Lower Pressure Blog

Pasta and seafood is a great culinary combination. Pasta “El Dente” with succulent shrimp cooked in white wine with shallots and garlic. Well, that is a wonderful meal for just about anyone. This skinny version will tickle your taste buds and keep your heart healthy.

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked multigrain angel hair (capellini) pasta or spaghetti
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 1/2 lb fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail shells removed
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or Progresso™ reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 1/4 Progresso™ reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1- In 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook pasta as directed on package. Drain; return to saucepan. Stir in spinach, tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of the oil. Cover to keep warm.

2- While pasta is cooking, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 1 minute. Add shrimp, garlic, and pepper flakes; cook and stir 2 minutes.

3- Stir in wine, broth, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and butter until butter is melted. Add shrimp mixture to pasta mixture in saucepan; toss to mix.

We collected dozens of great heart healthy recipes for you – Here they are…

Garlic not only deters vampires, it helps to fight off hypertension. Garlic thins the blood increasing the steady flow of blood around the body thereby helping to regulate blood pressure.

It also produces allicin, a compound that has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, known to help prevent diseases that result from hypertension such as stroke and heart disease and it’s also known to lower cholesterol. Many people swear by garlic for warding off colds and flu, since it’s known to help boost the immune system, while in medieval times garlic was thought to protect people from the plague.

Eating garlic raw, or on its own could have a negative gastrointestinal effect and could be considered antisocial for obvious reasons. Luckily there are plenty of ways to enjoy garlic, from adding to salad dressings, making garlic bread or including in casseroles and pasta sauces. Garlic goes really well with mushrooms too, as a starter or side dish.

Ingredients

• 1-2 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms (shiitake, Cremini, Portobello, chestnut) cut into slices
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 2 tsps fresh chopped rosemary or ½ tsp dried
• Pinch salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup dry white wine

Preparation

1. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over a medium heat until starting to brown, probably around 4 minutes.

2. Then add the mixed mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until ingredients are almost dry, for around 8 minutes.

3. Add the wine and cook until the majority of the liquid has evaporated (around a minute).

3. Enjoy as a quick, week night supper, or toss into cooked pasta and add a handful of Parmesan cheese. Can also be folded into an omelet for a more substantial dish.

We collected dozens of great heart healthy recipes for you – Here they are…

How Does The Place You Live In Affects Your Health

Odds are if you’re reading this, you reside in a city. More than half the world’s people — or just about 3.5 billion — now live in urban areas. That number is expected to swell to 5 billion by mid-century, according to the World Health Organization.

A new study shows that while you can take the people away from nature, it’s a bad idea to take nature away from people. Researchers at the University of Queensland are among the first to advise how often and how intimately city dwellers need to engage with nature for it to make them healthier.

Some experts regard nature as the antidote to 21st-century maladies, like childhood obesity and even crime. Citing the numerous previous studies over more than 40 years that attribute lower blood pressure.

Being in Nature Equals Better Health

Also Including lower rates of heart disease and allergies, and better mental health, among other benefits, to spending time in nature. As a result, cities everywhere are up starting and upgrading green spaces — the 100 largest cities in the United States spent $6 billion to do so in 2015 alone.

Because current advice about how green spaces improve public health in general at best, they set out to pinpoint what would make these investments cost-effective. They sought to learn how frequently a person should visit nature and how long they should spend there to reap benefits.

These benefits are, to name a few, a better state of mind and lower blood pressure. Since not all nature is created the same, they also measured how the quality and quantity of green space provided health benefits. The study results suggest we all may need a minimum dose of nature: 30 minutes in at least one visit a week is ideal.

The research team surveyed 1,538 people ages 18-70 who reside in Brisbane, Australia, a city where baseline exposure to nature is likely to be high, because there are about 2,000 square feet of green space per person and 36 percent tree cover. They recruited an equal mix of males and females who matched the socio-demographic makeup of the city.

Great For Your Mental Health

Depression, high blood pressure, social cohesion, and frequency of physical activity: these four health issues are known to improve with time spent in nature — was collected from the participants.

Scientists believe these health outcomes could be tied to exposure to nature in more than one way. For example, a landscape full of plants may be linked to better physical, mental, and social well-being.

The reason is it reduces stress and mental fatigue and because it makes a nice place for gathering with friends or getting exercise. Participants were asked how often they visited green spaces, how vegetated those areas were, and how long they spent during these visits.

Fewer Cases of High Blood Pressure

The study showed that participants who spent at least 30 minutes in nature per visit over the course of one week were less likely to be depressed or have high blood pressure. They are also more likely to be physically active.

Making more frequent visits to nature was linked to increased social cohesion, and participants who said they felt more connected to nature had greater levels of social cohesion and physical activity. ven if they were not less likely to feel depressed or experience high blood pressure.

Residents who failed to spend an average of 30 minutes or more within a visit to green space during their week were 7 percent more likely to show signs of depression, and 9 percent more likely to have high blood pressure.

In a statement, University of Queensland researcher Dr. Danielle Shanahan said these results suggest people might need a minimum “dose of nature.”

“If everyone visited their local parks for half an hour each week there would be seven percent fewer cases of depression and nine percent fewer cases of high blood pressure,” she said.

“Given that the societal costs of depression alone in Australia are estimated at $A12.6 billion [$9.5 billion] a year, savings to public health budgets across all health outcomes could be immense,” she said. By 2020 scientists are saying depression and anxiety will be the number one health problem globally.

Vitamin D and Blood Pressure

Low levels of vitamin D—which the body gets from fortified foods, supplements, or the skin’s exposure to sunlight—have been linked to high blood pressure.

But most research has found that taking supplements doesn’t seem to help. Dr. Bisognano says the jury’s still out on how the two are linked. “I have found that people with deficient vitamin D levels can have high blood pressure that’s more difficult to treat,” he says, “but I can’t be sure whether that’s the driving issue.”

There are other reasons you may want to spend more time in the great outdoors, though. A 2014 study found that when the skin is exposed to sunlight, a chemical reaction causes blood vessels to widen and blood pressure to drop. And in a 2010 study, people who spent time in nature—walking in the forest as opposed to in an urban environment—saw greater reductions in their blood pressure, pulse rate, and stress hormones.

For other natural ways to lower blood pressure – Read this article

One of the reasons many people do not take the blood pressure medication are the terrible side effects they experience.

In August 2017 a $300 million settlement was reached with Daiichi Sankyo on behalf of individuals who filed lawsuits.

The plaintiffs where suffering sprue-like enteropathy and other gastrointestinal issues from Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor and Tribenzor.

Thousands of claims have been being filed against Daiichi Sankyo (the manufacturer of Benicar). Filed by people who have suffered sprue-like enteropathy and other gastrointestinal issues as a result of taking Benicar.

Attorneys state that if doctors and patients had known the risks, they would have used a blood pressure medication other than Benicar. Patient’s would have been closely monitored for symptoms similar to celiac disease.

Glenn Gormley, Daiichi Sankyo’s Executive Chairman and President, said, “We believe a settlement is in the best interest of all, and will allow us to continue our focus on bringing to market innovative medicines that help people live healthy and meaningful lives.”

In settling these lawsuits, Daiichi Sankyo did not admit any wrongdoing.

What is Benicar

Benicar (marketed as Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor and Tribenzor) is a blood pressure medication that blocks certain receptors, known as angiotensin receptors.

Angiotensin II is a hormone that causes the blood vessels to constrict.

By inhibiting the action of this hormone (as well as reducing the secretion and production of other hormones involved in regulating blood pressure), blood vessels become dilated.

Study on Benicar Side Effects

A study conducted at the Mayo Clinic by Dr. Josephy Murray linked the development of sprue-like enteropathy to the use of Benicar.

Sprue-like enteropathy is a disease that produces severe gastrointestinal symptoms; such as chronic diarrhea, significant weight loss, nausea, and overall malnutrition.

Dr. Murray conducted the study on 22 patients who were using Benicar and experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, initially diagnosed as Celiac disease.

However, the patients in the study were not responding to a gluten-free diet, a common form of treatment for Celiac disease, and did not have detectable tissue transglutaminase in their blood, which is used to positively diagnose celiac disease.

Upon discontinuation of Benicar, all 22 patients experienced relief from the gastrointestinal symptoms as well as weight gain.

Dr. Murray concluded that the Benicar being taken by the patients was directly linked to the gastrointestinal symptoms the patients were experiencing.

Dr. Murray’s study and findings on the link between Benicar use and sprue-like enteropathy was recently published online in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and began the process of Benicar lawyers filing Benicar Lawsuits.

FDA Warning

In 2006, the FDA sent Daiichi-Sankyo a warning letter about “numerous claims…that suggest that Benicar and Benicar HCT are more effective than other angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

He adds, ”adding that “references provided in support of these claims do not constitute substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience to support these claims”.

It should be noted that Benicar is the only drug in its class known to cause sprue-like enteropathy. In 2013, the drugmaker received another warning letter from the FDA, stating that “promotional material [for Benicar] is misleading because it makes unsubstantiated efficacy claims.”

What is patently obvious is that, regardless of whether or not Daiichi-Sankyo actually knew about the risks of its flagship product (although it certainly should have), their focus was on maximizing sales and profits at any cost rather than any concern for patient safety.

Benicar Side Effects

You should call medical emergency help if you have one of the following signs of allergic reaction:

• Hives
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• A light-headed feeling, like you might pass out
• Little or no urination
• Fast heart rate
• Swelling in your hands or feet
• High potassium level – nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement.

Less Common Benicar side effects may include:

• Blood in the urine
• Body aches or pain
• Chills
• Cough or cough producing mucus
• Difficulty with breathing
• Ear congestion
• Fever
• Headache
• Loss of voice
• Nasal congestion
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Tightness in the chest
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

Final Thoughts

After reading the information I believe more than ever we should be our own healthcare surregetes.

I understand that there are medication that can be temporarily used is dangerous hypertension situation. But we must find more natural-remedies to lower our blood pressure down.

References and additional information

• Blood Pressure Medication – All You Need to Know

We Are 60% Water

Many people forget to drink adequate amounts of water, especially during cold winter months. But it is very important that we keep well hydrated all year round. Not with sodas, or caffeinated beverages, but good old plain water.

When it comes to keeping our blood pressure low we hardly think of how important drinking water is. Is the rule of 8-8 ounce glasses a water a day sufficient? Watch this weeks video to learn more.

How Water Helps You

Drinking fresh water keeps you hydrated and full, helping with weight loss. When you substitute water for sugary drinks or those that contain sodium, you lower your calorie intake and your daily salt intake. Cutting excess calories leads to weight loss and even a modest 10 lbs. weight loss can lower your blood pressure, according to PubMed Health. Choosing water instead of tea or coffee eliminates the pounding heartbeat you can get after ingesting caffeine. A vasoconstrictor, caffeine results in narrowed blood vessels and can thus increase your blood pressure temporarily.

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Water Blood Pressure

How does drinking water lower blood pressure? Normal blood pressure is the main benefit of drinking water. Although drinking water lowers blood pressure, it can also increase blood pressure to help maintain proper levels.

In a study published in the in “Scientific Journal” 2014, researchers Nursing Department of Health Polytechnic Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia. Showed that staying hydrated helped to manage your blood pressure.

Keep in mind that low blood pressure is among the symptoms associated with autonomic dysfunction.

On average, 16 ounces of tap water had increased blood pressure by 40 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) in autonomic failure patients. Blood pressure had started to increase within two to three minutes of water consumption.

There would then be a rapid increase over the next 15 minutes, before a blood pressure reduction after about an hour. Drinking water at the 60-minute mark led to blood pressure being sustained for another hour.

Tilapia is a mild-flavored, lean fish, which is easy to prepare and relatively inexpensive. In 2016, tilapia was fourth on a list of the seafood species that people in the United States are most likely to consume. I find it a very light flavored fish that is very flaky when cooked and tastes great.

Tilapia can be pan fried, broiled, or grilled. Be careful when grilling. Because Tilapia is a very thin fillet, unlike salmon steaks. Serve with a heart health coleslaw.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons lime juice, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 8 tilapia fillets (4 ounces each)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. For salsa, in a small bowl, combine pineapple, green onions, green pepper, cilantro, 4 teaspoons lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt and cayenne. Refrigerate until serving.

2. Mix oil and remaining lime juice; drizzle over fillets. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining salt.

3. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, rub on grill rack to coat lightly. Grill fish, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 2-3 minutes on each side or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork. Serve with salsa.

We collected dozens of great heart healthy recipes for you – Here they are…

This week’s question is from Scott H. In my training as a registered nurse, we were always instructed to ensure that we used the right cuff size for the patient. For example, you would not use a medium size cuff on a gentleman who needed a large cuff. Nor would you use a large cuff on a petite woman. In both cases, the reading would be inaccurate.

You must use the correct cuff size for your body type. If you are going to purchase a device for home use, you want to ensure that the cuff can be used for multiple sizes. This way you know you will get an accurate reading.

How to take your blood pressure using a home blood pressure monitor

• Put the cuff on following the instructions that came with your monitor.
• Make sure you are relaxed and comfortable. If you are anxious or uncomfortable, this will make your blood pressure rise temporarily.
• When you are taking your reading, keep still and silent. Moving and talking can affect your reading.
• Take two or three readings, each about two minutes apart, and then work out the average. Some people find that their first reading is much higher than the next readings. If this is true for you, keep taking readings until they level out and stop falling, then use this as your reading.
• Record your reading, either in the memory of your monitor or on computer or paper.

Tips on taking blood pressure readings

• Do not round your measurements up or down – if you don’t keep accurate records of your blood pressure it may affect the treatment you receive.
• Do not be alarmed if you get an unexpected high reading – a one-off reading may be nothing to worry about. Measure your blood pressure again at another time, but if you find that it continues to be high after a period of time, see your doctor or nurse.
• Do not check your blood pressure too often –  you may become worried or stressed about small changes in your reading. This can raise your blood pressure in the short-term. Worrying about your blood-pressure reading may actually make it higher.

The trick to a heart-healthy meal is creating a dish that is good for but does not taste like cardboard. Heart-healthy does not mean boring and bland. So today’s recipes takes a favorite “Chicken Enchiladas” recipe with a twist. Quinoa is high in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, which makes it potentially beneficial for human health in the prevention and treatment of disease.

Quinoa contains small amounts of the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and, in comparison to common cereal grasses has a higher content of monounsaturated fat.

As a complete protein, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids – including the elusive lysine and isoleucine acids, which most other grains lack. Naturally high in dietary fiber, quinoa is a slowly digested carbohydrate, making it a good low-GI option.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. quinoa
• 2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 c. corn kernels
• 1 c. red enchilada sauce
• 1 1/2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
• Chopped tomato, for garnish
• Diced avocado, for garnish
• Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.

4. Add cumin and chili powder and stir until combined, then add chicken, corn, and enchilada sauce (reserve 1 tablespoon for drizzling) and stir until combined.

5. Add 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (reserve rest for later use) and stir until combined, then top with cheese.

6. Bake until cheese is melty, 15 minutes.

7. Garnish with tomato, avocado, cilantro, and reserved enchilada sauce and serve.

We collected dozens of great heart healthy recipes for you – Here they are…

One of the first jobs I had was working in an Irish steakhouse called Gallagher’s. It was an amazing place where I learned that I loved to cook. One of our top sellers was the Irish Beef stew. Marinated chunks of beef and fresh vegetables slow cooked for hours. The beef would shred right off the fork.

This is a DASH diet recipe that is sure to please. You can also serve this with a small portion of mash potatoes if you would like to add more richness. But remember portion size is important

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef round steak
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 cups diced yellow onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced sweet potato
• 1/2 cup diced white potato with skin
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1/4 cup uncooked barley
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or beef stock
• 1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, minced
• black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat grill or broiler (medium heat). Grill or broil steak 12 to 14 minutes turning once. Don’t overcook. Remove from heat and let rest while preparing vegetables.

2. In a large stock pot, saute vegetables in oil over medium-high heat until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Add barley and cook an additional 5 minutes.

3. Pat meat dry with a paper towel. Dice grilled steak into half-inch pieces, add to the pot. Then add vinegar, stock, herbs, and spices.

4. Bring to simmer and let cook 1 hour, until barley is cooked and the stew has thickened considerably.

We collected dozens of great heart healthy recipes for you – Here they are…