The New Guidelines on Blood Pressure raises my usual 120/78 to the the new high of 130/80… Yikes!!! What does this mean for all of us.

Blood pressure of 130/80 is the new ‘high,’ according to a recent review of guidelines. This now means almost half the US population is considered hypertensive overnight.

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology released new blood pressure guidelines that may have you thinking twice about your salt intake. They state that anyone with a blood pressure from 130/80 to 139/89 is diagnosed with stage 1 hypertension which affects millions of Americans. These new guidelines are based on a 3-year review of 1,000 studies that the chances of dying from a heart attack or stroke are double at 130/80 vs the previous guideline of 140/90. This means 46% – almost half the US population – are now considered hypertensive overnight.

WHAT DOES THIS NEW GUIDELINE MEAN FOR YOU?

This is not a reason to run to your MD and request to be put on medication. In fact we think this is a call to action to be proactive about your health starting today.

Stage 1 hypertension is usually always lifestyle driven and often secondary to something else. Your body is trying to let you know you need to make changes not go on a medication…

Focus on a clean protein, good fat, high veggie, mineral-rich diet.  Manage stress, drink plenty of water and get regular exercise.  Doing these things is the key to lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.

While sodium intake often gets a reputation for being the main contributing factor to elevated blood pressure. it’s important to look at other minerals like potassium and magnesium.

(Salts like Celtic Sea Salts are actually beneficial and full of minerals. It is the high sodium processed foods that you need to eliminate from you diet.)

Magnesium has also been studied for reducing blood pressure with studies showing an inverse relationship between dietary magnesium intake and hypertension.

Another big factor to consider is your intake of simple sugars. Sugar creates rust in the vessels leading to a narrowing of the arteries and therefore an increase in blood pressure.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

The majority of Americans affected won’t need medication but will need to make lifestyle changes instead. Here is a really great article in the New York Times written by a MD for those of you who want more details about the study and it’s implications.

Again there are natural ways to lower blood pressure include making dietary changes, managing stress with regular relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga, and exercising regularly.
A functional wellness doctor can help you to discover how to lower your blood pressure naturally and safely while making the appropriate supplement suggestions.

Have a happy TG and enjoy your time with family and friends.

I am most grateful for all of you
Dr Pia