Heart Health – Cholesterol & Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
High Cholesterol
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, it is probable that your doctor has either offered or written a prescription for a statin medication. The problem is that this standard of care is outdated. What you need to know is how to understand your labs and what those labs really mean so that you can be an educated consumer. It is critical that you are aware of the risks and potential side effects of taking a cholesterol lowering medication.
Diet and Cholesterol
Some of the confusion around high cholesterol is the idea that lowering LDL cholesterol will lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. The dietary path to reach this is reducing or eliminating cholesterol found in food like saturated fats found red meat and butter are responsible for elevated LDL. This is flawed thinking. It is now known that elevated LDL is only a cause for concern if your HDL is low and your triglycerides and blood sugar are high. This is a dietary issue that is best treated at the root cause. The root cause is not cholesterol found in food but instead the foods that elevate insulin and blood sugar. Working on eating foods are avoiding foods that will reduce triglycerides and blood sugar and elevating the protective HDL can be done though diet. It is the inflammation that may cause the injury to the artery. I can help you develop a plan that will improve your cholesterol without risking the side effects of medications.
Hypertension -High Blood Pressure
Most of my clients coming to me with help for their blood pressure are at a point where they are on several medications to reduce their blood pressure but are either having side effects from the medications or the medications are not bringing their pressure to a healthy level.
There are ways to lower blood pressure naturally. One of the most significant reasons for high blood pressure is high insulin. That is why I see many of my clients with diabetes who have hypertension and are also on blood pressure medicine. Elevated insulin results in the body holding onto more water which causes intravascular volume which elevates blood pressure.
“Diets don’t work. You should never be hungry.”
Common Questions
What can I do if my doctor insists that I take medication to lower my cholesterol?
I would advise you to ask your doctor to explain the risks of the medication he or she is prescribing. The point is that as a patient, your doctor should take the time to explain the risks and benefits of cholesterol lowering medication so that you can make an educated choice.
What does it mean if my total cholesterol has gone up?
Total Cholesterol does can be a good thing! The total cholesterol is made up of different parts with one of them being HDL. HDL is the good, healthy, protective cholesterol. So we want that to go up!
How can I improve my cholesterol profile?
Improve your diet and you will see cholesterol improve. Particularly if you are following an eating plan that lowers insulin resistance (by lowering triglycerides and blood sugar), and raises HDL, the protective cholesterol.
How do I know if I should take a cholesterol lowering medication?
If you have had a heart attack or stroke, you probably should take medications. The question comes when you are looking at never having had a problem and/or a family history. These may be more lifestyle driven, not genetics. In that case, you would want to compare the risks/benefits of medications.
Can diet alone control my blood pressure?
Many of my clients have been able to completely get off of their medications or significantly reduce them. However, in some cases, blood pressure medications may still be needed to maintain optimal health.
What are the factors that I can control to lower my blood pressure?
It is important to understand the connection between blood pressure and insulin resistance. Once insulin resistance is lowered, the inflammation that accompanies it is lowered, and blood pressure improves.
Does stress affect blood pressure?
Stress is another factor in blood pressure – both emotional stress and the stress of lack of quality sleep and/or sleep apnea.
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