The DASH Diet

 The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet (DASH) can significantly lower blood pressure. This diet is high in fruits and vegetables and the addition of lowfat dairy doubled the effectiveness. The diet when compared to the average American diet tripled the fiber intake. The diet also dramatically increased the intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium.

In other studies dark chocolate and tea were generally neutral or favorable for blood pressure, but coffee tended to increase the blood pressure. The beneficial effects are possibly associated with the polyphenols in tea and chocolate.

There is good reason to believe that vitamin D is important in regulation of high blood pressure. Knocking out the vitamin D receptor in rats result in the development of hypertension. Lack of the vitamin results in insulin resistance and the associated increase in blood pressure. Half the world population is deficient in vitamin D and insufficiency probably affects many more.

Intake of sugar and alcohol will often increase blood pressure.

Protein tends to lower blood pressure. Soybean protein is particularly effective. It is thought that this is due to the arginine content of soy which can be converted to nitric oxide which dilates the blood vessels.

Fish oil has also been shown to significantly lower blood pressure in some studies.

Exercise and weight loss are also effective measures in lowering blood pressure.

Supplements helpful for normalizing blood pressure would include Upbeet which promotes the production of nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels. Salmon Oil Plus would be helpful as it contains all 8 members of the omega-3 family, is tested for over 100 pollutants with a standard of zero, and is ultra high potency so the capsule is small and easy to swallow. One should also consider Vitamin D, Magnesium, and NeoLife Shake. Fiber and chelated Cal-Mag tablets could also be added.

High blood pressure can have many causes. Any of the factors mentioned in this article could play a role.

References:

Koppel, Joel D., et al., The Effect of Nutrition on Blood Pressure, Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2010. 30:365–401. This article’s doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-010510-103954

Kass, L, et al., Effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2012) 1 -- 8

Borghi, Claudio, et al., Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Their Potential Role in Blood Pressure Prevention and Management, Current Vascular Pharmacology, 2009, 7, 000-000

Forman, John, et al., Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Blood Pressure in Blacks, Hypertension. 2013;61:779-785

Heart Disease and Sugar

     The average American thinks that elevated cholesterol is the major risk factor for heart disease. A recent study, however, suggests that sugar intake may be a major risk factor for death from heart disease.
     Researchers found that risk of death from heart disease increases exponentially as the intake of sugar increases. Americans consume about 15% of their calories from sugar. That amounts to 300 calories for a 2,000 calorie diet. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 100 calories for women and 150 calories for men. One regular soda contains 140 calories of added sugar bringing men close to the limit for the day.
     Those who consume 21% of their daily calories in the form of added sugars doubled their risk of death from heart disease over those who consumed only 10% of their daily calories from added sugars.
     This study was based on examination of the diets of 31,000 people. Sugar has been shown to lead to high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low good cholesterol (HDL), fatty liver, and insulin resistance.
Yang, Quanhe, et al., Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults, JAMA Intern Med., 2014;174(4):516-524.

Vitamin D, Diabetes, and Blood Pressure

    An analysis of 6 studies found a strong association between blood levels of vitamin D and the development of gestational diabetes. Five of the studies showed a clear inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and blood sugar stability. The sixth study found a relationship between higher vitamin D levels and lower blood sugar and insulin levels.
     Gestational diabetes may increase the likelihood for children to develop obesity and diabetes later in life. A little vitamin D supplementation is a cheap price to pay for healthier children. GNLD provides a substantial amount of vitamin D in the Chelated Cal-Mag tablets.
    A study in Denmark recently demonstrated that an intake of 3,000 IU of vitamin D for 20 weeks significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The investigators suggested further research on their finding. High blood pressure can cause stroke and damage to the circulatory system.
Reference:
Senti J, Thiele DK, et al, Maternal vitamin d status as a critical determinant in gestational diabetes, J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs, 2012 May; [Epub ahead of print].
Larsen T, Mose FH, et al, Effect of Cholecalciferol Supplementation During Winter Months in Patients With Hypertension: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Am J Hypertension, 2012 Aug 2; [Epub ahead of print].