This recent article update seemed to have hit a nerve for some.  Mostly because not only are there so many of us out here suffering from, or trying to control high blood pressure, but also because everywhere you turn now the buzzword seems to be ‘Inflammation.’

The small post from Sunday morning referenced recent articles that highlighted studies (mostly in mice and rats) that focused on hypertension and inflammation.

The inflammation in the hypertensive rats and mice was all over the board.  Renal, arterial, hepatic, pleural and arthroscopic inflammation was studied as it affected the blood pressure for the little critters, and eventually they looked at the effects of using antioxidants to reduce the inflammation.

Sitting, breathing and chanting does more for blood pressure than most commonly prescribed medications, a research team from the Medical College of Wisconsin found. The research reveals the importance of monitoring and limiting stress for those with high blood pressure.

In this research study, a group of 200 men at risk for heart disease were asked to perform Transcendental Meditation everyday for twenty minutes. After a few weeks, important heart disease risk factors –including high blood pressure—fell dramatically. The results of the study were so dramatic that a spokesman from the National Institute of Mental Health in the UK remarked, “If Transcendental Meditation were a drug conferring so many benefits, it would be a billion-dollar blockbuster.”

Our all-natural blood pressure program uses mind/body exercises that are even more powerful than meditation. You can check them out here…

Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

Back to the reader files we go with this installment of our Natural Health Blog.  Readers and clients write in a lot concerning what they are taking and when with respect to their prescription drugs, and they almost always will go on to disclose a supplement (or five or ten) they are also taking.

Sometimes, we find that folks are using the natural, herbal world to make their nutrition a more complete picture.  Other times they are taking something that helps to correct a disease process that is a result of a deficiency, as with iron, calcium, or vitamin D shortages.

But occasionally, we come across disclosures that raise a flag, as in the cases relating to people who are on serious prescription drugs and also supplementing from nature with highly concentrated herbal supplements or mineral compounds.

Many times, there are no interactions.  In fact, some herbal supplements actually help a drug to be either better absorbed or to be more effective.  An example might be people taking fish oil capsules as well as hormone replacement regimens (whether natural or herbal).

Frequently, the visitors to our site are people who are on a certain treatment plan, but they are disappointed with the results of it.  This disappointment can range anywhere from the ineffectiveness of the pill to the side effects that tag along.

Many times it is both, but one complaint that we hear a lot rests solely in side effects: The medicine makes my ankles swell.

This is not an uncommon side effect. In fact, a quick review of the warning labels of ten of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure medications reveals that all carry a warning on the label of swollen feet or ankles and to alert the doctor when it occurs.

Calcium channel blockers are the most common culprits when ankle swelling is a problem.

If you’re looking to drop pounds it may be time to take note of your brain’s opinion on the subjects, a research team from the University of Illinois reports. The study tracked changes in the brains of obese mice that were suddenly calorie restricted.

The researchers found that alterations in the brain increased appetite and cravings for calorie-rich foods soon after caloric restriction. The scientists note that suddenly and dramatically reducing the amount of food that you eat may actually be counterproductive. Instead, they advise you to “trick” your brain by making small changes over time.

For easy breezy way to lose weight…

Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

PS: Comment on this article here…

http://blueheronhealthnews.com/blog/?p=1927

Reducing calories as part of a dieting bout is common fare for type 2 diabetics. However, a new research study conducted by scientists at the Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre found that a short-term intervention of extreme calorie cutting can improve symptoms of type 2 diabetes dramatically.

The study assigned a group of long-standing type 2 diabetics to a very low calorie liquid diet that consisted of only 600 calories per day for 7-days. Remarkably, blood sugar levels returned to normal by the end of the 7-day bout. The researchers note that the mini-fast allows the pancreas and liver to clear out excess accumulated fat –which pushes the reset button on carbohydrate metabolism.

More natural ways to fight type 2 diabetes (and win)…

All the Best,

Shelly Manning

I have often been guilty of letting this thought run through my mind when I read some of the commentary related to people asking for help with their snoring issues.

The latest comes from a reader in Alabama who asked me to share her story as not only a caution to others, but also as a reassurance of hope.

Have you seen Medicine Man with Sean Connery? It was a predictable but engaging tale about how a scientist found a cure for cancer in the jungles of the Amazon Rain Forest, and how the cure was being destroyed by deforestation.

There are examples everywhere as to how a miracle pill started out as a plant…most notably with Digitalis. This plant-based drug is used to treat heart failure.

However, it is also known to be horrendously toxic, especially to children, pets, pregnant women, and animals.

So careful control over its use is required. But not all plant-based formulations are as readily obvious in their toxicity and contra-indications as foxglove.

Take Emulin, for example.

Including extra virgin olive oil into your diet is enough to significantly reduce high blood pressure, reports a study published in this week’s “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” The study which investigated the effects of olive oil intake on high blood pressure in 27 thousand women, found a strong protective effect of olive oil on high blood pressure.

Those that consumed the highest levels of olive oil were 50 percent less likely to suffer from high blood pressure over the 7 and a half year follow up period. The researchers explain that olive oil’s high levels of antioxidants and good fats may reduce inflammation –thus turning down the dial on blood pressure. Opt for extra virgin olive oil over standard olive oil as it contains more healthy fats and antioxidants.

More simple ways to bring down stubborn blood pressure here…

Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

Type 2 diabetes is often considered an incurable disease that one has to manage throughout their life. However, a new research study out of Newcastle University found that cutting back on calories is enough to help insulin producing cells in the pancreas reproduce.

In this research study, 11 people with type 2 diabetes were asked to cut their calories to approximately 600 calories per day for 8-weeks. They found that just one week of this low-calorie diet brought blood sugar levels back to normal. By the end of the study their pancreas were able to produce insulin relatively normally –nearly to that of non-diabetics.

More natural ways to reverse type 2 diabetes…

To the Best of Health,

Jodi Knapp