Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > High Tide > Tue, 07 Sep 2004 08:38:30 -0400 > > High Tide > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > September 07, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > " A rising tide " is how researchers described the > sharp increase in > U.S. cases of high blood pressure (hypertension) in > a report from the > Department of Health and Human Services last month. > The report didn't > speculate on the cause of the increase or how to go > about reversing it > with treatment. > > But treating hypertension is not the same as > treating a disease; high > blood pressure is a symptom that indicates the > presence of a larger > health problem. This is why the primary steps to > address hypertension > also provide sound advice for maintaining general > good health: stop > smoking, exercise, maintain a proper body weight, > don't drink too much > alcohol, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables > (choosing whole foods > over processed), and don't eat junk food. You can't > go wrong following > those guidelines. > > Now a new study shows that there may be another item > to add to that > list. > > --------------------------- > > A little goes a long way > --------------------------- > > > In a recent issue of the Archives of Internal > Medicine, researchers in > Taiwan reported on the long-term effects of tea > consumption on > hypertension. > > The Taiwan team recruited a group of about 1,500 > subjects, aged 20 > years or older, who had no history of hypertension. > For one year, > researchers used dietary questionnaires and medical > exams to gather > data. After adjusting for variables such as age, > gender and family > history of hypertension, and lifestyle factors such > as smoking and > physical activity, the researchers produced these > results: > > * About 600 subjects consumed at least half a cup of > either black or > green tea each day for one year or more > > * Among those who drank between half a cup to two > cups of tea daily, > the risk of developing hypertension decreased by > more than 45 percent > > * Among those who drank more than two cups of tea > each day, the risk > of developing hypertension was reduced by 65 percent > > * Tea consumption of any amount for more than one > year was not > associated with any additional reduction of > hypertension risk > > Some previous studies have concluded that > hypertension is not affected > by tea drinking over short periods. So further > studies will be needed > to confirm the possibility that daily tea drinking > over a year or more > may provide protective benefits. > > --------------------------- > > Our Italian restaurant > --------------------------- > > But if your blood > pressure is only > moderately high, there are a number of simple > dietary changes (beyond > drinking a daily cup of tea) that may help bring > hypertension under > control. > > In the e-Alert " Lower Your Blood Pressure Without > Side Effects " > (8/23/01), I told you about studies that have shown > that fresh garlic > can lower blood pressure (as well as improve your > heart health in a > number of other ways). And fresh onions are also > reputed to help thin > blood and lower blood pressure. In one widely > reported study from > Germany, researchers demonstrated that a combination > of chopped onions > and olive oil led to a significant decrease in blood > pressure within > just a few days. > > --------------------------- > > Salty dog > --------------------------- > > > And then there's the salt question. > > Virtually everyone – from grocery clerks to the > Surgeon General – will > tell you that you must cut back on salt to lower > high blood pressure. > But in recent years this idea has been reexamined > and questioned. > > According to the late Robert C. Atkins, M.D., the > problem for those > with high blood pressure isn't sodium, it's a lack > of balance between > sodium and potassium levels. More than 25 separate > studies show how > increasing potassium intake (without decreasing the > sodium) is an > effective way to lower blood pressure. One of those > studies > demonstrated that with just one daily serving of a > potassium-rich food > the risk of death by stroke may be cut by as much as > half. > > Fortunately, it's easy to increase the potassium in > your diet. High > potassium fruits include apricots, bananas, > cantaloupe, honeydew melon > and citrus fruits. Vegetables with good amounts of > potassium are > asparagus, potatoes, green beans, avocados, lima > beans, winter squash, > and cauliflower. Other foods high in potassium: > grain products, red > meat, poultry, seafood and dry beans, such as peas > and lentils. > > It would be difficult to get too much potassium from > dietary sources > alone. But if you're already getting plenty of > potassium in your diet, > a potassium supplement would be unnecessary for most > people, and in > some extreme cases could lead to kidney damage and > other > complications. Obviously, balance is called for. And > – as always – > talk to your doctor, dietician or health care > practitioner before > using supplements to help manage high blood > pressure. > > And one more salt note: If you do find that > decreased sodium intake > makes a difference in your blood pressure, you might > consider > switching to sea salt. Used in moderation, Celtic > Sea Salt has been > shown to have no negative effects on blood pressure > and actually > provides the body with a number of helpful minerals, > including > magnesium. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > A note from the Animal House... > > It may sound odd to some, but the use of alternative > techniques (such > as acupuncture or massage therapy) is becoming more > and more common > for treating the health problems of pets. > > And I've witnessed this first hand. For a little > over a year now, I've > had my dogs treated for arthritis, anxiety and > allergies using > acupuncture. So I wasn't entirely surprised when I > came across a > recent Washington Post article that detailed these > remarkable success > stories: > > * Veterinarians recommended surgery as the only hope > of survival for a > 6-year-old dog whose hind legs were paralyzed. > Instead, the dog's > owner turned to acupuncture, which restored the > dog's ability to walk. > The dog lived for another seven years. > > * A 3-year-old dog, paralyzed by a herniated disc, > fully recovered its > ability to walk and run after several months of > acupuncture. > > * After a degenerative neurological disorder left a > 14-year-old dog > unable to move its rear legs, swimming therapy > restored much of the > use of the legs and gave the dog an energy boost as > well. Swimming > therapy (sometimes used on thoroughbred horses) has > been shown to > relieve arthritis and strengthen muscles without > putting pressure on > joints. > > In addition to swimming therapy and acupuncture, > some vets use Chinese > herbal formulations and deep tissue massage, which > stimulates > circulation and eases inflammation, just as it does > in humans. > According to an American Animal Hospital Association > (AAHA) survey, > massage is the most common alternative therapy for > pets. Some > veterinary clinics even offer classes in animal > massage for pet owners > and their pets. > > In 1999, AAHA estimated that more than 30 percent of > pet owners had > tried an alternative therapy on their animals, up > from only six > percent just three years earlier. > > This is a subject we'd like to explore more > thoroughly at HSI. If > you've ever used an alternative therapy to help your > pet, please send > us an e-mail to share your experience. The American > Veterinary Medical > Association has recognized the usefulness of > acupuncture and other > alternative therapies, so we'd be very interested in > hearing from > veterinarians as well. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > Sources: > > " The Protective Effect of Habitual Tea Consumption > on Hypertension " > Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 164, No. 14, > 7/26/04, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Tea Drinking Associated with Reduced Hypertension > Risk " Life > Extension Foundation, 8/4/04, lef.org > " Potassium and Salt " Alternative Medicine Angel, > altmedangel.com > " Alternatives for Chronically Ill Pets " Pamela > Oldham, The Washington > Post, 8/15/04, washingtonpost.com > " What's Your Alternative? " Journal of the American > Veterinary Medical > Association, 9/15/04, avma.org > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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