Home ׀ Health News ׀ About Us ׀ Articles ׀ Links ׀ Forms/Directions
To download this entire 17 page article for $3.95 please click here: Order Now
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL
AND HEART DISEASE
John G. Connor, M.Ac, LAc.
Updated March 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Excerpts from the above article:
7. HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS WHICH LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
· Apple pectin aids in reducing blood pressure.
· Arginine In order for the body to make nitric oxide (the vasodilator that relaxes arteries and lowers blood pressure) it must have adequate supplies of the ammo acid arginine. Arginine is produced in the body. However, foods high in arginine include: carob, chocolate, coconut, dairy products, oats, peanuts, soybeans, walnuts, wheat and wheat germ.
· Arjuna is a famous Ayurvedic herb made from the bark of the Terminalia arjuna. Modem clinicians are just beginning to use arjuna for coronary artery disease, heart failure and high cholesterol. It seems to work by Improving cardiac muscle function and the pumping activity of the heart. A 1999 study indicated that arjuna was more effective than a standard drug for angina. Arjuna also benefits cardiomyopathy. or weakening of the lower muscle of the heart and may help patients recovering from heart attacks. Arjuna seems to be quite safe. No toxicity or adverse reports are noted in the scientific literature. For congestive heart failure 500 mg of extract four times per day has been used in studies. You can also purchase the bulk herb, dried and shredded, and brew it into a tea.
· CoenzymeQ10 - has tremendous clinical value in the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy and mitral valve prolapse. In a 1994 study done at the Univ. of Texas by Dr. Peter Langsjoen 109 hypertensive patients were treated with an average daily dose of 225 mg of CoQlO in addition to their prescribed drug regimen. Within 54 months a remarkable 51% of the patients were able to come off one to three anti-hypertensive drugs.
· EPA and DHA oils from fish oil and LA and ALA oils from flaxseed oil. EPA and DHA. the omega-3 fatty acids, lower blood pressure according to a meta-analysis of 31 trials which appeared in Circulation 1993;88:523-33. In another study in humans, GLA from borage oil relaxed blood vessels and lowered blood pressure in response to stress. Over 60 double-blind studies in which fish oils were administered to hypertensive patients observed that blood pressure did indeed fall with supplemental omega-3 fatty acids.
· Folate A recent study found that younger women who consumed at least 100 micrograms per day of total folate (dietary plus supplemental) had a decreased risk of hypertension compared with those who consumed less that 200 micrograms per day. The researchers concluded that higher total folate intake was associated with a decreased risk of incident hypertension, particularly in younger women. (Forman et al 2005)
· Garlic - lowers blood pressure according to a meta-analysis that included ten double-blind studies which appeared in the Journal of Hypertension 1994; 2:463-8. All of these trials administered garlic for at least four weeks, typically using 600-900 mg of garlic extract per day.
· Magnesium - has therapeutic effects on the cardiovascular system. It is essential for numerous enzyme functions and it plays an important role in relaxation of the muscles in the blood vessel wall. A published review of the literature shows that magnesium has a significant effect on hypertension. It says that extra magnesium helps relax the smooth muscle of blood vessels, probably by modulating contractility caused by bradykinin, angiotensin II, serotinin, prostaglandins and catecholamines.
Other studies suggest that magnesium deficiencies may predispose individuals to elevated blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions. Magnesium is also one of the most important minerals for the prevention and reversal of insulin resistance. Food sources include: daily products, fish and seafood, almonds, cashews, dulse, kelp, walnuts, wheat bran, garlic, tofu, brown rice, apples, bananas, avocados and brewer's yeast.
· Potassium - Recent studies confirm the value of potassium in managing blood pressure. A meta-analysis of 33 randomized control led trials of 12,609 patients showed that potassium supplements significantly lowered both systolic and diastolic pressures. Food sources include: dairy foods, fish, fruit, legumes, poultry, vegetables and whole grains. It is specifically found in apricots, avocados, bananas, blackstrap molasses, brewer's yeast, brown rice, dates, dulse, figs, dried fruit, garlic, nuts, potatoes, raisins, winter squash, wheat bran and yams.
· Reishi mushroom A study in 1997 showed that those taking reishi mushroom, as opposed to those taking a placebo, experienced a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure suggesting that it may be helpful for persons suffering from mild hypertension. However, as reishi has pronounced anti-platelet aggregating effects those on anticoagulant therapy should probably avoid concomitant use.
14. USEFUL HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR LOWERING CHOLESTEROL
· In a study published in 1999 examining the cholesterol-lowering effects of red yeast rice it was found that total cholesterol concentrations decreased significantly compared with the placebo-treated group. LDL cholesterol and total triacylcglycerol were also reduced, but HDL cholesterol did not change significantly. (Heber D et al, 1999)
· In a systematic review done by Thompson-Coon and Ernst they found that guggul (Commiphora mukul), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), red yeast rice and artichoke (Cynara scolymus) have demonstrated reductions in total serum cholesterol levels of between 10% and 33%. (Thompson-Coon JS & E Ernst, 2003)
· Turmeric extracts were found to lower LDL and total cholesterol in one human study. (Soni, 1992)
· Arjuna has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and increase HDL (good cholesterol) in animal studies.
· Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) - European physicians routinely prescribe hawthorn extracts for heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure and angina. Clinical trials also show that hawthorn can lower serum cholesterol levels and prevent arterial plaque buildup. However, it takes up to six weeks to work. Dosage: 360 milligrams daily of a hawthorn extract standardized to contain 1.8 to 22 percent vitexin flavonoids.
· Guggul - Studies have shown that guggul significantly reduces cholesterol levels without side effects. When guggulipid was compared to the drug clofibrate (Aroid-S) it came out about the same, without the side effects.
15. FREE RADICALS AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
· Free radicals contribute to atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. The atherosclerotic process begins with injury to the endothelial cells lining the arterial wall. This may be caused by an infectious agent, a chemical toxin, impairments in the activity of nitric oxide (a vasodilator that relaxes arteries and lowers blood pressure) or the physical pounding that results from elevated blood pressure. Platelets and monocytes then adhere to the injured area and initiate the abnormal growth of smooth muscle cells and the buildup of oxidized LDL cholesterol and macrophages which change into foam cells and burrow into the artery wall.
· As the arteries become narrowed by these deposits, blood flow is impeded and blood pressure is increased. The arteries begin to harden and become less elastic, losing their ability to dilate and constrict on cue. Eventually they become unresponsive to the body's internal messages to regulate blood pressure which are conveyed by nerve Impulses, hormones and other chemicals. One of the most important of these chemical messengers, nitric oxide, is inactivated by excessive amounts of oxidized LDL cholesterol.
To download this entire 17 page article for $3.95 please click here: Order Now
Home ׀ Health News ׀ About Us ׀ Articles ׀ Links ׀ Forms/Directions
Compassionate Acupuncture & Healing Arts, 4501 Valley Forge Rd., Durham, NC 27705 Tel. 919-309-7753 Email: compassionateacu@mindspring.com
Copyright © 2005 John G. Connor