The High Blood Pressure Myth: Don't You Fall For It

The Big Blood Pressure Myth--Don't Fall For It

The following is taken from a newsletter that I receive called Health Alert, by Dr. Bruce West.  Because I felt the information would be valuable for my audience, I thought, "Why re-invent the wheel."  So here it is in its entirety, and I encourage you to stop in if you have any questions. 

Masked Hypertension

Regular readers of Health Alert know that the cut-off point for high blood pressure numbers has been ratcheted downward several times by the high priests of the medical/pharmaceutical world.  In the old days it was 160/110.  Then it became 140/90.  Now, for those considered "at high risk" (just about everyone over age 60 according to medical experts), it has been lowered even further.

And this, of course, swells the rolls of those being treated for high blood pressure with powerful toxic drugs--usually necessary for the rest of their lives--making the high priests very happy indeed.  This treatment, with all its deadly side effects and high costs, has been shown not to stop heart attacks, strokes, or even prolong life for more than a few weeks to a few months!  But damn the data; full speed ahead with treating everyone--at costs that are rapidly breaking the bank.

Another Group that Needs More Drugs

As if this weren't enough, as part of 1 August 2005 we have another group of people with the most dangerous high blood pressure of them all--masked hypertension (MHT).  And what is masked hypertension?  The new medical term for people who have normal blood pressure when their doctor takes it, but during everyday life, it is presumed to be high.

Masked Hypertension is the opposite of "white coat" hypertension (WCHT), which is blood pressure that is high only when your doctor takes it.  For the masked hypertension group, high blood pressure is now determined to be there even when there's no evidence of it!  We are now going from the improbable to the ridiculous.

The Truth about Hypertension

The entire concept of masked hypertension is a scam and should simply be laughed off.  Some concepts about hypertension that should be taken into account by doctors (but never are), are as follows:

1) Dehydration causes a majority of cases of Essential Hypertension, a condition in which dehydration from a lack of water (or a constant American diet loaded with sodas) causes a loss in blood volume.  The body senses this and tightens blood vessels so that adequate blood and oxygen is supplied to the cells.  When lifelong drugs are used to loosen tight vessels (while the dehydration is ignored), your cells are starved for blood and oxygen.  The result---exhaustion. 

2) High blood fats and triglycerides from the standard American diet thicken the blood and cause a condition known as sludge blood.  Moving this blood through the vessels is more difficult, so the heart must beat harder, with an increase in blood pressure.  Lifelong heart and blood pressure drugs for this condition (while ignoring the diet-caused sludge blood) causes the heart to weaken, producing lowered blood pressure numbers.  The end result--exhaustion.

3) Adequate, real, whole phytonutrient vitamin C complex is needed to carry oxygen in the blood through the vessels to the cells.  Deficiencies of this complex are induced by the standard American diet (most Americans suffer from sub-clinical scurvy) and made worse by the ingestion of tons of ascorbic acid (a tiny fraction of the whole, phytonutrient vitamin C complex).  This results in decreased oxygen to the cells--exhaustion.

The heart's response to this is to speed up its beating and possibly increase blood pressure in order to get more oxygen-poor blood to your cells to meet demands.  Heart and blood pressure drugs to lower heart beat (while ignoring the vitamin C deficiency) take away the heart's compensatory action of trying to get more oxygen to the cells.  The end result--exhaustion.

4) High levels of insulin from the standard American diet, lack of exercise, and a deficiency in glucose tolerance factor (B vitamins and minerals) irritates the blood vessel linings.  This can result in cholesterol plaque and coronary artery disease.  Statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) and other heart drugs used to counteract this (while ignoring the insulin factor) weaken heart and muscles at the mitochondrial level.  The end result---exhaustion.

5) Factors like the bioflavinoids found in the whole phytonutrient vitamin C complex are needed to maintain the integrity of blood vessel linings.  These can be damaged by high insulin levels, viral or bacterial infections, and high blood sugar and fats from the standard American diet.  That is the reason blood vessel disease (especially coronary artery disease), plaque, and the resultant high blood pressure is epidemic.  The use of statin drugs to stop cholesterol is a band-aid that only treats the symptoms.  Heart drugs that force the heart to beat less with less force (while ignoring the nutritional connection to blood vessel lining integrity) also only treats the symptoms and weaken the entire system.  The end result--complete and devastating exhaustion.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.  All heart and blood pressure drugs eventually result in exhaustion.  To get well, you can not treat the symptoms while ignoring the underlying causes of disease, much of which is the result of the standard American diet.  It just won't work.  The question your doctor does not want you to ask is "What happens when I stop the drugs?"  This causes a lot of trepidation because the answer is "You will be right back to square one."

The question is never considered by your doctor because he or she feels confident that they are doing the best for you by keeping you on drugs for the rest of your life.  The underlying causes never enter their mind.  When you consider the insidious danger of "masked hypertension," you have to just scratch your head.

Thank You Dr. West.  To contact or subscribe to Health Alert, you can call (831-372-2103) or write to Health Alert, 100 Wilson Rd. #110, Monterey, CA 93940

What You'll Want To Consider

If you are currently on blood pressure medication and are interested in getting off of this while eliminating an underlying reason for all your exhaustion, you may want to consider stopping into the office and discussing this all too common issue with me.  Getting to the underlying cause of this over-diagnosed condition is very important.  Taking the time to understand what all your options are is your responsibility.  Don't be someone who becomes complacent about their health and simply goes along for the ride.  Take the time to become more educated on the subject.  Gaining the understanding you will need to empower yourself, while doing the right thing regarding your blood pressure is vital to your health and longevity.

My Offer To You

Dr. Huntoon has a single mission:

To support as many people as possible in their quest for health and enable them to improve and maintain their health to the highest level possible, while educating them about the benefits of Chiropractic, Natural Healthcare and Holistic Living, so they in turn can teach others to support us having a healthy community.

Your Choice

• Continue doing the same thing and nothing changes or it may get worse

OR

• Try something different and get a different result that makes you happier and healthier.