Nine Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure

By Bernie Noe, ND

High blood pressure is typically a silent disease, producing few or no symptoms while increasing the risk for heart attack, stroke, vision problems and kidney disease. There are two basic types of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension: primary (essential) and secondary. Secondary hypertension has an identifiable cause such as kidney disease, adrenal tumors or drugs, although this type is relatively rare compared to the much more prevalent primary hypertension. Primary hypertension is considered to have no identifiable cause. However, from a naturopathic perspective most people with primary hypertension do have an identifiable cause – diet and lifestyle.

All of the following are known risk factors for high blood pressure. Addressing these factors can lower blood pressure in many people.

Reduce salt– Too much salt in the diet causes the body to retain water, which raises blood pressure. About one-third of people with hypertension are salt sensitive and will see a reduction in blood pressure when they reduce their salt intake. Salt (or sodium) is found in most processed foods, especially soups, sauces, cheese and chips – all nutrition labels indicate sodium amounts. People with high blood pressure should limit their daily intake of sodium to less than 1500 mg per day (the average American consumes 3300-4200 mg daily).

Reduce alcohol– While alcohol in moderation,may lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, alcohol in excess can raise blood pressure. In general, men should limit alcohol to two drinks per day or less and women to one per day or less. Those with high blood pressure may benefit from further reductions.

Quit tobacco– In addition to raising blood pressure, tobacco raises the risk of heart attack and stroke in other ways, including by increasing the risk of forming blood clots.

Increase physical activity– In addition to raising blood pressure, lack of physical activity tends to cause weight gain and inflammation, both of which are risk factors for heart attack and stroke. The minimum guideline for physical activity is 30 minutes daily of moderate intensityexercise. Optimal is 45-60 minutes per day.

Increase fruits and vegetables— Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium and fiber, both of which lower blood pressure.Countless studies have found that those with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables are at the lowest risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, most cancer, and many other chronic diseases. The minimum intake is 5 servings per day, while optimum intake is 8-10 servings per day.

Decrease sugar and flour— High glycemic foods such as sugar and flour can increase blood pressure, in addition to raising cholesterol, weight and inflammation. All of these are risks for heart attack and stroke. Those who have high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol or are overweight are especially likely to benefit from this. Added sugars such as dessert, soda and maple syrup should be eliminated and all grains should be whole grains and consumption limited to once daily.

Lose weight– Being overweight tends to increase blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for heart attack and stroke. Physical activity, avoiding sugar and flour and eating lots of fruits and vegetables are great ways to promote weight loss.

Decrease caffeine– Studies on the impact of caffeine on blood pressure are mixed. Some people with high blood pressure may benefit from reducing caffeine intake.

Avoid food allergens— In some people, food allergies may contribute to high blood pressure. Blood allergy testing, which is available through most naturopathic physicians, is an easy way to determine if you are allergic.

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension), which combines many of the recommendations listed above, has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by 10 or more points. In addition to the above dietary and lifestyle factors, nutrients such as coenzyme Q10, L-arginine, magnesium, and vitamin C and a variety of herbal medicines including rauwolfia can be effective at lowering blood pressure. For most people with primary hypertension, however, addressing the dietary and lifestyle factors listed above will be adequate to lower blood pressure.

Dr. Bernie Noe is a licensed Naturopathic Physician in the state of Vermont and a graduate of Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. He is the president of Green Mountain Wellness Solutions in Montpelier, Vermont.

Dr. Noe is a three-time winner of the Vermont Governor’s Gold Medal Worksite Wellness Award for his innovative “Jump Start to Better Health” wellness program for the Vermont Automobile Dealers Association. He is a past officer of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and past-president of the Vermont Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

What is your Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)?

I am wondering what nutrients I need to take daily and I found this website that asks me for my age and gender and automatically computes for my recommended daily intake.


It says: 


Here are the recommended dietary allowances (RDA), according to the US Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), for nutrients for a male, age = 39 years.

Click on our list of nutrients which includes all vitamins and minerals. Each link gives a description of sources, benefits, 3D pictures and the problems that deficiency may cause. 

(Note: nutrients with a star indicate Adequate Intake or AI because no RDA can be established)

Nutrients	Needed	My Essentials
vitamin A	900 mcg	3750 IU
vitamin C	90 mg	112.5 mg
vitamin D	5* mcg	3.75 mcg
vitamin E	15 mg	16 IU
vitamin K	120* mcg	15 mcg
thiamin	1.2 mg	1.8 mg
riboflavin	1.3 mg	1.95 mg
niacin	16 mg	10 mg
vitamin B6	1.3 mg	1.95 mg
foliate	400 mcg	250 mcg
vitamin B12	2.4 mcg	3.6 mcg
pantothenic	5* mg	22.5 mg
biotin	30* mcg	75 mcg
choline	550* mg	25 mg
calcium	1,000* mg	68.34 mg
chromium	35* mcg	.075 mg
copper	900 mcg	.5 mg
fluoride	4* mg	n/a
iodine	150 mcg	56 mcg
iron	8 mg	n/a
magnesium	420 mg	75 mg
manganese	2.3* mg	1.25 mg
molybdenum	45 mcg	.013 mg
phosphorus	700 mg	n/a
selenium	55 mcg	51 mcg
zinc	11 mg	5.025 mg
potassium	4.7* g	As Iodide & Vit C
sodium	1.5* g	n/a
chloride	2.3* g	n/a

Do you want to know What your RDA is?

Know more about the My Essentials?

Your Liver Has a Schedule to Follow

Be Good to Your Liver

The liver is the largest single gland in the body. It is located on the right side of the abdomen under the lower ribs and just under the diaphragm which divides the chest from the abdomen. Liver performs a number of important functions in the body. When the liver is healthy it works very smoothly.

Causes of Liver Damage

Most of the foods we eat are stored in the liver, after having been digested and absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The liver has another very important function, that of detoxifying or destroying many harmful poisons and even certain medicines that are taken into the body for other purposes. When the liver is sick these functions are impaired and soon the whole body suffers. Not only does the liver store food materials, it also produces bile, a golden-yellowish liquid that is needed for the absorption of fat from the intestine. Another important substance produced in the liver is cholesterol, part of which passes into the bile. It may even form stones in the bile ducts and gall bladder under certain conditions.

The main causes of liver damage are:

•      Sleeping too late and waking up too late are the main cause.
•         Not urinating in the morning.
•         Too much eating.
•         Skipping breakfast.
•         Consuming too much medication.
•         Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
•         Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
•         Consuming overly done foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

 We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "liver functioning schedule."

Liver Functioning Schedule

•         Evening at 9 - 11pm : is the time for eliminating unnecessary toxic chemicals (de-toxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes).This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time one is still in an unrelaxed state such as socializing, drinking, eating out, this will have a negative impact on health.
•          Evening at 11 PM - 1 AM: is the de-toxification process in the liver,and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.
•          Early morning 1-3 AM: de-toxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.
•          Early morning 3-5 AM: de-toxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the de-toxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.
•          Morning 5-7 AM: de-toxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.
•          Morning 7-9 AM: absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 -10am rather than no meal at all.

      Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals.

      Aside from that, midnight to 4am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

 I have downloaded this article in the past but can not find it's website anymore. It's heading says Knowledge Based Software.

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One of the Strongest Anti-Oxidants on the Market

Did you know the many benefits of USANA’s Proflavanol^® C 100? This powerful combination of Grapeseed Extract and Poly C (USANA’s highly absorbable form of Vitamin C) is one of the strongest antioxidants on the market; it flushes your system of toxins, counteracts free radicals, builds your immune system and is an anti-inflammatory (great for allergies, asthma, etc.) With the weather erratically changing, be sure to have extra Proflavanol C 100 on hand.

Proflavanol C 100 employs USANA’s innovative Nutritional Hybrid Technology. This state-of-the-art approach to formula design and manufacture features bilayer tableting: the separation of various formula ingredients into two distinct tablet layers. This form allows the grape-seed bioflavonoids and vitamin C work together to provide advanced antioxidant protection.

The best benefit you can get from Proflavanol C 100 is it really boosts your immune system quickly and continues to boost it over time.  

1. Take at least two Proflavanol C 100 per day or as needed

2. Best to have an medicine box with it for emergencies – if you feel a cold coming on, a scratchy throat, low energy, etc.  Give to significant others too if they need it .

3. When you are stressed, over-worked, tired, have been around sick people or feel like you’re about to come down with something – take 6 Proflavanol C 100′s per day for 2-3 days – this will boost your immune system very quickly.

4. If you have had an overly rich meal or have drank more alcohol than usual – which of course no Live Well client ever does  – take 2-3 extra Proflavanol C 100’s at night before you go to bed with LOTS of water – this will help to detox your body more quickly.  You won’t have a hangover because it is an anti-inflammatory; take them with a big glass of water.

5. If you work out quite a bit – Proflavanol C 100 is also really good for your immune system, recovery. etc. – you should be taking at least four per day.

6. When you travel, fly, or are in different surroundings with a different routine – take six Proflavanol C 100 each day – again, this will help your body adjust and cope with extra stress.

7. If you have Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, or Epstein Barr, this is the product that will really, really help your immune system (in addition to the Essentials or Health Pak 100).

8. In short – take at least TWO Proflavanol C 100 per day normally, FOUR if you are an active person or feel you need more energy.  SIX during the day if you are under the weather, stressed, over-worked, tired, “coming down with something”, traveling and TWO-THREE extra at night if you have “overindulged”  As Dr. Ladd McNamara says, you can’t “overdose” on Proflavanol C 100 (within reason – I’m sure you wouldn’t want to take 2 bottles at one time), so you don’t have to get too caught up in remembering exact numbers 

Massive Benefits of Proflavanol C

Pregnancy and Healthy Diet

Eat right to help prevent complications during pregnancy. -E.C.

Consume a healthy diet during pregnancy to help optimize your baby's growth and development.

Consuming adequate amounts of certain key nutrients during pregnancy is important for optimal fetal health and development. According to the American Dietetic Association, many women in the United States do not consume proper nutrition before, during and after pregnancy. The American Dietetic Association also reports that maintaining a good nutritional status during pregnancy, which includes gaining the appropriate amount of weight, staying physically active, consuming a variety of healthy foods, taking appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements, safe food handling and avoiding tobacco and alcohol, can help prevent birth defects, chronic health problems in children and suboptimal fetal growth and development.

Calorie Needs

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports that on average, pregnant women need about 300 extra calories per day compared with non-pregnant women. This recommended calorie increase is usually less than 300 calories per day during your first trimester and more than 300 calories per day during your third trimester of pregnancy.

Pregnancy Weight Gain

If your pre-pregnancy body weight was within a healthy range, the American College of Nurse Midwives recommends you gain between 25 and 35 pounds over the course of your pregnancy. If you were overweight or obese when you became pregnant, your obstetrician may recommend you gain less than 25 pounds, and if you were underweight when you conceived your obstetrician may encourage you to gain up to 40 pounds over the course of your pregnancy.

Protein during Pregnancy

Pregnant women require significantly more protein on a daily basis compared to non-pregnant women. The Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board advises pregnant women to consume at least 71 grams of protein each day, compared to a minimum requirement of 46 grams per day for non-pregnant women. High-protein foods for pregnant women include lean beef, chicken, eggs, low-fat dairy products, soy protein, nuts and seeds.

Vitamins and Minerals

Key vitamins and minerals during pregnancy include folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D and iodine. Most prenatal supplements contain these nutrients, but check the label to be sure. The Institute of Medicine's minimum daily requirements for these key nutrients during pregnancy include 15 micrograms of vitamin D, 600 micrograms of folic acid, 1,300 milligrams of calcium for pregnant women ages 18 and under, 1,000 milligrams of calcium for pregnant women ages 19 and up, 27 milligrams of iron and 220 micrograms of iodine each day.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for proper fetal growth and development. If your prenatal vitamin doesn't contain omega-3s, especially DHA, ask your obstetrician about taking a prenatal DHA supplement. The American Pregnancy Association recommends all pregnant women consume at least 300 milligrams of DHA on a daily basis. Fish is a good source of DHA, but should be limited during pregnancy due to the presence of mercury. Purified fish oil supplements usually contain little or no harmful contaminants such as mercury.

It's important to avoid certain types of food during pregnancy. These include undercooked meats, unpasteurized dairy products, unheated hot dogs or deli meats, soft cheese such as Brie or feta and high-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, pregnant women should limit fish consumption to 12 ounces per week of low-mercury selections such as salmon, canned light tuna, shrimp, catfish or pollock, and limit albacore tuna consumption to 6 ounces or less per week.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

Read more at Suite101: Healthy Pregnancy Diet  |Suite101 by Doc Erin 

USANA and Pregnancy

Part of a program of lifelong nutrition is recognizing that we all have different nutritional needs, and that our individual needs change as we move from one life stage to the next. For each one of us, a unique combination of age, sex, lifestyle, and other considerations demand a nutritional program that is both customized and flexible.

USANA nutritionals comprise both the Essentials and Optimizers to successfully meet this challenge

A healthy baby begins with a healthy mom, so start as soon as possible to prepare your body and mind for motherhood. Pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding times in a woman’s life. The Essentials ™ products provide the foundation of Usana’s nutritional system. The optimizers allow you to customize that nutritional system for your individual needs.

Reference: http://www.supplements-natural.com/Pregnancy.php

Planning to Have a Fruits and Vegetables DIET?

They stare at you from packed shelves in the grocery Store and scream buy me with their bright shiny reds, glossy greens and mellow yellows but these fresh fruits and veggies have lost some of their nutritional punch!

Our grocery Stores are always well stocked with a good looking selection of fruits and vegetables but today the individual nutritional value of these once more powerful products are not what they used to be. 

Less than 50 years ago, an apple was just an apple and a broccoli just a broccoli but according to recent analysis1, they've lost some of the nutritional punch they once had.   Over-farming the soils in which they are grown has leached most of the natural minerals and nutrients out of the soil leaving little to promote natural growth.

• In fact, growing produce in the same soils year after year would be impossible without modern chemistry.  Note: Organic produce has not suffered the same fate at all.

• A look at USDA and Health Canada foods guides of today vs. 40-50 years ago provides an insight into the nutrient decline and reinforces the need to top up our fresh food selections to the recommended 10 servings/day, or more.

DR. Tim Lang, a professor at the Centre for Food Policy in London, England said. "We think of an orange as a constant, but the reality is it isn't."

"In fact, you would have to eat eight oranges today to get the same amount of vitamin A your grandparents got from a single orange. And you would need to eat five to get the same level of iron"

The analysis1 examined food tables that were prepared by government researchers in 1951, 1972 and 1999, comparing the nutrients available from 100 grams samples.

In the USA, UK and Canada the results were almost identical.  The U.K. research was published in the British Food Journal, a peer-reviewed, scientific publication and according to the reports data on nutritional comparisons:

• 80% of foods tested showed a substantial drop in Calcium and Iron
•  75% had a large drop in Vitamin A
• 50% lost considerable Vitamin C and Riboflavin
• 33% lost thiamine and 12% lost niacin

What About My Apples and Broccoli?

In the analysis, the biggest loser was broccoli, a food that epitomizes healthy eating. All seven of its measurable nutrients showed a massive drop, notably calcium which fell 63% and iron which dropped 34%. It's often cited as a big source of calcium and iron.

Other examples indicate the amount of vitamin C in sweet peppers has decreased 24% and vitamin A in apples has dropped by 41% according to USDA 1961 vs. 2001 data.

What Can A Person Do

Most people know they should be eating a nutrient rich diet but over 65% of people in North America do not even get the recommended minimum of 5 servings a day. Complicating this situation are the many nutrient poor foods (manufactured, processed and fast-foods) that have been introduced over the past 50 years.

These "foods" are substances our body does not really recognize as foods because we were not biologically engineered or wired for them.  Worse!  These "foods" are so well marketed that a majority of people now consider them food! 

The simple answer is to feed the body what it has always known and thrived on for virtually as long as we have been here on this planet.  The practical answer is to take personal control of our diets and ensure they contain at least the "average" 10 servings of fresh veggies/fruits each and every day and opt for organics whenever possible.

Given our lifestyles today often impede our ability to eat perfectly well 3 times a day,  good quality nutritional supplementation can play a vital role in delivering essential  nutrients to the body thus filling in those nutritional gaps.  Tip: pack your own lunch!

Reposted from http://www.healthyyounaturally.com

Are MultiVitamins Safe to Take?

By Anthony Gucciardi- Activist Post

Over the past 27 years — the complete timeframe that the data has been available —  there have been 0 deaths as a result of vitamins and over 3 million deaths related to prescription drug use in the USA alone. In fact, going back 54 years there have only been 11 claims of vitamin-related death, all of which provided no substantial evidence to link vitamins to the cause of death. The news comes after a recent statistically analysis found that pharmaceutical drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in the US.

In 2009, drugs exceeded the amount of traffic-related deaths, killing at least 37,485 people nationwide.

The findings go against the claims of mainstream medical ‘experts’  and mainstream media outlets who often push the idea that multivitamins are detrimental to your health, and that prescription drugs are the only science-backed option to improving your health. While essential nutrients like vitamin D are continually being shown to slash your risk of disease such as diabetes and cancer, prescription pharmaceuticals are continually being linked to such conditions. In fact, the top-selling therapeutic class pharmaceutical drug has been tied to the development of diabetes and even suicide, and whistleblowers are just now starting to speak out despite studies as far back as the 80s highlighting the risks.

Mainstream medical health officials were recently forced to speak out over the danger of antipsychotic drugs, which millions of children have been prescribed since 2009. U.S. pediatric health advisers blew the whistle over the fact that these pharmaceuticals can lead to diabetes and even suicide, the very thing they aim to prevent. What is even more troubling is that half of all Americans will be diagnosed with a mental conditionduring their lifetime thanks to lack of diagnosis guidelines currently set by the medical establishment, of which many cases will lead to the prescription of antipsychotics and other similar medications.

Covering up the side effects

In order to protect sales, the link between suicide and antipsychotic drugs was completely covered up by Eli Lilly & Co, the makers of Prozac. Despite research stretching as far back as the 1980s finding that Prozac actually leads to suicide, the company managed to hide the evidence until a Harvard psychiatrist leaked the information into the press. The psychiatrist, Martin Teicher, stated that the American people were being treated like guinea pigs in a massive pharmaceutical experiment.

Greedy and oftentimes prescription-happy doctors are handing out antipsychotic medication like candy to adults and young children alike. In 2008, antipsychotics became the top-selling therapeutic class prescription drug in the United States and grossing over $14 billion in sales.

Antipsychotic drugs are not the only dangerous pharmaceuticals. The average drug label contains 70 side effects, though many popular pharmaceuticals have been found to contain 100 to 125. Some drugs, prescribed by doctors to supposedly improve your health, come with over 525 negative reactions.

Ritalin, for example, has been linked to conditions including:

·         Increased blood pressure

·         Increased heart rate

·         Increased body temperature

·         Increased alertness

·         Suppressed appetite

Perhaps the hundreds of negative side effects is part of the reason why the FDA announced last year that it is pulling more than 500 cold and allergy off the market due to health concerns. Prescription drugs kill more people than traffic accidents, and come with up to 525 negative side effects. Avoiding these drugs and utilizing high quality organic alternatives like whole food-based multivitamins and green superfoods will lead to a total health transformation without harsh side effects and an exponentially increased death risk.