How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

Over the years and most recently, I have posted a number of articles and posts about the Vagus Nerve and its connection to Heart, inflammation, Microbiome Gut, Brain, Memory, Cognition etc. This article written by Jordan Fallis, provides excellent information and perspective allowing you the opportunity to remain healthy.

How to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve for Better Mental Health

“By developing an understanding of the workings of your vagus nerve, you may find it possible to work with your nervous system rather than feel trapped when it works against you.”

— Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Clinical Psychologist

Stimulating my vagus nerve has played a key role in the management of my mental health over the years.

What exactly is the vagus nerve?

Originating from the Latin word “wanderer”, the vagus nerve lives up to its name as the longest nerve in the entire body. As the tenth cranial nerve,the Vagus is a major player in the parasympathetic (rest & digest) nervous system connecting your brain to the heart, gut (intestines and stomach) heart and lungs influencing heart rate, breathing ,memory, cognition and a host of other conditions.

Vagal tone

Vagal tone is an internal biological process that represents the activity of the vagus nerve. The tone of the vagus nerve is key to activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Vagal tone is measured by tracking your heart-rate alongside your breathing rate. Your heart-rate speeds up a little when your breathe in, and slows down a little when you breathe out. The bigger the difference between your inhalation heart-rate and your exhalation heart-rate, the higher your vagal tone. Higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.

What is high vagal tone associated with?

High vagal tone improves the function of many body systems, causing better blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, improved digestion via better production of stomach basic and digestive enzymes, and reduced migraines. Higher vagal tone is also associated with better mood, less anxiety and more stress resilience. One of the most interesting roles of the vagus nerve is that it essentially reads the gut microbiome and initiates a response to modulate inflammation based on whether or not it detects pathogenic versus non-pathogenic organisms. In this way, the gut microbiome can have an affect on your mood, stress levels and overall inflammation.

What is low vagal tone associated with?

Low vagal tone is associated with cardiovascular conditions and strokes, depression, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive impairment, and much higher rates of inflammatory conditions. Inflammatory conditions include all autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, lupus and more).

How do we increase vagal tone?

But what you really need to pay special attention to is the “tone” of your vagus nerve.
Vagal tone is an internal biological process that represents the activity of the vagus nerve.

Increasing your vagal tone activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and having higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.

In 2010, researchers discovered a positive feedback loop between high vagal tone, positive emotions, and good physical health. In other words, the more you increase your vagal tone, the more your physical and mental health will improve, and vice versa (5).

“It’s almost like yin and yang. The vagal response reduces stress. It reduces our heart rate and blood pressure. It changes the function of certain parts of the brain, stimulates digestion, all those things that happen when we are relaxed.”

— Dr. Mladen Golubic, MD, Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic
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What’s interesting is that studies have even shown that vagal tone is passed on from mother to child. Mothers who are depressed, anxious and angry during their pregnancy have lower vagal activity. And once they give birth to their child, the newborn also has low vagal activity and low dopamine and serotonin levels (1-3).

Your vagal tone can be measured by tracking certain biological processes such as your heart rate, your breathing rate, and your heart rate variability (HRV). When your heart rate variability (HRV) is high, your vagal tone is also high. They are correlated with each other.

You can increase your HRV by using the EmWave2 device. Some researchers actually use the EmWave2 to measure vagal tone in their studies.

NOTE: If your vagal tone is low, don’t worry – you can take steps to increase it by stimulating your vagus nerve. This will allow you to more effectively respond to the emotional and physiological symptoms of your brain and mental illness.

Stimulating the vagus nerve and increasing vagal tone has been shown to help treat a wide variety of brain and mental health conditions, including:

For people with treatment-resistant depression, the FDA has even approved a surgically-implanted device that periodically stimulates the vagus nerve. And it works (6-9).

But you don’t need to go down that route..  You can enjoy the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation naturally by following these 13 steps.

1. Cold Exposure

Acute cold exposure has been shown to activate the vagus nerve and activate cholinergic neurons through vagus nerve pathways (10).

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Researchers have also found that exposing yourself to cold on a regular basis can lower your sympathetic “fight or flight” response and increase parasympathetic activity through the vagus nerve (11).

I often take cold showers and go outside in cold temperatures with minimal clothing.

Try finishing your next shower with at least 30 seconds of cold water and see how you feel. Then work your way up to longer periods of time.

It’s painful to do, but the lingering effects are worth it.

You can also ease yourself into it by simply sticking your face in ice cold water.

2. Deep and Slow Breathing

Deep and slow breathing is another way to stimulate your vagus nerve.

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It’s been shown to reduce anxiety and increase the parasympathetic system by activating the vagus nerve (51-52).

Most people take about 10 to 14 breaths each minute. Taking about 6 breaths over the course of a minute is a great way to relieve stress. You should breathe in deeply from your diaphragm. When you do this, your stomach should expand outward. Your exhale should be long and slow. This is key to stimulating the vagus nerve and reaching a state of relaxation.

The best way to know if you’re on the right track is by using the EmWave2 device. It’s a biofeedback device that assist you in pacing your breathing. I previously wrote about the benefits of using the device here.

3. Singing, Humming, Chanting and Gargling

The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat.

Singing, humming, chanting and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve.

And this has been shown to increase heart-rate variability and vagal tone

I often gargle water before swallowing it. This is discussed more in Dr. Datis Kharrazian’s book, Why Isn’t My Brain Working?

4. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is another alternative treatment that has been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve (46).

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I’m a really big fan of auricular acupuncture. Auricular acupuncture is when needles are inserted into ear. I’d recommend trying to find a health practitioner in your area who provides it, especially if you’re weening off psychiatric medication. It really helped me the first time I came off antidepressants. I was surprised.

Research shows that ear acupuncture stimulates the vagus nerve, increases vagal activity and vagal tone, and can help treat “neurodegenerative diseases via vagal regulation” (45).

In my experience, ear acupuncture is more effective than regular acupuncture. I’m not sure why. I’ve just personally noticed more benefits from ear acupuncture.

I also use this acupuncture mat at home to relax before bed.

5. Yoga and Tai Chi

Yoga and tai chi are two “mind-body” relaxation techniques that work by stimulating the vagus nerve and increasing the activity of your parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system.

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Studies have shown that yoga increases GABA, a calming neurotransmitter in your brain. Researchers believe it does this by “stimulating vagal afferents”, which increase activity in the parasympathetic nervous system (13-18).

Researchers have also found that yoga stimulates the vagal nerve and therefore should be practiced by people who struggle with depression and anxiety (19).

Despite all the great research, I’m personally not a big fan of yoga. A lot of people swear by it but it’s just not for me. I prefer tai chi.

Tai chi has also been shown to increase heart rate variability, and researchers think this means it can “enhance vagal modulation” (20).

6. Probiotics

It’s becoming increasingly clear to researchers that gut bacteria improve brain function by affecting the vagus nerve (27).

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In one study, animals were given the probiotic Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, and researchers found positive changes to the GABA receptors in their brain, a reduction in stress hormones, and less depression and anxiety-like behaviour.

The researchers also concluded that these beneficial changes between the gut and the brain were facilitated by the vagus nerve. When the vagus nerve was removed in other mice, the addition of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus to their digestive systems failed to reduce anxiety, stress, and improve mood (25).

Another study found that the probiotic Bifidobacterium Longum normalized anxiety-like behavior in mice by acting through the vagus nerve (26).

I personally take the probiotic Prescript Assist. It’s my favourite probiotic.

But it doesn’t contain Lactobacillus Rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium Longum, which were used in the above studies. Here is one probiotic supplement that contains both. This one also contains both.

I previously wrote about some other ways you can increase the good bacteria in your gut. You can read about that here.

7. Meditation and Neurofeedback

Meditation is my favourite relaxation technique and it can stimulate the vagus nerve and increase vagal tone.

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Research shows that meditation increases vagal tone and positive emotions, and promotes feelings of goodwill towards yourself (22, 23).

Another study found that meditation reduces sympathetic “fight or flight” activity and increases vagal modulation (21).

“OM” chanting, which is often done during meditation, has also been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve (24).

I couldn’t find any research demonstrating this, but in my experience, neurofeedback significantly increased my heart-rate variability and vagal tone as measured by my EmWave2.

Now that I’m done neurofeedback, I use the Muse headband to meditate. Similar to neurofeedback, it gives you real-time feedback on your brainwaves. I previously wrote about it here.

8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that your body cannot produce itself. They are found primarily in fish and are necessary for the normal electrical functioning of your brain and nervous system.

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They often appear in most of my posts because they are so critical for brain and mental health and affect so many aspects of wellness.

They’ve been shown to help people overcome addiction, repair a “leaky brain”, and even reverse cognitive decline.

But researchers have also discovered that omega-3 fatty acids increase vagal tone and vagal activity (35-37, 40).

Studies shown that they reduce heart rate and increase heart rate variability, which means they likely stimulate the vagus nerve (34, 38, 39).

And high fish consumption is also associated with “enhanced vagal activity and parasympathetic predominance” (35).

This why I eat lots of wild-caught salmon and supplement with this krill oil.

9. Exercise

I’ve already discussed how exercise increases your brain’s growth hormone, supports your brain’s mitochondria, and helps reverse cognitive decline.

But it’s also been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve, which may explain its beneficial brain and mental health effects (28).

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Many brain health experts recommend exercise as their number one piece of advice for optimal brain health.

This is my exercise routine:

  • Lift heavy weights 1-4 times per week
  • High-intensity interval sprinting 1-2 times per week
  • Walk as much as I can (ideally 30-60 minutes every day)

Walking, weightlifting and sprinting are the best forms of exercise, but you should choose a sport or exercise routine that you enjoy, so that you’ll stick with it consistently.

10. Zinc

As I’ve discussed before, zinc is an essential mineral for mental health, especially if you struggle with chronic anxiety.

One study shows that zinc increases vagus nerve stimulation in zinc-deficient rats (41).

It’s estimated that 2 billion people in the world are deficient in zinc, and six different studies show that subclinical deficiency of zinc impairs brain function in children and adults (42-44).

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So, if you struggle with a brain or mental health disorder, it’s quite possible that you’re deficient.

Some of the best food sources of zinc include oysters, grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds, cashews, mushrooms and spinach.

However, I still recommend at least short-term supplementation to ensure you get enough. I regularly supplement with zinc picolinate, one of the most absorbable forms of zinc, especially after any alcohol consumption. You can get it here or here.

It’s also available in this high-quality multimineral.

Check out my previous post about zinc and copper if you’re interested in discovering more steps you can take to increase your zinc levels.

11. Massage

Research shows that massages can stimulate the vagus nerve, and increase vagal activity and vagal tone (31-32).

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The vagus nerve can also be stimulated by massaging several specific areas of the body.

Foot massages (reflexology) have been shown to increase vagal modulation and heart rate variability, and decrease the “fight or flight” sympathetic response (29).

Massaging the carotid sinus, an area located near the right side of your throat, can also stimulate the vagus nerve to reduce seizures (30).

I personally get a massage from a registered massage therapist every couple of months.

12. Socializing and Laughing

I’ve already discussed how socializing and laughing can reduce your body’s main stress hormone.

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And now I’ve learned that they are likely doing this by stimulating the vagus nerve.

Researchers have discovered that reflecting on positive social connections improves vagal tone and increases positive emotions (47, 48).

Laughter has been shown to increase heart-rate variability and improve mood (49).

And vagus nerve stimulation often leads to laughter as a side effect, suggesting that they are connected and influence one another (50).

So my advice is to hang out and laugh with your friends as much as possible. Although I should probably be taking my own advice here, as I’m an introvert and often avoid socializing too much.

13. Intermittent Fasting

On most days, I don’t eat breakfast at all, and then “break my fast” by eating my first meal of the day around 2 or 3 p.m. That means I eat all my food for the day within an 8-hour window.

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There are many health benefits to doing this. As I’ve discussed before, intermittent fasting can boost your brain’s growth hormone, improve mitochondrial function, and may help some people overcome brain fog and cognitive decline.

Research also shows that fasting and caloric restriction increase heart rate variability, which is an indicator that it increases parasympathetic activity and vagal tone (33).

The best way to start fasting is simply by eating dinner around 6, not eating anything after that before bed, and then eating a regular breakfast the next day. That should give you about 12-14 hours of fasting time.

Conclusion

You don’t have to be controlled by your body and mind. You have the power to tell them what to do.

By stimulating the vagus nerve, you can send a message to you body that it’s time to relax and de-stress, which leads to long-term improvements in mood, wellbeing and resilience.

Increasing my vagal tone has allowed me to overcome anxiety and depression, and better manage them when they arise.

Overall, I hope you implement some of the above steps into your daily life, and they allow you to live more optimally.

Live Optimally,

Jordan Fallis

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First of all, the vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body which originates in the brain as cranial nerve ten, travels down the from go the neck and then passes around the digestive system, liver, spleen, pancreas, heart and lungs. This nerve is a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the ‘rest and digest’ part (opposite to the sympathetic nervous system which is ‘fight of flight’).

Vagal tone

The tone of the vagus nerve is key to activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Vagal tone is measured by tracking your heart-rate alongside your breathing rate. Your heart-rate speeds up a little when your breathe in, and slows down a little when you breathe out. The bigger the difference between your inhalation heart-rate and your exhalation heart-rate, the higher your vagal tone. Higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.

What is high vagal tone associated with?

High vagal tone improves the function of many body systems, causing better blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, improved digestion via better production of stomach basic and digestive enzymes, and reduced migraines. Higher vagal tone is also associated with better mood, less anxiety and more stress resilience. One of the most interesting roles of the vagus nerve is that it essentially reads the gut microbiome and initiates a response to modulate inflammation based on whether or not it detects pathogenic versus non-pathogenic organisms. In this way, the gut microbiome can have an affect on your mood, stress levels and overall inflammation.

What is low vagal tone associated with?

Low vagal tone is associated with cardiovascular conditions and strokes, depression, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive impairment, and much higher rates of inflammatory conditions. Inflammatory conditions include all autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, lupus and more).

How do we increase vagal tone?

In the article above, vagal tone was increased through a device that stimulated the vagus nerve. The good news is that you have access to this on your own, but it does require regular practice. To some degree, you are genetically predisposed to varying levels of vagal tone, but this still doesn’t mean that you can’t change it. Here are some ways to tone the vagus nerve:

  1. Slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing from your diaphragm, rather than shallowly from the top of the lungs stimulates and tones the vagus nerve.
  2. Humming. Since the vagus nerve is connected to the vocal cords, humming mechanically stimulates it. You can hum a song, or even better repeat the sound ‘OM’.
  3. Speaking. Similarly speaking is helpful for vagal tone, due to the connection to the vocal cords.
  4. Washing your face with cold water. The mechanism her is not known, but cold water on your face stimulates the vagus nerve.
  5. Meditation, especially loving kindness meditation which promotes feelings of goodwill towards yourself and others. A 2010 study by Barbara Fredrickson and Bethany Kik found that increasing positive emotions led to increased social closeness, and an improvement in vagal tone.
  6. Balancing the gut microbiome. The presence of healthy bacteria in the gut creates a positive feedback loop through the vagus nerve, increasing its tone.
  7. Qigong, Tai Chi, Yoga, Chill Out, (added by Dr. P)

The implications of such simple and basic practices on your overall health, and in particular on inflammation are far-reaching. If you suffer from an inflammatory condition, digestive upset, high blood pressure or depression, a closer look at vagal tone is highly recommended. We’ve known for years that breathing exercises and meditation are helpful for our health, but it is so fascinating to learn the mechanism by which they work. I hope this short article has inspired you to begin a meditation practice, as it has for me, and also to look for other means to manage the body’s inflammatory response.

NOTE: Chiropractic Adjustments are infamous for stimulating the Vagus Nerve as it passes close to the Cervical 1 Vertebrae (Atlas)

Additional Links:

How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve for Better Optimal Health

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Dramatically Reduces Inflammation

Here’s how stress in your brain may cause heart troubles

Transcendental Meditation

Full Catastrophe Living written by the developer of this technique Jon Kabat-Zinn

I have asked my folks to purchase the book Human Heart/Cosmic Heart by Thomas Cowan MD to further their understanding of how the heart works and what we can do to prevent America’s # 1 killer heart disease

 

References:

Forsythe P, Bienenstock J, Kunze WA.Vagal pathways for microbiome-brain-gut axis communication. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2014;817:115-33.

Kok, B, Fredrickson, B, Coffey, K, et al. How Positive Emotions Build Physical Health: Perceived Positive Social Connections Account for the Upward Spiral Between Positive Emotions and Vagal Tone. Psychological Science 2013 24: 1123

Magnesium

After oxygen, water, bicarbonate and iodine, magnesium may be the most important element needed by our bodies.  It is vital for heart health, bone health, mental function and overall body maintenance – yet 80% or more of us are deficient in this vital mineral.

Magnesium is more important than calcium, potassium or sodium, and it regulates all three of them. This vital mineral plays an important role in over 1300 different biochemical reactions.  Contrary to popular misconceptions, it is magnesium that is actually most important in building strong bones and preventing bone loss. Recent research has revealed that lack of magnesium may put your heart and your overall health at significant risk.  This research also found that a deficiency may be linked to cognitive dysfunction and mental decline.

Called the The Forgotten Mineral and the 5-Cent Miracle Tablet by medical researchers, magnesium is a muscle relaxant, and low magnesium intake is associated with muscle spasms, tremors and convulsions. It protects against heart disease and heart attacks, high blood pressure and stroke, type II diabetes and much, much more.

Many researchers have reported that adequate amounts of this mineral in the population at large would greatly diminish the incidence of kidney stones (1 in 11 Americans), calcified mitral heart valve (1 in 12 Americans), premenstrual tension, constipation, miscarriages, stillbirths, strokes, diabetes, thyroid failure, asthma, chronic eyelid twitch (blepharospasm), brittle bones, chronic migraines, muscle spasms and anxiety reactions.

An increasing number of medical scientists also believe that additional magnesium and other minerals missing from today’s diet may prevent cognitive disorders such as ADD, ADHD and bipolar, and help prevent Alzheimer’s and mental decline as we age. Sufficient intake by the American population would likely reduce health care costs by billions of dollars.

In addition to the problems listed above, deficiency of the master mineral has been associated with:

  • Insomnia and other sleep disorders
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Body-tension
  • Headaches
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • High blood pressure
  • Other heart disorders
  • PMS
  • Backaches
  • Constipation
  • Kidney stones
  • Osteoporosis
  • Accelerated aging
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and irritability

Our depleted soils, processed foods and fast food diet lifestyles have led to a steady increase in mineral deficiencies. Nowhere is this more true than with magnesium.  The U.S. minimum RDA is about 320 mg per day for women and more than 400 mg per day for men, while optimum daily amounts are closer to 500 to 700 mg per day. Yet studies show that after over a century of steadily decreasing intake, today more than 8 out of 10 people do not take enough daily magnesium for even the minimum daily amounts recommended.

In 1900, magnesium consumption was 475-500 mg per day.  By 1990  consumption had dropped to 175-225 mg per day, and it has continued to drop since then.

Following is a list of some of richest sources of the master mineral, including standard serving sizes and calories:

  • Pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted – 1 oz contains 151 mg of magnesium /148 calories
  • Brazil nuts – 1 oz contains 107 mg of magnesium /186 calories
  • Bran ready-to-eat cereal (100%), – 1 oz contains 103 mg of magnesium/74 calories
  • Halibut, cooked – 3 oz contains 151 mg of magnesium /148 calories
  • Quinoa, dry – 1/4 cup contains 89 mg of magnesium /159 calories
  • Spinach, canned – 1/2 cup contains 81 mg of magnesium / 5 calories
  • Almonds – 1 oz contains 78 mg of magnesium / 164 calories
  • Spinach, cooked from fresh – 1/2 cup contains 78 mg of magnesium / 20 calories
  • Buckwheat flour – 1/4 cup contains 75 mg of magnesium /101 calories
  • Pine nuts, dried – 1 oz contains 71 mg of magnesium /191 calories
  • Mixed nuts, oil roasted w peanuts –1 oz contains 67 mg of magnesium /175 calories
  • White beans, canned – 1/2 cup contains 67 mg of magnesium /154 calories
  • Pollock, walleye, cooked – 3 oz contains 62 mg of magnesium /96 calories
  • Black beans, cooked – 1/2 cup contains 60 mg of magnesium /114 calories
  • Bulgar, dry – 1/4 cup contains 57 mg of magnesium /120 calories
  • Oat bran, raw – 1/4 cup contains 55 mg of magnesium /58 calories

The list of dietary magnesium sources shows that although it might be possible for a person to obtain optimum, or at least minimum, amounts of magnesium from the diet, doing so on a daily basis would take very careful planning.  When processed food is part of the diet, it becomes even more unlikely for the general public to consume enough magnesium through dietary sources alone on a daily basis.

Only supplementation is likely to make up for such a widespread magnesium deficiency for most people. Since the same problems with soil depletion and diet cause deficiencies in many other vital minerals, it would be a good idea to supplement magnesium and to also supplement with a wide range of other minerals. The very best mineral supplements are those derived from whole food and plant sources because they are more readily absorbed than mined rock minerals.  Taking a tablespoon of molasses daily is an excellent choice for supplementing magnesium as well as many other minerals.

If you want to take a pill instead, it is believed that the best forms of supplemental magnesium are the ones chelated to an amino acid (magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurate) or a Krebs cycle intermediate (magnesium malate, magnesium citrate, magnesium fumarate).  The only side effect of too much magnesium is loose stool. Reducing the dosage or dividing daily doses into smaller amounts resolves the problem.

Blood tests for magnesium are notoriously inaccurate since only about 1 percent of the total body magnesium pool exists outside of living cells. Thus, blood serum levels are inaccurate and your doctor can’t easily tell by a blood test if your magnesium levels are low.

For optimum health, magnesium and calcium intake needs to be at about a 1 to 2 ratio. So, if you supplement with 500 mg of magnesium, you should supplement with 1000 mg of calcium (or less if you get plenty of dietary calcium and little dietary magnesium).

High Blood Pressure Info

High Blood Pressure Info

High blood pressure is a widely misunderstood  condition. It essentially did not exist 100 years ago!

My first comment regarding HBP is to do all I can to support the patient into lowering it!!

Although I respect their existence, I do not like pharmaceutical medicines because they mask the symptoms as opposed to getting to the root cause(s).

**Problem is that in 95% of the cases documented in the U.S., the underlying cause cannot be determined. This type of high blood pressure is called essential hypertension.

On the other end of the stick, I am also not fond of using natural supplements  for any length of time but may indeed recommend them  for a short period to support my patients as they make the necessary lifestyle changes to permanently reverse this condition on their own accord..

 Every person’s high blood pressure is unique to that individual. Blood pressure is almost a “private thing” with us knowing what we need to do to eliminate it  and just having to bite the bullet and do it.

A Few Surprising Facts:.

Some people think that those with hypertension are tense, nervous or hyperactive, but hypertension has nothing to do with personality traits. The truth is, you can be a calm, relaxed person and still have HBP..

*If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, your doctor SHOULD take several readings over time and /or have you monitor your blood pressure at home before diagnosing you with high blood pressure.

To get the most accurate reading at your next blood pressure screening, insist the procedure be done properly. Follow these tips given to us courtesy of Dr. David Williams.

  • Do not exercise or eat for 30 minutes before having your blood pressure taken. (Even a cup of coffee can affect readings for several hours after you drink it.)
  • Rest at least five minutes beforehand. You should feel comfortable and relaxed in your surroundings.
  • Have your reading taken in the morning because biological rhythms naturally cause pressures to be higher in the afternoons and evenings.
  • Remove all clothing from the waist up. Just rolling up your shirtsleeve can act like a tourniquet and cause false readings.
  • Ask that your blood pressure include readings taken while you are lying, sitting, and standing. Readings often skyrocket as you change positions, which may signal weak adrenal glands—not high blood pressure.
  • Make sure your elbow is at the same level as your heart. Every doctor and nurse is taught this, but very few check it. An elbow that is even a couple of inches below the heart can make the reading as much as 17 points higher than it should be. There’s no telling how many people have “low elbow” instead of high blood pressure!
  • Have your blood pressure taken three times with at least a one-minute rest between each one.

A single high reading does not necessarily mean that you have high blood pressure. However, if readings stay at 140/90 mm Hg or above (systolic 140 or above OR diastolic 90 or above) over time, your doctor will likely want you to begin a treatment program.

Such a program almost always includes lifestyle changes and often prescription medication for those with readings of 140/90 or higher.  Problem with prescription meds is they are not getting to the root cause of the problem because the root cause has not been determined.

Which number is more important top (systolic) or bottom (diastolic)?

  1. The first # Systolic is when the heart contracts forcing blood into the arteries that are part of the circulatory system. Most attention is given to this number as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in persons over 50 years old
  2. The second # Diastolic is when the heart returns to rest in between heartbeats.

Heart-Health

** In most people, systolic blood pressure rises steadily with age due to increasing stiffness of large arteries, long-term build-up of plaque, and increased incidence of cardiac and vascular disease. It may be “normal” for older folks to have slightly higher pressure.
At 60 years old, the circulatory system could never be the same as that of a 20 year old.
Other factors that can raise the risk of having essential hypertension include any of the following::
  • Liver
  • Kidneys
  • Heart
  • Nitric Oxide Depletion
  • Sleep Deprivation / Problems
  • Adrenal Insufficiency (Medulla/Cortex)
  • Overweight
  • Alcohol Consumption*
  • Sodium Consumption
  • Potassium/Magnesium
  • Caffeine
  • Diabetes
  • Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio

*Alcohol consumption is a double-edged sword. Some studies indicate it helps lower blood pressure, while others report the opposite. In very small amounts it may lower blood pressure. But if you drink too much, even moderate amounts regularly, blood pressure levels may go up. People who drink more than moderate amounts of alcohol regularly virtually always experience elevated blood pressure levels.

*Research indicates systolic blood pressure levels are about 7-10 mmmHg higher in frequent drinkers than in people who do not drink

 *Here is the 2014 list of Blood Pressure Meds

For those of you on Lisinopril, my suggestion is get off that one asap as it is believed to be the #1 cause of spontaneous dementia in nursing homes

Here is a list of what may work outside the medical model

  • Chiropractic
  • Acupuncture
  • Exercise
  • Diet
  • Weight Loss (The secreting success out of exercise is to do it regularly)
  • Sleep Patterning Reset
  • Stop Drinking Alcohol
  • Hibloderox
  • Meditation*
  • Yoga*
  • TaiChi*
  • Qigong*

*Some research has also concluded that Yoga, TaiChi, Qigong and Meditation can have the same effect as some of the most potent drugs used to lower pressure  

There are 3 bullet points to remember from this post

  1. Cause of High Blood Pressure not determined in 95% of the cases
  2. Blood Pressure is checked incorrectly
  3. The list of blood pressure medications and what they do
For additional information on how Dr. Princetta treats HBP, contact him at 619-231-1778 or Email Him