By now I’m sure you know that hypertension is widely known as the silent killer.  The reason why hypertension has such a macabre moniker is really quite plain:  The symptoms are so slight that by the time people become aware of it and what they need to do to treat it, it’s too late.

But the silent killer has become so taciturn in its recognition as a serious health condition, doctors are giving it short shrift—despite it costing the healthcare system $73 billion annually!

According to the National Academies of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine, hypertension is a condition that’s landed on the backburner for far too many a physician.  Despite all we know about high blood pressure, its severity, and the jeopardy it puts all of us in for acquiring debilitating diseases, more and more people are dying from it than ever before.  And when one in every three people have high blood pressure—500 million worldwide—it’s little wonder why so many are dying.

But it’s not like the afflicted individuals aren’t able to know whether or not they have hypertension because of no health insurance.  To the contrary, 86 percent of people with hypertension have health insurance, but because doctors aren’t prioritizing hypertension or asking patients questions about their health habits if they have a high reading, afflicted individuals are left in the dark.

To reverse the trend, the report implores doctors to make treating and testing for hypertension a priority and to stress the importance diet and lifestyle habits have in managing it.

The report also calls on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to work with insurance companies so that blood pressure drugs can be made more affordable.

But I have an even better idea:  How about stressing the importance of how people can lower their blood pressure all naturally?  Blood pressure drugs have their place, but they should only be used as a last resort.

You can learn how to lower your blood pressure with the assistance of my best selling book “The Blood Pressure Miracle.” In it, you’ll learn about the array of vitamins and minerals that naturally lower blood pressure, including calcium, coenzyme Q10, and garlic; the foods that naturally lower blood pressure, like quinoa and dark chocolate; and what herbs have blood pressure-lowering characteristics, like hawthorn and maitake.

It’s little wonder why hypertension is responsible for so many deaths in the country; it’s linked to a veritable smoragsbord of conditions, like arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and high cholesterol.  We’ve made some strides, as many restaurants and food offerings have lowered the amounts of sodium used in their signature dishes, but more can be done.  A lot more.

Here’s hoping the clarion call issued by the National Institute of Health will ring loud and clear in doctors’ ears, and that they’ll make high blood pressure a top priority in their health assessments going forward.

Sources
youtube.com
whfoods.com
nutraingredients.com
ngm.nationalgeographic.com