Millions of Americans are prescribed high blood pressure medications to reduce their risk of heart disease. In theory this idea sounds great, however; the side effects of the medications can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies. These deficiencies can actually cause heart disease. Bottom line, you end up reducing disease risk in one way and increasing disease risk in several others. This is what I commonly refer to as “Chasing your tail syndrome”…
Do you have high blood pressure?
If you have been diagnosed with hypertension and your doctor wants to prescribe medication to control it, consider the following factors:
Exercise works better than any medication. (it has to be the right kind of exercise)
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are often times the cause of high blood pressure in the first place.
Food allergies can cause and or contribute to high blood pressure.
Diets high in processed foods can cause high blood pressure
Diets rich in potassium and magnesium (fruits and veggies) have been shown to dramatically reduce it.
Wishing you excellent health,
Dr. Osborne
Dr. Osborne is an expert in functional medicine and chiropractic care. He is Board Certified in Nutritional Medicine. You can contact his office at 281-240-2229. He regularly treats patients from across the world. His office is in Sugar Land, Texas in the Greater Houston area.
Infertility issues are becoming more and more common. As many as 7.1 million Americans experience infertility problems. A study in the medical journal Human Reproduction identified gluten sensitivity in as many as 8% of women with unexplained fertility problems. The doctors involved with this study recommend screening for gluten intolerance as “part of the diagnostic workup of infertile women, particularly when no apparent cause can be ascertained after standard evaluation.”
Source: Human Reproduction; 14(11):2759-61 1999.
Ever wonder why so many people have to see fertility experts just to have a baby? The body has an innate intelligence that prevents pregnancy when the health status of the mother and/or father are poor. To force pregnancy through unnatural means is a dangerous practice. Miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, birth defects, infant developmental problems are common among those having children through fertility treatments. Gluten intolerance is a modern plague on human fertility. It is often overlooked when physicians perform infertility lab work-ups on couples. The following conditions are known to contribute to fertility issues in both men and women. They are also linked to gluten sensitivity:
The above study estimated that 8% of infertility issues are linked to gluten intolerance. Unfortunately, this number is based on lab tests that are flawed. Testing serum antibodies in those with immune problems often times yields false negative results. This can be misleading to a number of people. I commonly see patients for infertility in my office who have had antibody tests come back falsely negative. Greater accuracy can be obtained using HLA-DQ genotyping. This testing is non-invasive and can be done online…
Remember…Your body has God’s innate intelligence built in. It is designed to prevent pregnancy when the health of the mother and baby would be compromised. If you are considering having children perform the following first:
If you have had any of the above problems, get checked to see if you have gluten intolerance.
Check you vitamin and mineral levels before attempting to have children. Nutrient deficiencies can hinder internal development of the baby and can also cause complications to the mother during pregnancy.
Conventional medical treatment for high blood pressure (hypertension) is typically based around prescribing medications. There are a number of different types of medications, but the most commonly used types are diuretics (water pills), and ACE inhibitors.
Blood Pressure Medications induce vitamin and mineral deficiencies…these deficiencies can cause high blood pressure.
The problem with this approach is that it does not address the actually root cause of the elevation in blood pressure. Additionally, long term use of blood pressure medications induce deficiencies of zinc, B-Vitamins, CoQ10, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Long term presence of these deficiencies can actually cause high blood pressure. Therefore it can be said that the long term medical treatment for high blood pressure actually promotes elevated blood pressure!
Let’s not stop there. Deficiencies of these nutrients can cause other problems as well.
In the diagram below you can see the consequences of blood pressure medication (diuretics) on the B-Vitamin, Thiamine. Take note that one of the diseases induced is congestive heart failure. Are we trying to reduce the risk of heart disease?
NSAIDS = non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (examples include, Celebrox, Naproxen, and Ibuprofen)
CFS = chronic fatigue syndrome
CHF = congestive heart failure
There are multiple components that contribute to hypertension. None of these are deficiencies in medications. So then why do we keep accepting this as a viable long term treatment?
What You Can Do to Reverse and Prevent Blood Pressure Problems:
Stay active – exercise and activity strengthen the heart muscle and improve circulation efficiency.
Avoid smoking – enough said on this topic.
Eat foods rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium (fresh fruits and vegetables). It has been proven that diets high in these nutrients keep blood pressure normal and help lower blood pressure in the hypertensive.
See a Board CertifiedNutritionist – Often times eating the wrong food is a major culprit in hypertension. Identifying food allergies and intolerance can help the body restore normal balance and function
Get adequate sleep. Inadequate sleep has been linked to elevations in blood pressure.Maintaining proper rest is a critical element to controlling stress and staying healthy.
Take time for yourself – Whether it is vacation or just an afternoon away from the fast pace of daily life taking some time off is an effective way to re-energize.
Have your vitamin D levels checked twice per year – Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic in the United States. Lack of this nutrient has been shown to cause high blood pressure and contribute to diabetes.
Go see a chiropractor – regular chiropractic adjustments help your nervous system communicate with your heart and blood vessels. New research has shown that chiropractic adjustments can lower blood pressure by as much as 17 points. Watch the videos below:
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Dr. Osborne and Gluten Free Society Host Holiday Meeting
How To Navigate the Holidays and Stay on a Gluten Free Diet Make sure you save the date. When? Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 Where? University Branch Library Address – 14010 University Blvd. – Sugar Land, TX 77479 (At the University of Houston Sugar Land Campus). Map it here <<< Time? 11:00 am – 1:00 pm […]
Millions of Americans are prescribed high blood pressure medications to reduce their risk of heart disease. In theory this idea sounds great, however; the side effects of the medications can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies. These deficiencies can actually cause heart disease. Bottom line, you end up reducing disease risk in one way and increasing disease risk in several others. This is what I commonly refer to as “Chasing your tail syndrome”…
