Weekly Blood Pressure Log

To be used in conjunction with my ebook on high blood pressure.

Daily Blood Pressure Log

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Do blood pressure drugs improve health, quality of life and longevity?

I have really enjoyed this debate about the effectiveness, or otherwise, of blood pressure drugs.

Has improving health been supplanted by the motivation for profit?

Nothing  in science is ever a closed subject.  Scientific progress is fueled by informed debate.  A scientist, including a doctor, welcomes detailed scrutiny.  Those that seek to stifle informed debate are anti progress and anti knowledge.

Play the ball and not the man!

Recently, I received a very, very expensive letter, delivered by hand, from one of the the most expensive law firms in New Zealand.  It was a letter threatening me with a law suit!  A doctor had done a meticulous fishing expedition of my online materials, much like that being done by the NSA Prism Spying Programme, aiming to dig up the dirt on Gary Moller.  I'm far from perfect.  He found something - a minor matter; but one sufficient to make a formal complaint to Med Safe.  Med Safe then passed this complaint onto the large drugs company concerned which then set the lawyers onto me.  All very over the top when the matter could have been resolved with a single phone call!

I suspect the motivation for this complaint and subsequent legal actions are the result of my comments in Walking Magazine about blood pressure drugs being largely ineffective.  This is a case of playing the man and not the ball.  A case of suppressing healthy debate about matters that affect countless lives.
  
"Hello, I wish to pass on my sincere gratitude to Mr Moller for his excellent articles on Blood Pressure.  I am a 67 year old female and been "on" meds for 30 years and at all stages experienced side effects of medications and run fowl of all sorts of G.P's for daring to say I experiencing side effects and the best thing that has happened is the internet and at hand knowledge which by some G.P's is frowned upon.  I should (I now know) never been prescribed them in the first place which I won't bore you all with the reasons for that statement but for reasons unknown to me now, I just kept swallowing them cause I told I had to.  Thats what my generation and upwards do.  My mother is 92 and in the last ten years had inpatient events and they all to do with medications so I say to her you have lived in spite of them.

I work at the hospital here, I read consultants letters from patients attending and the despair of patients as they - men and women, complain of side effects, indeed last week a 57 year old man made the decision to consultant to abandon all and take his chances to have "quality of life" he noted.
I have had to go off Atacand due to Pharmacs ruling so once again been subjected to new pills and my blood pressure is extremely high now on the taking, but the side effects of these different pills most debilitating.

My back ground is serious runner, now realise more serious at 5.00am when effects of pills wearing off, that was when I was at my best, only gave this up four years ago, I now tramp seriously, eat well and never done anything wrong.  I am on a mission to never have any of my four children prescribed any of this junk, my daughter is being monitered in her pregnancy very carefully as she had pre eclampsia in the last, the GP suggested BP but she said she would rather not and try an alternative.  Good for her, what she is getting is regular check ups and excellent care.  Last time it was pills given, into hosp and out within 24 hours!

Once again, thankyou, keep it up, my magazines been shown to all friends on medication, they express gratitude as well.
Regards   XXX" (Name supplied but withheld)

"Good on you Gary. I have just read your rebuttal in the July Walking Magazine of the ascerbic letter from a member of the medical profession about drugs and blood pressure.

I have not, and never have had, bp issues but I do have what the doctors tell me is too high a cholesterol level. I have been under pressure for 15 years (Iam 64) to take statins and have resisted, the reason being that I have seen no proof that high cholesterol will lead to heart attack or similar. Indeed, I have read an article (which I would like to attach to this email but you do not allow that) that specifically opposes the use (or should I say wholesale prescribing) of statins.

The doctors seem to have been influenced by the manufacturers and not taken a holistic view of the issue."

(Name withheld)
_________________________

Thanks very much for the support.  Here is the letter this person is referring to, the offending article that was published in
http://www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz/ (you can subscribe here) and my riposte:

To the editor

Dear Frank,

As a keen reader of your magazine I was very concerned to read the May 2013 article by Gary Moller, suggesting that most blood pressure medications do not work and that many blood pressure medicines cause weight gain around the waist and therefore increase the risk of heart attack.

These and other statements in his article display an inadequate knowledge of the high blood pressure and a woefully inadequate knowledge of how blood pressure medications work.

There is a high risk that a gullible reader might stop their blood pressure medication and suffer a heart attack or, possibly more likely, a stroke.

I am amazed that Mr Moller can blithely comment that he cannot back up his 'sweeping statement' with research yet continue to disparage blood pressure medication.

I advise that you:

1. Consult the NZ Heart and Stroke Foundations for their comments about the article
2. Publish a statement that the opinions expressed in the article are not necessarily the opinions ot the magazine
3  Advise your readers that anyone who follows Mr Moller's advice and suffers a heart attack or stroke report Mr Moller to the Health and Disability Commissioner.

Thank you. I look forward to your response.

(Dr) Murray Shaw
General Practitioner
Amesbury Health Centre
Palmerston North.

Here's the offending article:

Atrial premature beats: Nothing to be concerned about?

"Hi Gary,

thanks again for your advice

I visited the cardiologist last week with the results from the holter recording

he said whilst it showed atrial premature beats (a mild form of Rob Wardells condition) it was not enough to worry about, it only happens at rest.

he said I was over medicated, bp used to be regular- 142-148/ 88-95 now 124/62- without  med.

all he can put it down to is mtb and healthy living

see you on the trails"

(Name withheld)

_____________________________

Gary:

Thanks for the feedback - most appreciated!  Your email raises a couple of interesting points:

• Most blood pressure medication does not work at all, or it wears off as the months pass.  If you think you have a problem with blood pressure, get a quality wrist-type monitor and measure it at home and see if the patterns of high or low BP are consistent.  Use this E-book as your guide:  http://www.garymoller.com/Products/Products/E/E-Book-Digital-Blood-Pressure-and-Heart-Rate-Monit.aspx
• What is healthy Blood pressure - when is low too low? Please read this article:  http://blog.garymoller.com/2006/10/blood-pressure-how-low-is-too-low_13.html.  Incidentally, your previous BP of 142-148/88-95 is of no concern.
• Blood pressure ranges: While excessively high or low blood pressure may be of concern, what interests me here is the current reading of 124/62 (bearing in mind this is a single reading, so may be misleading).  The optimum range between the upper and lower readings are about 40 points (eg: 120/80).  In your case, we have a range of 62 points.  This is often closely associated with adrenal fatigue.  Refer here for more about adrenal fatigue:  http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/what-is-adrenal-fatigue/
• Rob Wardell's heart condition is interesting: First of all, it is very, very common in endurance athletes and easily fixed by diet, a few supplements and smart training.  Some years ago I attended a cardiology lecture about this condition and during which Rob Wardell was discussed.  It got me thinking about an interesting pattern that Wardell seemed to portray very nicely: His symptoms seemed to disappear when he switched from hard endurance rowing training to strength training to be a yacht grinder (and presumably he had a drastic change in diet).  His symptoms reappeared spectacularly some years later when he switched back to rowing.  Diet and adrenal fatigue are the obvious factors.
• Adrenal fatigue is associated with low thyroid function and liver stasis.  Symptomatic of this is often the development of unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride profiles.  The usual medical action is to medicate.
• Even one drug is "over-medication", if the underlying possibilities such as adrenal fatigue are not first addressed.  Think of the current situation of your heart being like a poorly tuned car engine that is idling rough. When the causes of problem are identified and then addressed by non-drugs means the problem of the heart missing beats here and there will spontaneously disappear and you will note an increase in high end athletic performance for no extra effort!

Yes, I'll see you out on your bike!

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Why is my maximum heart rate declining as I get fitter?

My Brother-in-law, Ioasa, showing
good heart.

Hey
Have you had much to do with Max heart rates? 
Heaps of conflicting views online - 99% saying so long as you exercise, your Max stays the same. 
pfft
4yrs ago - on both run or bike, i could hit 183
Last year, max 178
4 months ago, 174/5 
Now, 172 

My "theory" - well, i ran basically 6 months of base work - this enlarged the heart, creating a greater a Stroke Volume, Same strength heart as 183 days, but larger = slower. It no longer has the torque to pump as fast due to being bigger. 

Would, a solid 4 months of progressive prep towards track racing (i have done about 6 wks now, and aiming for Gold Coast Pan Pacs in Nov, 800,1500m) would that increase the Strength and torque of the heart, and thereby increase the Max back towards the 180 beats minute barrier? 

I'm finding during training now - to only use the heart rate as a guide - esp now that i've left the O2 only training. 

I would like to do another Concini treadmill test, but mine only goes to 16km/hr... I need to find a faster one. 

Thoughts? 

cheers
Mark
________________________
Gary:
Mark, there is no single answer to your question.  I have some thoughts which are as follows:

• With each year from about 30 years of age, maximum heart rate declines by a factor of about 0.01.  However some people decline faster, others slower.
• As far as I know the heart chambers of an adult do not enlarge with exercise, although they might in a child.  What does make the heart appear larger is the hypertrophy of the muscle.  Excessive hypertrophy may reduce stroke volume such as seen in steroid abusing body-builders.  This is unlikely in a scrawny runner!
• Heart volume is determined partly by the ability of the heart to relax.  The more the heart relaxes between beats, the bigger the volume.  
• ATP formation determines the ability of the heart to relax (same applies to all muscles).  Lack of ATP = cramp.  In the case of the heart this may be felt as a "weakness of heart" and palpitations.  Many factors affect ATP formation, including crucial nutrients such as magnesium, vitamins, Q-10, creatine and a number of other nutrients.  Athletes deplete these at extraordinary rates.
• Toxins like mercury, lead and aluminium can interfere with the metabolic pathways for ATP formation.  Most of us have some of these in our bodies.  Some have excessive amounts.
• Arterial elasticity affects heart rate.  With ageing the arteries tend to calcify and lose their elasticity.  Systolic blood pressure tends to rise, especially during intense exercise.  The heart must contract harder to deliver a given amount of blood.   http://blog.garymoller.com/2011/06/cardiovascular-disease-arteriosclerosis.html
• Venous flow back to the heart also affects the ability of the heart to pump blood.  If flow back to the heart is poor, the heart takes longer to fill with blood before it can pump and when it pumps, the amount may be less than optimum.  Venous flow is seriously affected by muscles that are hard and full of knots.  A muscle is a sponge pump. When it contracts, the old blood is squirted out via a one way valve system back to the heart. When it relaxes, fresh arterial blood fills the muscle. This is the "muscle pump effect" and it is as important for blood flow during exercise as the pumping of the heart muscle.
• Strong adrenal glands fire up all systems for battle, including the cardiovascular system.  When you stand on the start line and you feel your heart beating powerfully in anticipation of the gun firing - that's your adrenals at work!  Weak adrenals = weak heart.  My findings are that all athletes have a degree of adrenal fatigue.  many are severe.  http://blog.garymoller.com/2012/01/running-on-empty-why-athletes.html
• The maximum heart rate of a conditioned athlete may be lower than a totally unfit person.  With conditioning, the heart tends not to beat beyond a point where efficiency is lost.  In your case the optimum for your age and gender may be around 180 beats per minute.  I have found that really unfit people may rev to an excess of 200 beats.  But this is done with a progressive loss of efficiency.  One can assume that the unfit heart is only partially filling and therefore expelling increasingly less blood per beat as 200+ beats are exceeded.

So, what would I do in your case?  I'd be inclined to carefully and methodically explore and address all of the above: Nutrients, toxic elements, skeletal muscle tone, adrenals and thyroid.  Get these right and you will find a steady gain in performance that will accrue over the months and even years.

You could go ahead and take some extra magnesium, pop a few Q-10 pills etc, but I am not going to recommend that because it is hit and miss stuff that often leads to disappointment.  It is better to do some accurate testing and then you can intervene with accuracy and purpose.  For that you will need to organise a consultation.
http://www.garymoller.com/Consultation/Private-Consultation.aspx

_______________________________________

About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Which personal digital blood pressure monitor is the most reliable and most accurate?

I used to sell digital blood pressure monitors but no longer.  I have used many different brands with one that has always stood out from the rest in terms of reliability and accuracy.  This is the Omron brand.  I have one of the early Omron wrist type machines that has given almost 10 years of daily trouble-free service.  I am about to upgrade to the latest Omron.

If you have a cardiovascular health issue, or a family history of cardiovascular disease, including over-weight, thyroid, poor circulation and diabetes issues, then one of the best investments you will ever make in your personal and family health, is an Omron blood pressure and heart rate monitor.

Where can I purchase an Omron digital blood pressure and heart rate monitor?

You can now purchase an Omron online at the official Omron website (click on the image link below to go to the Omron Store). You might want to take a look at their pedometers and body composition analysers while you are at it.

Which is best: Arm Cuff type, or the Wrist type?

I am firmly of the opinion that the modern wrist type is best for personal monitoring of blood pressure and pulse.  Why?  for two reasons:

1. When used in accordance with the instructions, there is little or no difference between readings between upper arm and the wrist.
2. The upper arm machine can be awkward to fit; whereas the wrist type is a breeze to fit and operate.  Therefore, there is better compliance by the patient in taking regular readings of blood pressure and pulse at home.

How to monitor blood pressure and pulse with your Omron and how to interpret the results

The Omron is going to cost you a few hundred dollars with every cent well spent.  I have just completed upgrading my E-Book Guide: "Digital Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Monitor User Guidelines".  Its a "must read" for you to get the most out of self-monitoring blood pressure and pulse and will only set you back a measly $10-12.  It is a life-saver!

In my blood pressure E-Book I cover just about everything you need to know about blood pressure:

• For use.
• Interpreting the results.
• Lifestyle modifications to improve and maintain cardiovascular health for life.
• Ensuring heart medication is actually doing its job.
• Monitoring athletic conditioning.
  
  
  
  Digital Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Monitor User Guidelines
  
  

_______________________________________

About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Why does blood pressure sometimes go dangerously out of control with the use of antidepressants? (Updated)

Over recent months I have had two near identical inquiries about dangerously elevated blood pressure, both involving young women, one resulting in stroke.

Before I go further, I recognise that the following is a difficult topic to deal with because it involves an inexact science, emotions and risk.  I am about to present one viewpoint that I feel is well supported by what we know of human physiology.  However; there is never a "One size fits all" solution to complex health issues, so what I am writing here needs to be applied with caution on a case by case basis.  We are all the same while all being different.  Human beings are incredibly complex and unpredictable creatures, so please take care!

The common factor is both were, and as far as I know, are still taking antidepressant drugs in the class of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's).  On both occasions, to my knowledge, the treating doctors never suggested

How beta blockers and drugs for anxiety ruin lives and kill

"Like surgeries, drugs are extremely valuable when used correctly. Unfortunately this is NOT how drugs are used in today's "modern" medicine! In fact, most doctors confuse "practicing medicine" with "automatic prescription writing." This hurts everyone except the drug companies.
Even in cases when drugs are beneficial, alternative drug-free treatments should alwaysbe considered first. Because along with chemical drugs come many harmful side effects that can often take years to surface. In fact, since many drugs cause more harm than good...patients wind up with even more prescriptions than what they started out with. It's a perpetual life threatening cycle that needs to stop!" W C Douglas MD

_____________________________________

Gary Moller comments:

The most common reason for going to the doctor in Wellington City is anxiety and depression. The standard treatment is drugs like beta blockers and various other drugs that variously to lower the blood pressure and reduce anxiety. Most of these drugs work by depressing the chemicals that regulate signaling between nerve cells. This means varying degress of brain fog, dry mouth and slowing of the digestive processes including gut peristalsis.
I have written previously about these drugs and soaring dementia rates. Let's talk about peristalsis, the rhythmic contractions of the smooth muscle of the digestive tract that steadily propels through the the digestive process and into the bowel where it is eliminated once or twice daily. Many drugs slow this process and the consequences can be dire. But, first a little about dry mouth.

Many drugs slow the production of digestive juices and this may be show as dry mouth. Have you seen the movie "Me, Myself & Irene"? In the movie, Jim Carrey plays a man with a split personality named Hank. In one really hilarious scene he takes his medication and suffers an excessive dry mouth reaction. While it was totally over the top, it served well to illustrate what millions of people must put up with daily. Interfere with the digestive juices, including saliva and the person tends towards sweet junk foods and what food is eaten is poorly digested.

Poor digestion along with slowed peristalsis leads to chronic malnutrition and diseases associated with putrid partially digested food accumulating in the lower tracts of the digestive system. Diverticulitis, Chrohn's disease, constipation Chronic obstructive bowel disease, bowel cancer and other ailments develop.

These diseases of the digestive tract may take 20 or more years to develop and the association with the offending medication may never be made.

The consequence is many years of ongoing surgery, more and more powerful drugs, chronic infections, colostomy bags, days, weeks and months in hospital and a gradual slide into disability that ends with a slow and undignified death well before time. The cost to the health system is measured in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The cost to the family is immeasurable.

What often blows me away is that the offending medication - the anti-depressant or the blood pressure medication continues to prescribed although the need for it may be long gone!

Modern drugs do have their place; but not when dealing with issues that are mostly to do with our lifestyles and the natural processes of ageing.

Is your blood pressure medication really working?  If you have been prescribed blood pressure medication then you should be monitoring your blood pressure daily with an Omron Blood Pressure Monitor.

Why a personal heart rate and blood pressure monitor can save lives

The modern digital automated blood pressure and heart rate monitor is very useful for people suffering heart or circulation conditions and might even be a life saving tool.
I recommend the Omron brand without hesitation.


Used regularly, these devices give an indication of what is "normal". It will also give an indication of whether heart medication is working or not, or causing harmful side-effects, like low blood pressure. This is extremely valuable information to convey to your Doctor at the next consultation.

It astonishes and dismays me that powerful heart medication is being dished out in ever more numerous prescriptions but without any means of accurate ongoing monitoring of their effect. Especially so when there are so many reliable and affordable devices now available for the patient to use at home and at work. "Take three of these pills daily and let's see how it goes" is sloppy advice to give a patient with a heart condition. There should be daily monitoring for the duration that the patient is on drugs and the technology is available to do this.
These easy to use machines can also help to determine whether that case of "feeling a little under the weather", "indigestion", or "flu" is just that, or something potentially much more sinister like a slow or silent heart attack, requiring the immediate attention of a physician.

These little machines come into their own in the case of an emergency when you really do think someone may be having a heart attack and while you are awaiting the arrival of the paramedics or doctor. You can check their heart rate and blood pressure and convey the results by phone so they will be more prepared when they arrive. It also takes the guesswork out of determining if one must commence cardio plumonary resuscitation (CPR).

Blood pressure - How low is too low?

During a national television programme to test the health of the nation some years ago, there was much lecturing and finger-wagging. At one point, the highly knowledgeable medical expert stated that even a blood pressure of 120/80 was too high and that a lower BP of 110/70 or less was desirable for least risk of cardiovascular disease. Although this view is now more or less official doctrine nowadays this still has to be challenged.

Are we producing a nation of the "worried well"? The simple fact of life is that the vast majority of us have BPs of about 120/80, so how can this be unhealthy? Well, it is not unhealthy, that's for sure. If BP is much less than 120/80 there is no doubt that your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke decline a little more; but at what cost?

I recall a very interesting study (no reference, sorry) in which the mental gymnastics of subjects was tested. Researchers discovered that the participants with the higher blood pressures out-performed the ones with the lower BPs! Now, if you are an over-trained athlete or a patient on blood pressure lowering medication, you will appreciate what I mean when I go on about "Brain Fog".

Low blood pressure means less blood to the brain and therefore poor mental function. In the over 65's, being on blood pressure medication is associated with an 8-fold increase in motor vehicle insurance claims! Fix one problem with a pill and cause a whole lot more further down the line. This is myopic medicine.

To get blood pressure consistently less than the optimum BP for daily functioning, it is necessary to either be unwell, or to be on blood pressure reducing medication. I am not aware of any research that proves that blood pressure drugs will extend life or improve quality of life for subjects with moderately raised BP (if you can call it that) - say, 130/85. The small reductions in cardiovascular risk are not worth the associated risks.

The better strategy for maintaining good cardiovascular health is not to get all worked up if BP is a few points over 120/80 - that will just push it higher. Relax! Work on your diet, exercise daily, take a few key supplements and get on with life with the knowledge that your brain is pumped and primed for a good day's work!

Muscle strength linked to magnesium in older adults

PALERMO, ITALY.

Magnesium is central to human health as it plays a role in a wide range of activities on the cellular level. A deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue and insomnia. This nutrient may therefore be essential for maintaining muscle strength throughout life.

Evidence from athletes supports a role for magnesium in avoiding damage to muscle cells. Muscle mass and function can be compromised in older age, a condition known as sarcopenia.
Researchers from the University of Palermo investigated the relationship between sarcopenia
and magnesium status.

Magnesium status was found to be significantly related to each of the measures of muscle strength - grip strength, lower-leg muscle power, knee rotation, and ankle strength.

_________________________

Gary Moller comments:

Depending on the study, around 70% of adults do not get enough magnesium in their diets to remain healthy. Hard exercise, emotional stress, injury, illness and various medications boost our daily requirements.

Few athletes would not benefit from supplemeting their diets with this mineral which is their principal protection from muscle cramps.

Magnesium has an important role, working with other nutrients including vitamin D, for prostate, blood pressure and bone health.

Programmes to reduce falls in the elderly are a wasted exercise if nutrition (including Mg intake) is poor because physical strength can not be created out of thin air. Any gains will be temporary, impossible to sustain for long.

Magnesium supplementation is cheap and very safe. Up to 800mg of total Mg can be safely taken per day depending on need.

More about Blood Pressure: What is healthy Blood Pressure?

When Blood Pressure (BP) is healthy, the range range between the systolic and diastolic readings, when taken in a semi reclining position, is no greater than about 60 points. About 40 is ideal. The heart and arteries do not like excessive differences between systolic and diastolic pressures. So it is generally better to have a BP of 140/100 than to have a BP of 160/80.

A blood pressure around about 120/80 is pretty well perfect. Blood pressure such as 110/60, or lower, may contribute to poor concentration, feeling light headed upon standing up and feeling excessively tired at times. Pressures that persistently exceed 140/90 will be detrimental to health over time.

Brett Elliot Herbal Detoxification Programme - Feedback from a Happy Camper

".... The programme has been quite amazing really. I have stuck to it and not cheated at all.

As at Sunday I was down to 51kg and I suspect over last few days I have lost a bit more. But my blood pressure has gone down considerably. Over the weekend it was down around 100/65 without medication. Monday it was 117/80 still no medication. This morning – and morning it is usually quote high – it was 128/84 – still no medication.

The other thing that has reduced a lot are the hot flushes. They have reduced to almost not knowing you are having one.

And I have not been taking any other supplements while taking the detox pills – I thought 20 twice a day was enough!!"

"S"
_____________________________
Gary responds:
"S" has been a client of mine for about a year when she came to see me about excessively high blood pressure that was not responding favourably to several medications. Blood pressures were excessively high, she was having problems with menopause, she had generalised back and muscle pain and was not looking very well. While it has been a lengthy journey, she is close to ending her long association with blood pressure medications which really were not working for her - as is often the case.

"Body - Heal thyself"

The Brett Elliot Herbal Detoxification programme has been quite brilliant for her as she reports. Many medications upset the motility of the digestive tract and gradually poison the liver. An effective detoxification programme cleanses and nourishes both the liver and the digestive tract.

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Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.

Low vitamin D, depression, high blood pressure and the rest

"M" has been suffering excessively high blood pressure, a racing heart, poor energy and depression. In her early 80's she has been consulting her doctor. Other than blood pressure medicine, there has been little else her doctor can do for her.

At my urging over some months, she finally persuaded her doctor to test her vitamin D levels. The results have come back: her levels were just 15 - as good as zero - which means she is seriously deficient and at real risk of numerous ailments including osteoporosis, heart failure and various cancers and nervous conditions!
Optimum vitamin D levels are in excess of 100, so "M" has a lot of work to do. Her Dr has prescribed cholecalcitrol (vit D) and I am encouraging her to get outdoors into the sunshine (If only there was some in Wellington!).

So far, every person that I have had tested for vitamin D who are suffering health problems, such as chronic pain have come back with levels less than 60.

Why on earth don't doctors test for this critical vitamin more often? I just can not understand why not.

I will keep readers posted as to "M's" progress. In the meantime, go get your own levels tested.

White Coat Syndrome

If getting checked at the doctor's office makes you nervous, then you may be relieved to learn that you are not alone and it even has its own term: "White coat syndrome". For this reason you should be wary of the results that may indicate that your BP is on the high side. If there is any suggestion of the need to go on medication, insist on self-monitoring your BP at home through the day over a few weeks using a digital BP monitor such as an Omron.

The doctor's office measurement of your blood pressure is a snapshot which can be misleading and may lead to unnecessary medication. BP fluctuates during a 24-hour period. BP peaks during the daytime hours, and can vary with work and activity. It can also surge during stressful events. For some people, this includes when a doctor or practice nurse applies the BP cuff.

If your BP is elevated, there are nutrtional and dietary measures you can experiment with; but bear in mind that these take time to kick into gear. You must be patient and medication may need to be taken during the interim to protect your cardiovascular health if BP is excessively high.

Know your blood pressure. Get an Omron:

Handy hint if you love your butter

If you are like me, you will love your butter on hot toast! However; I appreciate that it is a good idea to reduce total saturated fats in the diet especially as we get older. In fact it is even better to replace those saturated fats with those of the healthy kind; like olive oil and flaxseed oil - the kinds of oils that come with a list of health benefits too long to list.

Try this for a healthy butter subsitute on on your bread: Waihi Bush Flaxseed Oil. Just drizzle a little onto the bread, crackers or toast and then add your favourites spread. Yummy!

Reducing high blood pressure naturally - Reporting Success!

Several months ago, Bob (not his real name) came to see me. His sitting blood pressure was a consistent 185/118. This was of real concern because anything over 150/100 represents a serious health risk and he was urged to consult his doctor.

Bob, now in his mid 40's, was over weight with a distinctive pot belly and he had a liking for refined and fatty foods, including meat pies. He did not normally have breakfast.

Additional to seeing his doctor, Bob was also given the following supplements to help manage his blood pressure and reduce his risk of a stroke or heart attack naturally:

• Magnesium
• B group vitamins with nutritional co-factors
• Fish Oil with vitamin E
• Flaxseed oil
• Chrometate multi mineral

In addition he was told to:

• Make some muesli using the recipe from this website and have it daily for breakfast
• Cut or eliminate the refined and fatty foods, including the meat pies
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• Exercise daily, including doing sport and activities with his wife and children
• Steadily lose his gut (Hopefully, this would happen naturally with the above)

After 6 months and with a further consultation mid-way, I can report that Bob's blood pressure, as measured at the same time of day is now a consistent 145/95. This is a wonderful result and represents a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk.

Bob has visibly lost weight and his complexion and skin look healthier. He reports having more energy and enthusiasm.

What Bob demonstrates so well here is the power of a holistic approach to managing common health problems like raised blood pressure that would normally be heavily medicated. He also demonstrates the importance of consistently implementing comprehensive nutrition and lifestyle measures, rather than picking, choosing, chopping and changing. Lastly, he demonstrates that these measures take time to work their magic - several months, years and then the rest of one's life.

Do you have low blood pressure?

I have had many queries over the years about low blood pressure. Its surprising how many young women say they have it and it certainly is common among endurance athletes. I thought I would put pen to paper and give my take on the "problem".

The symptoms of an abnormally low blood pressure can include:

• Feeling light headed
• Feeling dizzy
• Being tired or feeling fatigue on exertion
• Fainting, transient blurring of vision, or transient confusion.

A special mention about Athletes

These symptoms are common among endurance trained athletes. The vascular bed in the legs may be huge and the blood may easily pool in the legs. Combined with fatigue from training, a little dehydration, possibly mineral depletion as well, and a tired heart and the athlete may come close to passing out upon standing up too quickly. This is because the blood drops out of the head momentarily, thus causing dizziness. In the female athlete, anaemia should be suspected and checked out by a blood test.

What is normal, high and low Blood Pressure?

Normal blood pressure is around 120/80. Blood pressures above about 145/95 require intervention. I have occasionally measured pressures higher than 200/150.

Low blood pressure is about 90/50 and sometimes lower (Mine used to drop lower than this when over-trained).

Possible causes of low blood pressure

Medications

• Medications for anxiety
• Medications for blood pressure
• Heart medications, diuretics
• Some anti-depressant medications.
• Mixing medications with alcohol

If you are showing symptoms of low blood pressure from medication, go back to your doctor and ask for a review. You are at risk of injury through inattention that may result in a potentially serious mishap like a fall or a car crash.

Non medication

• Dehydration
• Heart disease and heart valve disease
• Recent heart attack, changes in heart rhythm
• Bacterial infection in the system
• Kidney diseases
• Diabetes mellitus
• Other undisclosed illness like anaemia
• Bleeding
• Extreme dieting

If you develop low blood pressure and the cause is not obvious, get it checked out by a doctor.

An aside about cardiovascular safety
Healthy or unhealthy blood pressure: consider keeping an automated blood pressure machine handy at home. Changes in blood pressure and resting pulse can be your first indicator of an illness developing. Most heart attacks, for example, have subtle warnings beforehand, like feeling tired, a shoulder strain or a touch of the flu - and unusual pulse and blood pressure changes. The earlier the respnse, the better the outcome.

Some healthy tips for blood pressure management

For blood pressure do the following:

If you are currently being treated for high blood pressure, please discuss this with your health care provider before making any changes, thanks.

• Do a brisk walk each morning, including weekends before breakfast
• Do other exercise like swimming, tennis and yoga as well as the walks
• Do one very long walk up to three hours once a week, like a trail hike, taking in only water for sustenance (You might need to gradually build up to this one)
• Take one Chrometate tablet with breakfast and another with dinner
• Coenzyme Q-10
• Have one dessert spoon of flaxseed oil with breakfast, lunch and dinner. You could add a few fish oil with vitamin E capsules as well as a beneficial extra.

Take all of the above for a period of three months and do not miss a day. Top up your supplies well before you run out of any.
Monitor blood pressure first thing in the mornings and later in the day at the same time daily.

Diet

• Reduce or eliminate all refined flours and grains. Replace with wholemeal grains and oatmeal and give preference for starches like Kumara and other root crops.
• Little or no refined sugar, including honey and sweets
• Reduce dairy intake
• Use flaxseed oil as an alternative spread to butter
• Reduce animal fats
• Eat fresh nuts daily
• Eat fresh fish twice a week
• Eliminate margarines and all oils that contain trans fatty acids (read the labels carefully)
• Have several daily servings of fresh fruit and leafy vegetable, carrots, celery etc

If you are carrying any excess weight, aim for a very gradual loss over the three months using these diet and exercise guidelines.

• Find something to laugh about each day
• Smile and say "hello" to at least one stranger each day

After three months, review your blood pressure health including discussing your progress with a health practitioner if BP is consistently about 150/100 or higher.