Recently I decided to check my blood pressure which I had not done for a while. My BP has always been pretty good throughout my life: Typically systolic would be 115 to 120 over diastolic of 70 to 80. I was shocked to find that my systolic reading was between 145-155. Diastolic was fine: between 70 and 80
So obviously this situation called for some action to bring my systolic BP down.
Here is a quick review/overview of hypertension from the American Heart Association website
High blood pressure threatens health and quality of life
In most cases, damage done from high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) occurs over time. Left undetected or uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to:
- Heart attack — High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked and prevent blood flow to the heart muscle.
- Stroke — High blood pressure can cause blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to become blocked or burst.
- Heart failure — The increased workload from high blood pressure can cause the heart to enlarge and fail to supply blood to the body.
- Kidney disease or failure — High blood pressure can damage the arteries around the kidneys and interfere with their ability to filter blood effectively.
- Vision loss — High blood pressure can strain or damage blood vessels in the eyes.
- Sexual dysfunction — High blood pressure can lead to erectile dysfunction in men and may contribute to lower libido in women.
- Angina — Over time, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease including microvascular disease (MVD). Angina, or chest pain, is a common symptom.
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD) — Atherosclerosis caused by high blood pressure can lead to narrowed arteries in the legs, arms, stomach and head, causing pain or fatigue.
Download the consequences of HBP infographic: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Traditional Chinese (PDF)
Can hypertension cause other problems?
When your blood pressure is high for too long, it damages your blood vessels – and LDL (bad) cholesterol begins to accumulate along tears in your artery walls. This leads to narrowed arteries and increases the workload of your circulatory system while decreasing its efficiency.
As a result, high blood pressure puts you at greater risk for developing life-changing and life-threatening conditions.
My Treatment Protocol to Lower My BP
Obviously, it makes sense to try to address the cause of health issues such as lifestyle considerations and that certainly applies in the case of cardiovascular disease.
However for brevity, I will focus this article on supplements and ingredients for treating hypertension.
There is a spectrum of medicinal herbs as well as other compounds that have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular conditions.
Based on my research and clinical experience, I would suggest that the top three medicinal herbs in the world for dealing with cardiovascular disease include a medicinal herb from each of the three major medical systems: The West, Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine.
From the West, Hawthorn, from Chinese Medicine, Red Salvia Root (Dan Shen) and from Ayurvedic Medicine, Arjuna.
So my first step in my protocol was to start taking my own Heart Health formulation which includes each of the top 3 CV herbs but also the following medicinal herbs and compounds:
Tienchi Ginseng (Panax notoginseng), Jiaogulan, Shilajit, Motherwort, Ashwagandha and Chromium Picolinate
In addition to this, I wanted to target/increase nitric oxide levels (for blood vessel dilation) so I started taking a combination of the amino acid L-Citrulline as well as beet root powder.
Plus I started taking one additional key compound: Celery seed powder which has been shown to be effective in lowering BP
So I followed this protocol for seven days – and reassessed my BP and it had gone down to an average of 125/72 – an improvement of over 20 points – without any pharmaceuticals.
CVD is a multi-factorial prevalent cause of health issues as well as death however integrative approaches can work quite well to facilitate improvement.
If you would like more details on the protocol that I followed or have any questions or want any more information reach out to me.
About the Author
Robert Lamberton, a Master Formulator of professional-grade supplements, works with select companies, clinics, and practitioners to develop cutting-edge formulations. He is a certified Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) who specializes in helping patients resolve complex health issues, optimizing their quality of life, and reversing their biological age. He has been a guest instructor and lecturer at Boucher Naturopathic Medical School (BINM) in Vancouver, BC. Lamberton also produces a weekly newsletter for practitioners that covers the latest published research, including information that has yet to reach the clinical community. Learn more at RobLamberton.com.
