Blood Pressure Update

JUNE, 2010

This is for those of you who have requested further information regarding the natural products we use to help with high blood pressure and other problems. We are by no means qualified consultants and this is only our experience.

If you live or are deciding to come to Cuenca and require a Medical Practitioner who also favors natural procedures you may like to take down these details.

Dr Pedro Martinez Borrero (who by the way speaks perfect English)

Edificio “El Ejido” Av del Estadio 3-40 y Manuel J Calle

1er. Piso Oficina 102

Cellular: 098-304656

Beetroot and Celery

Late last year we reported on a natural adjunct for controlling high blood pressure - simply by juicing beetroot and celery (with carrots and apple to sweeten). Beetroots are high in nitrates which get converted into nitric oxide, a vasodilator. Celery, apart from being high in potassium, has an ingredient called phthalide, which works as a dilator. Phthalide reduces the production of stress hormones called catecholamines.

There are other vegetables and fruits which can assist lowering blood pressure, but we find that the above combination works within an hour.

Well consuming the same juice every day becomes boring, and to only rely on it as a sole line of defense (apart from medication if it is necessary) may not be enough.

Quinoa

The other week we wrote an article about using quinoa (“keen-wa”) as a natural gluten-free natural health product. It has been labeled as a “super food” by the United Nations because it contains all of the essential amino acids. Even NASA is considering it as a staple food for long manned space missions. It is good for blood pressure because it is high in magnesium and other nutrients good for the heart. It is also great for diabetes. Here is a copy of one article explaining these benefits:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Quinoa-Health-Benefits-For-Hypertension-and-Diabetes&id=3168903

We already know the quinoa health benefits in our diet like its protein content and nutritional value but we never really focus on what this super food can do if you are hypertensive or diabetic. Yes you heard it right, quinoa will be a great addition to your daily routine even if you are dealing with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.

The uncooked quinoa has less calories but more manganese, magnesium, iron, tryptophan, copper and phosphorous. If you are worried about serving it in variation then you shouldn't because quinoa is probably one of the most versatile foods we have. You can serve it for breakfast, lunch or supper and it will not alter the taste of other ingredients.

One notable quinoa health benefit I found is its ability to relax the blood vessels. How so? As mentioned above, it is packed with magnesium and we all know that low levels of this in our body can lead to hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias. Studies show that a serving of quinoa every breakfast dramatically reduces the risk of heart failure.

Quinoa contains a lot of phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized because a lot of research methods tend to overlook this fact.

What about the quinoa health benefits for Type 2 diabetes? Quinoa is loaded with magnesium and this mineral serves as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes and one of these enzymes is involved in the body's utilization of glucose and insulin secretion. Certain studies confirm that regular consumption of quinoa and other whole grains reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes. If you get tired of eating quinoa, you can add low-fat cheese for variation. You can actually add pretty much anything you want like chopped nuts, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat and seafood. You don't have to eat quinoa alone. You can even bake bread using quinoa flour.

This is a sample of the mix of foods that we typically include in a quinoa soup. It includes:

Quinoa

Black Beans

Pumpkin

Carrots

Broccoli

Celery

Garlic

Onion

Peas

Beans

Chicken (cooked)

You could make any change you want for a soup, but still keep quinoa (and maybe black beans) as the base ingredients. Just download this recipe book and you will soon see what we mean.

The only acidic food in the above mix is the chicken, but it is a small percentage. Vegetarians can easily cut this out. There is no fixed percentage – just experiment to suit your taste. We have one cup of quinoa and ½ cup of black beans, and the rest is just a “lottery draw”. 

After cooking the quinoa, black beans, vegetables and chicken, we then just puree them altogether in a blender (using the water from the cooked vegetables to keep the minerals). The taste can be adjusted with sea salt and herbs. Last night we added some cayenne pepper to give the soup a spicy “kick”. To add variety we then just add avocado in the soup.

It is a complete alkaline meal which sustains us for many hours, and just happens to be rich in magnesium and has already proved that it substantially lowers blood pressure. John’s has dropped to less than 110/65, and his pulse is about 55.

For breakfast, alternating with the beet root and celery juice, we make a smoothie that has:

A Tropical Fruit

Mulberries (moras de castilla)

Maca

Fiber (called Colon Clean)

Coconut Water

Again you will find that this mix is highly nutritious, full of energy and antioxidants and helps lower blood pressure. It would take too many words to summarize the nutritional status and benefits of this mix. Just do a nutrition search on all of these ingredients and you will see what we mean. A non-dairy protein powder with multiple nutrients would also be a substitute for the Maca if a person wants to alternate.  All these ingredients are available here in Ecuador.

Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)

This is another great source of magnesium and other beneficial nutrients. We try and use these for tasty variety 3-4 times per week. John usually heats the pumpkin seeds in a little olive oil and then sprinkles them with sea salt.  Very delicious.  The only problem is that we cannot always find the seeds.  Last week walked up and down the aisles of the Feria Libre Mercado and our usual lady who we buy from had sold out and no one else had them.  But we will keep checking everywhere we go.

Here are some third party references about pumpkin seeds for you. 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_10_68/ai_n16788588/

A Magnificent Source of Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in biochemical reactions that help keep bones strong and promote healthy heart rhythms and nervous system function. A magnesium-rich diet may also help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome (a collection of risk factors leading to heart disease, stroke and diabetes).

Researchers from a multicenter study called CARDIA that followed thousands of adults over 15 years found that people with the highest magnesium intakes from foods were 30 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome than those with the lowest intakes.

All pretty important, right? But only about 32 percent of the US population meets the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium, according to the Agricultural Research Service's Community Nutrition Research Group. The good news is that you can meet almost your entire daily magnesium requirement with a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds. Just 1/4 cup contains about 300 milligrams of magnesium--95% of the RDA.

Bursting with B vitamins

Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of five of the B vitamins. One-quarter cup of roasted seeds contributes:

* 11% daily allowance of B1 (0.12 mg)

* 16% daily allowance of B2 (0.18 mg)

* 41% daily allowance of niacin (5.8 mg)

* 4% daily allowance of B6 (0.05 mg)

* 8% daily allowance of folic acid (32 mcg)

Packed with Protein

That same roasted handful also bumps up your protein by 19 grams--that's about 39 percent of the daily recommended amount of protein.

A Plant Source of Iron - Increase your iron by 8.5 milligrams (almost half the RDA) each time you eat 1/4 cup roasted seeds.

Rich in Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fat

Most of the fatty acids in pumpkin seeds come from monounsaturated fat, and the polyunsaturated fats are omega6 fatty acids. One-quarter cup contributes 7.4 grams of monounsaturated fat and 10.9 grams of polyunsaturated fat.

Calories and Fiber - A typical serving of roasted pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup) contains 296 calories and 2g fiber (mostly insoluble).

Guayusa Tea

The other ingredient we now regularly have is Guayusa Tea. This is available at the Health Food Stores in downtown Cuenca. Despite having a higher caffeine content than coffee, it actually lowers blood pressure. It has a medicinal form of caffeine. It also helps regulate blood sugar, so it is also good for diabetics.

http://fourwindsbotanicals.com/index_files/IlexGuayusaLeaves.html

A close relative to the more widely known Yerba Mate (Ilex Paraguayensis), Guayusa contains caffeine which accounts for some of the stimulating effect similar to Yerba Mate. However, this is not just another caffeine containing herb, the profound effects prove this to be a very powerful herb with properties that have yet to be studied.  Like Yerba Mate, Guayusa is full of nutritional content as well as energy giving alkaloids, but Guayusa is much stronger and more potent in these properties than Yerba Mate as well as having unique components.

In Ecuador Guayusa has been used from ancient times to modern day to increase physical and mental capacity, to fight fatigue, and to restore youthful energy.  Generally hailed as a long-life plant it is consumed daily for nourishment as well as to lift the mood and increase memory and concentration.  There are also believed to be a wide range of other medicinal uses such as an analgesic to relieve headache and body pains, to treat colds, lower blood pressure, and to have strong sexually stimulating and libido enhancing properties. 

Besides daily use for maintenance of high energy and positive mood Guayusa has been used as an aid to dreaming and dream recall—initial feedback shows very strong potential in this area.  Guayusa has also traditionally been used as an add mixture to Ayahuasca brews throughout Ecuador as it gives strength and energy to deal with the visions and sedation of the brew.”

http://web.mac.com/jsmw/CCBD/Guayusa_Tea.html

"In addition to functioning as a gentle stimulant and source of sustained energy, Guayusa balances the body’s ph, detoxifies the blood, tones the kidneys and urinary tract, improves digestion and elimination, strengthens the lungs, cleanses cholesterol, balances blood sugar levels, and serves as a cerebral tonic that aids in concentration, memory, and clear thought."

Sodium Bicarbonate

And lastly, for those who might suffer from an overly acidic system, or have serious ailments like arthritis, gout and others (including cancer - just read the literature), then a drink of sodium bicarbonate and lemon/lime juice will quickly alkalize your system and give an alkaline diet a kick start. To check this is true, buy some PH sticks and check your saliva and urine PH both before and after taking the bicarb/citrus drink. Again, read the literature and you will find that such a mix will do wonders for alkalizing the human body. The potassium in the citrus fruit will balance the sodium in the bicarb. Dr Simoncini has even had great success using sodium bicarbonate with cancer (see www.cancerfungus.com). You may also want to check out Mark Sircus who has written a couple of books on the use of sodium bicarb. See this story http://imva.info/index.php/2009/10/still-alive-and-well/ for a prostate cancer success story.

Unfortunately we cannot find Bi-Carb in the supermarkets and have to request friends coming into the country to bring us a few packets.  You can buy small satchels in the pharmacies here but that is the only place we have found it.  Other expats have also been looking around different stores and have as yet also not found any.

Again I wish to point out that the above is what we do to take care of our health.  It does not mean it will work for everyone and we are by no means consultants or practitioners.  John is an avid health researcher and has been for many many years.

Our business in Australia was related to health and it required a lot of researching and also working with our Medical Practitioners.

Lastly we completed our 21 detox and we have both lost weight and we are also back into walking at least one and a half hours per day. The good food has given us the extra energy we needed to get started again. The walks take us into the city and back and we get to see the most wonderful scenery, people, buildings, river and mountains - and get some healthy vitamin D at the same time. The days have been beautiful lately; sunny and perfect for walking. Even though the 21 days are complete we are still sticking to the same type of diet for awhile.  I certainly did not feel that I was starving at any time and it was very easy to follow.

Ok until I write again.

Hasta Luega

Dixie

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