High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension, a prevalent condition in the United States, is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, the economic burden to our society from HBP related problems and diseases is more than $93.5 billion per year.

Approximately 90 to 95% of all HBP patients have so-called essential HBP for which the cause is unknown. The remainder 5 to 10% has secondary HBP due to diseases of the arteries, heart, the adrenal glands or kidneys. The blood pressure measurement consists of two numbers, the top number is known as systolic and the bottom number, diastolic, BP expressed in mm Hg. Systolic BP is generated during the contraction of the heart whereas diastolic BP is generated during relaxation in between heartbeats.

MEET THE AUTHOR

David Juan, MD, has over 30 years of clinical experience as an endocrinologist and medical pain-relief specialist. An authority on nutrition, vitamins, hormones, supplementation, and natural remedies, Dr. Juan has been widely published in books and medical journals on various topics including: vitamin D, calcium metabolism, and endocrine diseases. Dr. Juan received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his medical training at the Johns Hopkins Medical Service (Baltimore City Hospitals) in internal medicine and the University of North Carolina in endocrinology and metabolism. He has taught at several medical schools, including Northwestern University and currently serves at a holistic wellness center in Silicon Valley.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

The spectrum of Natural Medicines includes natural whole food as well as specific dietary supplements. Based on research conducted in the last two decades it has been repeatedly shown that natural whole foods (fruits, vegetables) with balanced minerals, vitamins, antioxidants as well as the right amount of micro and macronutrients are in general more effective and safer than any specific dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of HBP.

Several aspects of the Natural Medicine relevant to HBP will include the following:

Source

Mechanism

Evidence-based of effectiveness

Adverse Reactions

Precautions

Dosage

The effectiveness of these Natural Medicines will be ranked into one of four categories:

***E:Clinically effective demonstrated by multiple randomized clinical studies.

**E:Clinically beneficial demonstrated by several controlled clinical studies although some studies may show contradictory results.

*E: Limited effectiveness demonstrated by controlled clinical studies

CHAPTER OUTLINE