L
ifestyle induced oxidative stress is a major culprit in this process. Beat hypertension naturally with good nutrition and specific superfoods.
Researchers have recently focused on oxidative stress as a major causative factor in the majority of hypertensive issues. Scientists have noted an imbalance in the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which damage vascular tissue.
This imbalance also appears to create metabolic shifts to favor a pro-inflammatory environment that further damages vascularity and blood flow regulation.
The Oxidative Switch:
When oxidative stress is elevated it can cause the angiotensinogen glycoprotein to convert to angiotensin. The hormone angiotensin causes sodium retention and vascular constriction. This "oxidative switch" floods the system with angiotensin and dramatically affects blood pressure balance.
Professor Aiwu Zhou and colleagues at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research have studied specific nutrients and their ability to prevent this oxidative switch. They have highlighted a few specific anti-oxidant compounds that inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). These compounds acted on the Nrf2 pathway to power up the anti-oxidant capacity of the body.
There are many medications designed as 'ACE inhibitors' to affect this same pathway. These medications are great at lowering blood pressure. However, these medications never address the oxidative stress and therefore never get to the true underlying cause of the problem.
Best Defense Against the Oxidative Switch:
The best defense against the oxidative switch begins with an anti-inflammatory diet. This begins with a diet rich in phytonutrient dense vegetables, healthy fat and clean protein sources. Non-starchy vegetables, herbs, & teas are great sources of anti-oxidants and have very low carbohydrate content.
Healthy fat sources include coconut products, avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, & purified omega-3 fish oil supplements. Healthy protein includes wild-caught fish, grass-fed red meat and free range chicken, turkey, and eggs.
Non-Denatured Whey Protein:
A very useful superfood is non-denatured whey protein from cows and goats that grazed on organic grass alone. These whey peptides boost cellular glutathione stores. Glutathione is our bodies' most potent defense against oxidative stress.
Research has demonstrated that a diet rich in high quality whey protein acts as a potent ACE inhibitor. Additional studies has shown that these whey peptides provide a second metabolic pathway for blood pressure control. As they fight oxidative stress they inhibit the release of other vessel constricting components such as endothelin-1.
Berries and Fruit Extracts Role:
Certain berries and fruit extracts also contain powerful anti-hypertensive effects. Grapes contain the polyphenol resveratrol that protects the blood vessel walls and improves the way these cells respond to metabolic shifts that affect blood pressure.
This nutrient appears to also reduce salt sensitive cases of hypertension. Resveratrol along with the anthocyanins found in berries also act to fight against the potent inflammatory factors caused by glycolysis.
10 Steps to Beat HyperTension:
Here are the best action steps to get started with on your journey to prevent and/or beat hypertension. You should always consult with your physician before stopping or changing medications or taking on new health strategies.
Additionally, you should be working with a functional health practitioner to help guide you through these strategies. This is not an exhaustive list and there are other natural therapeutic strategies that I and functional health practitioners will utilize to help individuals with high blood pressure.
1) Change Your Diet: Follow an Anti-Inflammatory nutrition plan here
2) Reduce Stress: Find ways to reduce stressful activities and enjoy more peace and calm. Learn to thrive under stress by reading this article here
3) Improve Your Sleep: Sleeping a high quality 8-9 hours each night is key to healing and improving blood flow. Follow the steps in this article to improve your sleep.
4) Use a High Quality Non-Denatured Whey Protein: If you don't have a dairy sensitivity, than this is a fantastic food for reducing blood pressure. Maximized Living is my favorite whey protein that I use on a regular basis. You can get that here
5) Include Magnesium Rich Foods: Magnesium helps to relax blood vessel walls. The best magnesium rich foods include dark green leafy veggies, grass-fed dairy, raw cacao and pumpkin seeds. You can also do Epsom salt baths to boost your magnesium levels.
6) Focus on Deep Breathing: Improving your posture, seeing a high quality chiropractor and optimizing your breathing patterns is highly recommended. Follow these tips here to improve your breathing patterns.
7) Ground Your Body: In our society we are surrounded by toxic electromagnetic frequency's (EMF's). By going outside daily and walking barefoot on grass, dirt or sand you absorb natural EMF's from the ground that balance your electrical rhythms. Follow the steps in this article here.
8) Consume Potassium Rich Foods: Potassium helps to lower blood pressure naturally. The best potassium rich foods include lemons & limes, avocados, dark green leafy veggies such as spinach and mushrooms.
9) Use Anti-Oxidant Rich Herbs: Add turmeric, ginger, oregano, garlic, basil, thyme and rosemary to as many dishes as possible and drink organic herbal teas on a regular basis.
10) Power up Your Nrf2 Pathway: This is the key genetic anti-oxidant pathway. Adding in clinical dosages of resveratrol, curcumin, sulfuraphane and Green tea ECGC can be extraordinarily beneficial.