According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, nearly HALF of American adults currently have high blood pressure, with readings at or above 130/80. 

And as if that’s not disturbing enough, hypertension is also affecting our kids! 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 25 kids in the US — about 1.3 million — ages 12 to 19 have hypertension!   

Other research estimates that between 4.7 and 19.4 percent of American children have high blood pressure.   

Why in the world? 

It’s one thing when a condition like hypertension affects adults, because as we age, the biological clock and other factors may catch up with us and bite us in the derriere. 

But this is now happening with our kids to the tune of up to 20 percent of them? 

When that many people of ALL age brackets are suffering from a condition, you’ve got to ask yourself what the triggering factor may be here, because it’s certainly something widespread. 

For example, although excessive alcohol consumption is associated with high blood pressure, I would suspect that that doesn’t apply to 20 percent of our kids. 

Same goes for medication use.  Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), birth control pills, antipsychotics and steroids can all raise blood pressure, but I don’t think those are heavily used by our children. 

So what is it? 

Well, one thing that applies to people of ALL ages is the fact that we eat. 

And when it comes to diet, both adults and kids are guilty of some of the unhealthiest eating habits, and this is most assuredly a major factor behind our elevated BP readings! 

But the good news is that just as the wrong diet can raise blood pressure, the right one can help lower it! 

Here’s what I mean. 

To eat or not to eat—foods to adore and abhor with high blood pressure 

What not to eat! 

Although it may seem highly simplified, if you can stay away from the typical modern diet -- fast food, processed foods, refined carbs and sugars, soda and unhealthy fats (like seed oils, vegetable oils, margarine and “buttery spreads”), I promise you will see your blood pressure plummet. 

That’s because these garbage foods that are staples in our “Standard American Diet” (SAD—an appropriate acronym) contain copious amounts of substances that are guaranteed to raise your blood pressure off the charts, among other things. 

These include the following: 

Salt—causes your body to retain water, thereby increasing blood volume and raising your blood pressure.     

Sugar—leads to obesity, which is a high blood pressure risk factor in and of itself.  In addition, repeated influxes of glucose in your bloodstream from a diet high in sugar and refined carbs (which turn to sugar upon digestion) stir up arterial inflammation which in turn raises your blood pressure.   

(Lack of) Potassium—Being low in potassium can cause elevated calcium levels, which in turn makes the smooth muscle cells in your arteries contract, raising your blood pressure.  The “SAD” is abysmal in terms of its potassium content, so many people are running low. 

Unhealthy fats—inflammatory seed oils can impair your cells’ mitochondria (where the cell’s energy is produced), making them unable to function properly.  This can lead to damage in the lining of your blood vessels and can make your fat cells more insulin sensitive, and cause insulin resistance.  And as you can surmise, both of these can raise your high blood pressure! 

What to eat! 

On the flip side, although it’s tempting to say, “Just avoid garbage foods!” there are certain foods that are extremely helpful with high blood pressure. 

These include: 

• Vegetables—especially asparagus, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach, arugula, beets and celery  
• Onions and garlic 
• Fresh herbs and spices including thyme, basil, rosemary, coriander and turmeric  
• Fatty fish, preferably wild-caught salmon 
• Healthy fats--including avocado, olive and coconut oils, and real butter  
• Nuts and seeds like almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, flaxseed and pistachios 
• Fruits such as blueberries, apples, peaches, plums, strawberries, cherries, pears and bananas  

 

But generally speaking, the more you just avoid processed and fast foods and stick to wholesome real foods, you will be doing a tremendous favor for your body, and it will thank you! 

Embrace the power of supplemental nutrients too! 

In addition to making healthier diet choices, one of the best supplements to help lower blood pressure is Omega-3 fish oil.  

Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been PROVEN to lower blood pressure and increasing numbers of doctors are advising their patients to up their Omega-3 intake. 

One of the best ways to engage this natural anti-inflammatory and help lower blood pressure is to take a pure, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3. 

VitalMega-3 provides 1,000 mg of inflammation-taming Omega-3 fats in every 2-capsule dose, including the EPA and DHA fats that are crucial to brain and heart health. 

In addition, Vitamin B12 is crucial to maintaining healthy blood pressure because it helps control your blood level of homocysteine.   

Homocysteine is a normal by-product of protein digestion, but if too much of it builds up in your blood, it can raise your blood pressure.   

Unfortunately, B12 is a very common deficiency, thanks to our widespread use of acid reducers since stomach acid is needed to metabolize and absorb B12.  In addition dietary sources of B12 are limited.   

But you can help ensure your body has what it needs with Hydroxaden 2.5 oral Vitamin B spray! 

Hydroxaden 2.5 is a great-tasting, convenient way to make sure your body has enough of this vital nutrient. 

Just five sprays under your tongue each day delivers a health-supporting 2.5 mg of Vitamin B12, along with helpful doses of Vitamins B2, B3 and B6.   

Now you are on the road to healthier blood pressure for both you and your children! 

To your health, 

Sherry Brescia