Blood Pressure a Bit High? You Better Read This!

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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 28.6% of adults  over that age of 18 in the United States have hypertension ie. chronically elevated blood pressure.  Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.  When diagnosed with high blood pressure, invariably your doctor will prescribe a medication to reduce it.  If somewhat enlightened, he may mumble a few words about eating a healthy diet to aid in blood pressure control but it is doubtful that he or she will actually “get” how important nutrition can be in the treatment of hypertension.

John H. Maher DC in Anti-Aging Therapeutics Volume XII wrote a review article on the treatment of hypertension that was astonishing.  He reviewed a couple of studies that you may want to consider. In one experiment, supplemental phytonutrients (powderized veggies and fruits) were administered to the study group.  After 90 days, systolic blood pressure dropped 12 mm Hg and diastolic dropped 7 mm Hg.  There was no change in the control group.

Another study was reviewed that used either whey protein powder or whey protein powder and a phytonutrient drink.  Both of these groups dropped their blood pressure and the control group did not.  The group using the protein powder and green drink dropped an average of 10.9 mm Hg systolic and 13.9 mm Hg diastolic.  These are amazing numbers and similar or better to what could be expected from taking a pharmaceutical.  Keep in mind that pharmaceuticals all have potential side effects whereas protein and veggies would have none.

There are different classes of blood pressure medications.  As an example, potential side effects of beta blockers include congestive heart failure, shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and impotence just to name a few.

Calcium channel blockers are another class of anti-hypertensive medication and it is thought that they may actually increase the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and death! Isn’t the idea here to avoid this?  This is a good reason to consider good nutrition to help avoid medication.  There is no risk to be well nourished.

Granted, the data in Dr. Maher’s article is somewhat limited and the study groups were small, but it is reasonable that there may be some validity that these food supplements may help. It is well accepted that the DASH and DASH 2 diets are a useful adjunct to treating hypertension.  These plans emphasize fruits and vegetables far more than the nutritionally devoid standard American diet.  In my opinion, although these diets are vastly better than how most people eat, they are not as good as the so-called Paleo or caveman diet that totally concentrates only on the foods that were available prior to the agricultural revolution.

I have decided that I am going to start consuming a “green” drink daily.  Life is busy and we don’t always have time to make a huge salad.  Elevated blood pressure is just one disease.  It is thought that a diet rich in vegetables and fruit may impact the risk for numerous diseases including cancer.  You cannot go wrong with too many vegetables.  In susceptible individuals with a propensity to high blood sugar, fruit may have to be limited somewhat because of the carbohydrate load.

If you do have high blood pressure, do not make any changes in your medication regimen without discussing it with your doctor.  Since whey protein and a “green” drink are simply foods, there really is little risk taking these.  If you do and are presently on blood pressure meds, get your doc to follow your blood pressure.

 

Lee Kurisko MD is Chief Medical Officer of  www.medibid.com.  He is trained as a family physician, radiologist, and neuroradiologist. He is author of “Health Reform- The End of the American Revolution?”  He is now pursuing Board Certification in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.”.   His blogposts on health and fitness can now be seen at www.healthandfitnessdoctor.com.

 

Image courtesy of [markuso] FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

 

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Posted in Health (taking care of yourself), Nutrition Tagged , , , |

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Medical Pricing Cartels Create Wide Variation in Costs (Part II)

By Ralph Weber, REBC, GBA, CFP, CLU, ChFC, AEP

See Medical Pricing Cartels Create Wide Variation in Costs (Part I) here.

PPOs operate like cartels which are shrouded in secrecy. Insurance companies execute proprietary secret contracts with their PPO network of physicians and hospitals. The contracts stipulate that the medical provider cannot share the details with anyone.

Image courtesy of [sscreations] FreeDigitalPhotos.netLet’s say Dr. Marvel is part of a PPO network called “Few Doctors,” and another offered by the same insurance company called “Many Doctors.” The insurance company pays Marvel $527.53 in the Many Doctor Network – but $705.92 in the Few Doctors Network. The person paying the insurance pays a higher premium for the Few Doctors Network – but gets the same level and quality of service. The amount paid to the same medical provider can vary by 1,000 percent, depending on which network is used by the patient. Usually the price variance has nothing to do with the quality of care.

What is the true price? It’s close to impossible to know the true price, because there is no price transparency from the patient’s point of view, and the insurance companies swear the providers to secrecy.

There are new answers to the pricing problem.

The solution should start with individual patients, not with massive insurance and provider systems operating in a monopolistic fashion. Individuals have much greater bargaining power than the large health care entities. The PPOs, HMOs, and other forms of “health plans” want people to believe they cannot do this alone, but they are wrong.

A provider network must accept everyone that the insurance company has enrolled in their PPO. An individual patient, however, has the power to say NO. Think about it. NO is one of the most powerful negotiating words in our English vocabulary.

Image courtesy of [digitalart] FreeDigitalPhotos.net2The key is for individuals to be able to know the price of health care before using it. This would allow a patient to say NO to one physician and YES to another. This negotiating power is already available through MediBid.com.  At MediBid.com the patient or employer health plan can solicit bids from the nation’s top medical providers or overseas providers before committing to a specific doctor. Since congress chose not to pass an act requiring the medical care prices be clearly posted similar to the Automobile Information Disclosure Act or 1958, it’s up to private industry to do this.

New insurance plans need to emerge so that patients are able to know the price of care and examine the quality of care providers before using a physician’s services. One way to do this is with a plan that allows the patient to shop and then hire any willing doctor, hospital, or clinic that offers the best value.

One of the great advantages this kind of insurance plan is that a patient is free to go to any willing medical provider. The patient is not chained to a PPO network. More importantly, it allows a patient to negotiate a cash price, which PPO networks cannot and do not do.

Health care services are expensive and even “catastrophic” for a serious illness, accident, or a chronic condition. Certainly, people need help paying their medical bills. The question is not “if” a person will need medical care, but “when” and the corollary: “What will it cost me out of my pocket, and can I get all the medical attention I need?” When policymakers choose to focus on the price of care, and use the marketplace to control it, we will finally see real health care reform.

About the Author:

Ralph F Weber is the author of “MediCrats: Medical Bureaucrats that Rule your Health Care” second edition published in April of 2013. MediCrats goes over the history of healthcare insurance starting in 1798 and up until the present day, revealing many of the factors which increase healthcare cost. As a leading healthcare consultant, Weber founded MediBid.com, a company which allows doctors and hospitals to compete in a transparent medical marketplace across state lines, and Route Three Benefits Consulting, a company specializing in helping employers reduce costs associated with ACA compliance. Weber can be reached at 888-720-8889 or by email at Ralph@RalphWeber.com

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