It’s known as “The Silent Killer,” and for good reason …
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the highest risk factor for the leading causes of death in the US each year.
As a precursor for heart disease and stroke, hypertension is a deadly chronic disease made more insidious by the fact that there are rarely any symptoms associated with it.
The good news, however, is that (for the most part), high blood pressure is preventable, treatable, and despite what you may have been told – NOT inevitable due to genetics and family history!
In order to minimize the stress and anxiety surrounding hypertension, it’s important to cut through the confusion and understand the facts. By focusing on the things you can be doing in your daily life that can reduce and control, its effects, its possible to even eliminate high blood pressure once and for all.
So first, let’s examine some of the popular “urban legends” about high blood pressure … and then review the one thing you must be aware of in order to maintain a healthy and consistently strong blood pressure level (hint: I’ve already touched on it!) …
1. “High blood pressure is an ‘old person’ disease.”
This is false – in fact, with the increasing obesity and body mass of younger adults, high blood pressure among younger people has been on an alarming rise. Because there are rarely any traceable symptoms to high blood pressure, young adults are much less likely to believe they are hypertensive, and will rarely take treatment or risk seriously. By the time symptoms present themselves, many young people have already gone beyond pre-hypertensive levels and may be developing further chronic symptoms associated with high blood pressure.
2. “High blood pressure is no big deal.”
This is an especially dangerous myth among younger people, who believe that chronic symptoms won’t present health challenges until later in life. High blood pressure IS a big deal. And the long term side effects of hypertension – such as stroke, heart attack, and even blindness – are deadly. The longer hypertension goes unchecked, the greater the risks are of disability and even death.
3. “I’ll just take this pill and I’ll be fine.”
It’s easy to believe that there’s some magic pill out there that can neutralize high blood pressure and eliminate the risks of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure once and for all. The reality is your body is a complex biochemical machine, and the sum of each individual part is wholly and uniquely YOU. Doctors spend a lot of energy shopping patients through the maze of pharmaceutical silver bullets out there, hoping to find the one “magic pill” that will stabilize your hypertension and allow you to continue eating, smoking, and drinking whatever you want. The REAL solutions lie within you. Taking responsibility for your own wellness is the greatest thing you can do … and there’s far better ways to stabilize and eliminate high blood pressure than by simply taking a pill. Healthier ways that will have a rippling effect across your entire wellbeing, and impact your vitality, longevity, and quality of life far more than some little pill.
4. “If I had high blood pressure, I’d know it.”
A recent study published in JAMA reports that about half of the people (46%) suffering from hypertension weren’t even aware of their condition. And of those actively involved in treatment protocols, only a small minority were successful in getting their blood pressure under control. People commonly associated “symptoms” such as dizziness, headaches, and blurred vision with high blood pressure. But the fact remains that high blood pressure is a symptomless disease – and the “symptoms” mentioned above are likely the results of chronic conditions associated with hypertension – in other words, problems that arise LONG AFTER blood pressure has already reached chronic and dangerous levels.
5. “I drink red wine every day. I don’t have to worry about high blood pressure.”
While it’s true that certain antioxidants in red wine may help prevent heart disease, that single fact alone doesn’t counter the harmful effects of too much alcohol on your body. Moderate (4-8 oz daily) consumption of red wine has been helpful in reducing cholesterol and high blood pressure. However, high sugar (triglycerides) and other side effects associated with alcohol consumption can continue to have detrimental effects on your body’s health. And a glass or two of wine per day is certainly no free pass to reckless debauchery when it comes to your health.
Finally – what is the ONE thing that CAN help combat high blood pressure?
The knowledge that there are no symptoms.
There’s no sudden headaches … no blurred vision … no random alarms that suddenly indicate dangerous and chronic blood pressure levels.
It’s up to you to take control and be aware of the risk factors associated with hypertension. To assess your lifestyle, your genetics, and your risk factors, and be aware of the root causes associated with high blood pressure.
There’s certainly no indicators when blood pressure levels may suddenly develop into a chronic and dangerous condition. And so it falls on you to take ownership of your wellness.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Do the right things for your body … and be aware of the stealth nature of this “silent killer.”
Another way to make sure that you are safe is through testing. We recommend MAP.
What is The MAP Test?
The M.A.P. is a tool that is used as a starting point for plotting a course in the direction of correction. But before you can go anywhere, you have to know where you are!
M.A.P. is an acronym for the Matrix Assessment Profile. This profile is designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the three major areas that produce symptoms. The Matrix Assessment Profile provides the foundation for this process. Performing a biological fluid analysis, along with a symptom survey and health history review, aids in determining what factors are affecting what systems that contribute to the constant symptoms you are experiencing.
Matrix Transformation is the adapted science of evaluating and manipulating productive changes in the internal environment of the body. The liquid interior of the body is called the Biological Matrix. The Biological Matrix represents a fluid transport system for the delivery of nutrients to and elimination of waste products from the cells of the body. The process of transforming the biological matrix begins with a M.A.P.