Posts Tagged ‘blood-pressure’

Are All Herbal Supplements Good For You? 3 Potent, Potentially Toxic Herbal Supplements

Sep 18th, 11 / 0 Comments

By Sylvia Anderson, IH Editor

For those wanting to avoid unsafe pharmaceutical medications, there is an enormous selection of natural therapies and herbal supplements for just about every condition. Many times these supplements are just as effective (if not more) than mainstream drugs. But that doesn't mean you can take them like they’re Flintstone vitamins. You have to exercise caution when taking supplements.

High quality supplements are potent – otherwise they would not be as effective as they are. If they interact with other medication you are on, the results could be life-threatening. In addition, some supplements have potentially dangerous side effects on their own, especially if you have an underlying condition other than the one you wish to treat.

Here are three popular supplements that while effective could be potentially toxic. You want to use caution when taking these.

Yohimbe

Yohimbe is marketed as a sexual enhancement supplement. It’s taken as an aphrodisiac and also used to treat erectile dysfunction. Other claims include boosting energy levels, promoting eight loss, and relieving depression. The problem is yohimbe can cause spikes in blood pressure and rapid heart rate, which could lead to serious heart complications.

Although yohimbe is rumored to be beneficial for muscle building, strength enhancement, and fat loss only a few small trials have shown this to be true.

Other side effects include minor complaints such as tension and headaches. However anyone suffering from kidney disease or high blood pressure should avoid yohimbe altogether. Also, women who are or could become pregnant could be at risk for abortion if they take yohimbe. In addition, do not take yohimbe if you're currently using nasal decongestants or any substance that could contain ephedrine.

Bitter Orange

Bitter orange is marketed as a weight-loss supplement and as a treatment for allergies. The possible problem with bitter orange is that it contains chemicals similar to those found in ephedra. This means your heart rate and blood pressure could rise to dangerous levels.

Common side effects of bitter orange include fainting and migraine headaches. There is also a danger of heart attack or stroke. Avoid taking bitter orange with caffeine or other prescribed drugs that also increase blood pressure and heart rate. Never take bitter orange if you are taking over-the-counter medications.

Lobelia

People take lobelia as a natural remedy for asthma and bronchitis. It's also used as a diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, and anti-spasmodic. It has also been said to stimulate respiration and reduce inflammation.

However, it is potentially toxic and special care is advised when using it. Over dosing can cause weakness, heartburn, difficulty breathing, a weakened pulse, and collapse. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, seizure disorder, or tobacco sensitivity, you should not take lobelia.

Before taking any supplement, always look at your overall health and how that supplement could interact with any other prescription or over-the-counter drugs. A doctor knowledgeable about alternative and natural health could be the best person to guide you.

Heart Disease

3 Very Important Signs of High Blood Pressure

Jun 26th, 11 / 0 Comments

High blood pressure symptoms are not easily recognized, so it is alway a good idea to check your blood pressure often. Often hypertension will become more serious because it goes untreated until it reaches dangerous levels. In this article we will discuss some of the symptoms that are recognizable. By the way, one thing that has greatly helped lower my high blood pressure is Shakeology. Highly recommended, check out this Shakeology review.

Those with high blood pressure find that they frequently have nosebleeds.

While you could have a ruptured blood vessel or other issues not related to your blood pressure, it is still a good thing to check. Really a nosebleed is only a concern if it happens regularly. While anyone with hypertension can suffer from frequent nosebleeds, most commonly it occurs in those who are elderly. Your blood pressure could be at dangerously high levels and need to be controlled if you are getting nose bleeds caused by high blood pressure.

You may not show any other symptoms, the simple fact that you have a stressful life and find yourself easily angered and frustrated means you are at risk for high blood pressure. Even more so, those with Type A personalities on average have high blood pressure and heart disease. An early warning sign of high blood pressure is then stress. Regardless of your stress level in your job or lifestyle, you can still learn to relax and control your stress. If you learn these techniques it is less likely that you could develop high blood pressure.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a potential symptom of high blood pressure. Tinnitus can happen in many ways and there are lots of causes for it besides high blood pressure. If your case of tinnitus is stubborn and does not let up you should get checked out by your doctor because it might just be high blood pressure but it could also be an indicator of something more serious. Lots of times tinnitus is not related to any blatant medical issue and there are lots of ways to deal with its symptoms and it can be really annoying. However, it's important to make sure your tinnitus isn't being caused by high blood pressure, as this needs to be controlled as soon as possible.

Life threatening health issues can result from high blood pressure that is ignored. Having your blood pressure checked is a good way to stay in control of your health, as it's something that can be treated in many ways if you catch it early enough. Since high blood pressure is one of the leading health problems int he world today, it is important to know these symptoms we have discussed. Before you go, remember to check out this article on Shakeology cleanse directions.

Heart Disease

A Look at Typical High Blood Pressure Causes

May 31st, 11 / 0 Comments

High blood pressure is a health problem suffered by increasing numbers of people. People who have undiagnosed high blood pressure often end up suffering from serious illnesses because they allowed the problem to get worse without addressing it. The following are some of the factors that can cause high blood pressure. By the way, nutrition is also vital, so check out Shakeology. Be sure to check out this Shakeology review.

Women who are pregnant often experience high blood pressure, and while this is usually not severe, in some cases it must be controlled with certain medications. When blood pressure spikes to extreme levels during pregnancy it is called preeclampsia and is very dangerous for the baby and the mother. While women who had high blood pressure before becoming pregnant have a greater than average chance of having this problem, it can also occur in women with no history of hypertension. This is why monitoring blood pressure is so important during pregnancy.

One problem with high blood pressure is that, in many cases, there is no known cause. Doctors diagnose most cases of high blood pressure as essential hypertension, meaning there is not a specific cause that is known.

While many factors, such as age, diet, smoking and stress can contribute to it, even experts have not identified a specific cause in the majority of cases. Checking your blood pressure with a reliable device is the only way to know if it's at a healthy or unhealthy level. Whether or not the cause of hypertension can be pinpointed, there are ways to treat and manage it.

It's a fact that some types of food can contribute to high blood pressure. Doctors will recommend a low sodium diet because salt is known for causing high blood pressure. However, many nutritionists believe that lots of other foods, such as most junk foods, sugar and unhealthy fats can all contribute to high blood pressure as well. Most high blood pressure can be controlled with the right diet including vegetables and fruits. While your diet is one cause there are others.

People who have high blood pressure must look at how they eat, their way of life as well as genetics. With the help of your doctor, you can develop healthier habits to control your blood pressure. We've been looking at some of the causes of high blood pressure, and in some cases they can be fairly straightforward. Fortunately, you can always make healthy changes that will lower your blood pressure, no matter what the cause. Before you go, don't forget to read this article titled "Shakeology meal replacement shakes".

Heart Disease

3 Effective High Blood Pressure Remedies

Apr 20th, 11 / 0 Comments

There are lots of remedies for high blood pressure and the one that works best in your body will be dependent upon a few different factors. You need to figure out what is causing your hypertension and you need to talk to your doctor to figure out if you have any specific risk factors like kidney issues or diabetes. Here are some high blood pressure remedies that you might find helpful in lowering your blood pressure. It is very important to take care of this problem or it can lead to other problems down the line. By the way, a super way to improve your health is by making super healthy green smoothies with a Blendtec blender. Highly recommended, and an excellent way to strengthen your immune system.

Losing weight is one method of reducing your blood pressure. There is an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease in people who are overweight or obese.

While there are many diets you can go on, some more effective than others, you also have to get enough physical activity so you burn off the calories you want to lose. When you go on a diet it is vital that you focus both on portion size and the healthfulness of your foods. While losing weight and getting more exercise can help you lower your blood pressure sometimes medication is also needed, especially if the level was extraordinarily high.

Another option for reducing your blood pressure is through practicing yoga, breathing exercises, qi gong or any exercise that is designed to reduce your stress. Proper breathing is important for you to keep healthy levels of oxygen in your blood system, and this can be learned through meditation classes or DVDs or even online programs. An added bonus to learning proper breathing techniques is weight loss when you choose vigorous forms of yoga. Exercises or practices, regardless of what they are as long as they help you relax, can be helpful to lower your blood pressure.

For treatment of common ailments as well as high blood pressure, you can try apple cider vinegar. A tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar will need to be mixed with a teaspoon of raw honey to easily take this. Take this two or three times per day, and it has a tonic effect on the body and can help to control blood pressure. Apple cider vinegar helps to balance the sodium levels in your body, along with other things that need a good natural source of potassium. While helpful, to realistically control your high blood pressure you will need to pay attention to your diet as well as your daily habits. To sum up, high blood pressure is potentially life threatening and it has a variety of causes. However, because it is usually brought on by lifestyle habits and other things you can control, that means that you can usually use natural treatments to reverse it like getting more exercise and taking supplements. You can treat your hypertension with all of the methods talked about in this article. For the most part, however, your health (and high blood pressure) is under your control. Last but not least, don't forget to look at our Blendtec reviews.

Heart Disease

What are the risks of getting pregnant with Moderate Congestive heart Failure?

May 25th, 10 / 1 Comment

I am 31 and had a heart condtion that has turned into congestive heart failure. I have no children, and have been put on Coreg (heart medication) and Avapro (to dialate my blood vessels and lower my blood pressure) if we can get my heart stronger my husband wants me to try to have our own child, but i think its to risky. I have an ejection fraction right now of 35% and BNP of 465 currently. Any advise? I think its to much of a risk for my heart...i would love to hear from anyone.


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