Hypertension medications have made improvements over the past years and that’s good news for people who have been prescribed those antihypertensive drugs. Some drugs have improved potency which means lower doses are required. Others work in ways that did not exist several years ago and also allow for lower dosages or more effective combinations of drugs.
So if there have been so many improvements, why do you feel so lousy?
These drugs still come with side effects. Understand that hypertension treatment is a numbers game. Your doctor will start with a low dosage on one or two medicines and will continue to adjust both type of drugs and dosages until a combination is found that controls your condition. At least it controls it for now. If you condition changes, or you develop intolerance to the drug, the mix and match process begins again.
Here’s a sample of what you can expect in the way of side effects for a few of the classes of drugs:
Diuretics are the oldest and least expensive form of treatment for high blood pressure. Diuretics flush sodium and excess fluids from the body reducing blood volume. The less blood in the system, the less pressure required to pump it. Thiazide diuretics can also prevent sodium from being reabsorbed in the body. Side effects include:
Thirst, potassium depletion, frequent urination, weakness, impotence, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, constipation and confusion.
Anti-adrenergics work by limiting the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine which have a stiffening effect on the blood vessels. Without this effect both the vessels and heart are more relaxed and less pressure is required to pump blood. Side effects:
Depression, fatigue, wheezing, insomnia, impotence and a decrease in good cholesterol HDL can occur as a result of taking this class of drug. The very scary part is do not miss taking your pill as prescribed. Sudden withdrawal can trigger an angina or heart attack.
ACE Inhibitors. This class is one of the most effective in controlling blood pressure. This drug works by deactivating angiotensin-converting enzyme which prevents the kidney from absorbing sodium and retaining water. Left unchecked, these enzymes can stiffen blood vessels and increase pressure. Side effects include:
Cough, rash, fluid retention and loss of taste. May also cause fetal abnormalities.
So that’s the popular line up of hypertension medications and their side effects. Is there an alternative to these?
The answer is yes, if you want to make some changes in the way you live your life.
The American Heart Association endorses changes in diet, exercise and stress management as the best way to control hypertension. If you are fed up with the side effects, the expense, or simply the fact that you will be reliant on daily medication for the rest of your life, then you need to learn about the alternatives.
Natural approaches can not only control your high blood pressure, it can cure it and reverse much of the damage that has already been done. Take responsibility for your health and learn how to live without the drugs.
Category: Blood Tension
Hypertension Medication Side Effects – Do You Know What Your Drug Can Do to You?
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Aromatherapy – Powerful Natural Sleep Aid
The aroma of Spikenard or Jatamansi oil is lingering, heavy, sweet-woody and spicy. Its rich, mellow aroma is lasting and gives depth to any blend. Since ancient times Narde has been used in religious ceremonies. It was supposedly used in the foot balm Mary Magalene used to anoint her master’s feet in the New Testament of the Bible.
Narde lifts the spirits and inspires the heart and mind to selfless acts of devotion. Traditionally Narde has been used in many incense formulas for spiritual enhancement and as an aid to meditation. Its especially balancing effect on the mind and emotions makes it a wonderful aid for contemplation and promoting clarity of mind.
Blend with Helichrysum essential oil for emotional healing and to release old fears and anxiety stemming from past traumas. Narde is a good oil to use when you’re feeling stuck and needing to move forward in your life.
As a relative of Valerian Narde has been well documented for its sedative action and for promoting restful sleep. Try it alone or in a blend to induce sleep and to relieve insomnia and tension.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Slowly inhale 1-3 drops of Narde dispensed onto a tissue or cotton ball, or add 1-3 drops of Narde to a small amount of Jojoba oil and gently rub over your heart and/or solar plexus (upper abdominal region) to experience the desired sedative effect.
Narde stimulates circulation of blood, lymph and nerve supply and is useful as a beauty aid, for promoting healthy skin tissue and for maintaining a clear, smooth complexion and youthful appearance.
Tibetan medicine practitioners have traditionally used Spikenard oil for the purpose of hair growth and to promote circulation. Excellent results have been reported in combating baldness and grey hair.
Narde is well known for healing many skin conditions. Try it for relieving rosacea, acne, eczema, psoriasis, cold sores and shingles. The herb has been used in traditional tribal medicine for incurable skin conditions and is believed to contain anti-aging properties.
Spikenard’s distinct affinity for the skin is beneficial for alleviating oily skin, hair and scalp conditions. It is one of the few oils which has any long term effect in the treatment of dandruff or seborrhea.
It’s reported that Spikenard is successfully being used to treat intestinal colic and various nervous disorders. Its sedative, antispasmodic action is unsurpassed! Clinical aromatherapists appreciate its consistent results when used to relieve chronic constipation. It has been documented by some medical sources as being helpful for treating high blood pressure.
Please note: There are many cheap chemical copies of essential oils available, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. For best results always use ethically wild crafted or pure, organic essential oils that are pesticide free!
Aromatherapy is a gentle and noninvasive complementary and alternative health care system used for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind and spirit to enhance your health. Please consult with your physician regarding your health concerns.
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Do You Have Ghosts in Your Money House?
Tension in relationship is nothing new. Tension or conflict over money is not new either. Many, if not most adults avoid “money” conversations. Just like other key issues (sex, religion and child rearing) that seem so sensitive, deep and inexpressible, lack of money communication acts like a tourniquet to the life’s blood of relationship.
Of course money is inanimate, yet it is energy. This energy is animated by thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. Mostly it is animated by thoughts, beliefs and attitudes from the past. In ghostly fashion these thoughts inhabit our lives, relationships and out-comes. No where is this more obvious than in our intimate relationships.
Think of money like electricity. It can light and warm a home, and at the same time if your home is not wired properly, it can burn it down. Or if you don’t understand electricity properly, you can shock your self by putting your finger in the socket instead of the plug. Mostly, folks go around shocking themselves with these money ghosts, occasionally burning the house down. No one likes being shocked, yet time and again the process is repeated-hoping for light and warmth.
Studies over the last 20 years have consistently shown financial stress as the top cause of relationship failure. And while there are many other factors that contribute to a break-up, these ancillary factors seemed to be survivable when ability to discuss and manage money is present. Why would that be? To begin with, money represents freedom. Used wisely, this energy brings you a host of choices that one would not have otherwise. It brings the ability to seek help, expertise for the very problems that are stressing a relationship. In tougher economic times, the divorce rate climbs. Why? Whatever stress is already present is exacerbated by lack of financial resources. Getting married, starting a business, having a baby, children going to college, going back to school, you name it-it all involves changes in money-changes in energy and how you are currently working with the energy.
I have a toolbox of sorts that I give my clients. We use these tools to determine the money terrain of the “map of reality” folks carry around in their heads. What is the “map of reality”? Well, it is every thought, attitude, belief you have-and believe it to be true.
Here is one for you: “You have to work hard for the money”. How about, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”; or “money doesn’t grow on trees.” There is a whole list of these thoughts, or money tapes running in our heads. Yes, your head, my head, everyone’s head- default programming running all of the time.
It isn’t so much that the tape is bad, it is that we don’t stop to ask the most important question: “Is the tape TRUE”?
I have seen plenty of folks who do not work hard for the money. So have you. I have seen plenty of poor people move beyond poverty, and while I have never seen a money tree, I have seen folks use the energy of money wisely so that their ATM card is always bearing fruit.
Why don’t we question these old money tapes? Where do these tapes come from? And most importantly-what do you need to know to expunge the ones not working for you?
I’ll write more about the answers to these questions in future Ezines.
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