipoic acid is a "universal antioxidant" that can recycle
both Vitamin C and E in the body. It also helps break down sugars
so that energy can be produced from them through cellular respiration. Lipoic
acid is the only antioxidant that can boost the level of intracellular
glutathione, a cellular antioxidant that is essential
for optimal immune response.
Meditation & Ho'oponopono
A study to determine if traditional Hawaiian Ho'oponopono
with medical therapy might better control hypertension than therapy alone showed
that Ho'oponopono was associated with a clinically significant reduction
in blood pressure. Ho'oponopono
is an integral part of our systemic coaching. See also
Relationship Yoga.
Reduce Blood Pressure
Lower mild hypertension with an anti-aging
diet...
- Maintain an ideal body weight. For females, the
ideal body weight is equal to 100 pounds + 5 pounds for every inch of height
above 5 feet. For males, the ideal body weight is 106 pounds + 6 pounds for
every inch of height above 5 feet. (metric...)
- Follow an anti-aging diet high in plants. Most vegetarians
have lower blood pressure and lower incidence of hypertension than non-vegetarians.
Their diet contains more potassium, complex carbohydrate, fiber, calcium,
and vitamin C and less saturated fat and refined carbohydrates.
- Celery is high in 3-n-butylphthalide. In animal studies,
intake of the equivalent of 4 sticks of celery for humans was shown to lower
blood pressure by 12%.
- Garlic can reduce blood pressure. Take at least 4 cloves
a day of fresh garlic a day for a 10 mm Hg drop in systolic and 6 mm Hg in
diastolic pressure.
- Avoid coffee, stimulants and stress - they constrict
blood vessels which increases hypertension.
- Lower salt intake and increase intake of fruits,
vegetables and legumes.
Sodium : Potassium Ratio
Many Westerners eat a sodium : potassium ratio
of 2:1. For anti-aging, a 1:5
ratio is better. Optimally, this ratio can approach 1:100, as most fruits
and vegetables have a ratio of 1:50. While it is better to restrict sodium
intake, studies show that a high potassium intake is needed. Many salt
substitutes contain potassium chloride which has about 500 mg potassium per 1/6
teaspoon.
Potassium supplements alone (2.5 - 5
gm/day) can lower systolic pressure by 10-12 mm Hg and diastolic pressure
by14-16 mm Hg. This is especially effective for people over age 65 who do not
respond well to common anti-hypertensive drugs. Fortunately, potassium is easy to
come by in food (1 medium banana contains 400 mg of potassium, a
slice of watermelon, or a tomato contains 530 mg. But note that banana and
watermelon have a high sugar content
and lack fiber.)
Exercise
Most health programs include exercise, which can
burn calories while reducing insulin resistance. Well-balanced exercise includes
training in flexibility, cardiovascular and strength. Plan to burn about 2000
calories each week - a good mixture is 30 minutes of aerobics exercise at
moderate intensity plus 15-20 minutes of stretching and 15-20 minutes strength
training all 3 times each week.
Systemic Coaching
The pharmaceutical and electronic wonders of modern medicine
seem to pace a decline in the emotional contact between people generally, and
between helping
professionals and their patients or clients. Medical doctors often
refer to patients by their symptoms - e.g. "Nurse - the heart attack in
room 6 is upset - check it out". Our systemic coaching can re-unite
people with people, and people their world, while solving emotional, relationship
and "sense of life" issues. (Read about
Dr Patch
Adams). Our systemic coaching can
- help people find a purpose and reason to live
- provide many possibilities for improving relationships
- help people control overwhelming and unpleasant emotions
- help patients and family members cope with emotional distress
- help people live full lives, promoting emotional well being and activities
- motivate and support healthy behaviors, such as diet and physical activity
Relationships, Passive Aggression & Hypertension
A study by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario showed that people in
unhappy relationships who have mild high blood pressure ( hypertension )
experience a sustained increase in blood pressure when they are with their
partners. But people with mild hypertension who are in loving, supportive,
relationships experience a decrease in blood pressure when they are with their
partners.
Also, many people who are diagnosed with hypertension seem to be candidates for
being labeled as passive aggressive. Systemic coaching is particularly useful
for resolving issues that give rise to passive aggression and covert, hostile
behavior. These problems are notoriously difficult to treat with classic psychotherapy
or medication, yet usually respond well to systemic coaching.
In our experience, passive aggression and chronic anger are often a
consequence of identifying with a victim, usually while a child. This
identification provides a volcano of unresolved anger which is usually repressed.
Strangely, many people who could be called passive aggressive will say
that they NEVER get angry. And they may believe that.
Instead they may swallow their anger. During
systemic diagnosis people often find
that they feel their unexpressed anger centered in the heart region of the body.
(Storing anger in the solar plexus seems to tie in wit ulcers). We are currently
studying the relationship between hypertension, passive aggression and other
relationship problems with medical doctors in Croatia ... watch this space!
Please consult a physician about any opinions or recommendations
about heart disease, hypertension, other medical symptoms or other medical conditions.
Relationship Coaching ...
Systemic Coach Training ...
Your Next Step
Do you want relationship coaching or systemic coach training?
Do you want to coach people to resolve relationship challenges?
Do you want to coach people to fulfill their dreams? Contact us.
Copyright © Martyn Carruthers & Richard Diehl 2008 All rights reserved |
Training Partners :
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: Coach Training
: Specialty Training :
Corporate :
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or telephone: +4 860 275 8295 or +38 591 881 2682