Welcome to "Healthy Living,"
I'm your host Margot Marshall.
00:00:14.88\00:00:19.11
I have good news and bad news.
00:00:19.15\00:00:22.28
The bad news is that the
number of people in the world
00:00:22.32\00:00:25.92
with high blood pressure
has reached 1.13 billion!
00:00:25.95\00:00:31.09
Nearly doubling since 1975
and it's no longer a disease
00:00:31.13\00:00:36.70
of just affluent countries.
00:00:36.73\00:00:38.73
The good news is high
blood pressure can be reversed!
00:00:38.77\00:00:42.90
Stay tuned to find out how.
00:00:42.94\00:00:46.24
I'm hoping that all 1.13 billion
people with high blood pressure
00:01:14.74\00:01:20.81
are tuning in right
now because with me in the
00:01:20.84\00:01:23.78
studio to share success stories
of reversing high blood pressure
00:01:23.81\00:01:27.95
is Dr. John Clark.
00:01:27.98\00:01:29.82
Welcome John, lovely to have
00:01:29.85\00:01:31.55
you on the program.
Thanks for having me.
00:01:31.59\00:01:34.09
First of all, what
is high blood pressure?
00:01:34.12\00:01:37.06
I mean, what are the
numbers and secondly,
00:01:37.09\00:01:39.69
why should we be
concerned about it anyway?
00:01:39.73\00:01:42.23
Yes, sometimes the
numbers can be a bit daunting.
00:01:42.26\00:01:46.10
You look at it and you
wonder, "What does that mean?
00:01:46.13\00:01:47.97
They gave me a number?"
00:01:48.00\00:01:49.57
We usually give two numbers,
one is the highest - your
00:01:49.60\00:01:54.38
heart pumps pressure into
your bloodstream and the other
00:01:54.41\00:01:58.18
number is at the lowest point.
00:01:58.21\00:02:00.92
And so we have a high
number called "systolic,"
00:02:00.95\00:02:04.22
and a low number
called "diastolic."
00:02:04.25\00:02:06.29
The high number we
say shouldn't be over 120,
00:02:06.32\00:02:10.23
and the lower number
shouldn't be over 80.
00:02:10.26\00:02:13.70
And so those are the
numbers we look at - you go over
00:02:13.73\00:02:15.73
120/80 and you're concerned.
00:02:15.76\00:02:18.50
And why are you concerned?
00:02:18.53\00:02:20.44
Because you don't
feel any different.
00:02:20.47\00:02:23.41
That's the dangerous
part of high blood pressure.
00:02:23.44\00:02:25.74
We say it's the silent
killer because people could be
00:02:25.77\00:02:29.14
walking around with
180/150 and be ready to have
00:02:29.18\00:02:34.95
a heart attack, a stroke,
their kidneys could be failing.
00:02:34.98\00:02:39.49
A number of things can
go definitely wrong when
00:02:39.52\00:02:42.12
the blood pressure
goes too high and yet they
00:02:42.16\00:02:44.79
don't know it and they could
end up with tragic results.
00:02:44.83\00:02:49.26
Well that's certainly something
to be concerned about, isn't it?
00:02:49.30\00:02:52.20
Especially because it is,
as you say - "a silent killer."
00:02:52.23\00:02:55.04
How does Australians
actually compare with the rest
00:02:55.07\00:02:57.77
of the world in terms
of high blood pressure?
00:02:57.81\00:03:00.54
I was surprised they
are almost twice the numbers
00:03:00.58\00:03:04.81
of the rest of the world!
00:03:04.85\00:03:06.18
Oh, that's awful! Yes! I
didn't want to hear that!
00:03:06.21\00:03:09.18
Well, at least it gives
us a goal to work on, hey.
00:03:09.22\00:03:13.05
So 1 in 3 Australians
has high blood pressure.
00:03:13.09\00:03:17.23
That's not good news.
00:03:17.26\00:03:19.59
What about Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islanders,
00:03:19.63\00:03:22.53
how do they fare?
00:03:22.56\00:03:24.27
Oh they're even
higher, they're about 20% more
00:03:24.30\00:03:27.20
people with high blood pressure.
00:03:27.24\00:03:28.84
It affects them,
especially when they adopt
00:03:28.87\00:03:31.91
the lifestyle of the
rest of the Australians.
00:03:31.94\00:03:34.74
Oh that's not
something to be proud of, is it?
00:03:34.78\00:03:37.58
What about men? How
do they compare with
00:03:37.61\00:03:41.32
women say for
high blood pressure?
00:03:41.35\00:03:43.49
Well men are ahead
in that area too. OH!
00:03:43.52\00:03:47.09
I'm sad to say, about 34% of
men have high blood pressure,
00:03:47.12\00:03:52.19
whereas only about 29% of women.
00:03:52.23\00:03:55.10
All right, well
that's all bad news.
00:03:55.13\00:03:57.40
Let's talk about some
good news and I know you have
00:03:57.43\00:03:59.97
lots of solutions to all kinds
of the problems that plague
00:04:00.00\00:04:03.91
people on this planet, but
if you had to choose just one
00:04:03.94\00:04:08.11
the single most
powerful lifestyle, let's say,
00:04:08.14\00:04:13.78
practice that people could
adopt to avoid or to reduce
00:04:13.82\00:04:17.35
high blood
pressure, what would that be?
00:04:17.39\00:04:19.15
The single most
important, what would that be?
00:04:19.19\00:04:21.42
I think that it would be water,
00:04:21.46\00:04:23.46
how much water a
person drinks. Water? Yes.
00:04:23.49\00:04:25.79
That just sounds
a bit too simple.
00:04:25.83\00:04:27.20
It does, doesn't it?
00:04:27.23\00:04:28.80
I call high blood
pressure, in many respects,
00:04:28.83\00:04:31.53
"the great
water shortage." Okay.
00:04:31.57\00:04:35.27
"Dehydration" as
they call it. Yes.
00:04:35.30\00:04:38.47
I remember I was giving a
lecture on high blood pressure
00:04:38.51\00:04:41.74
to an audience and the
lady on the front row - when I
00:04:41.78\00:04:45.05
mentioned water, practically
jumped out of her seat,
00:04:45.08\00:04:47.58
said, "Water! That's it!"
00:04:47.62\00:04:49.92
And I looked at her and I
said, "Really? Tell us more."
00:04:49.95\00:04:52.55
She said, "Aw, my mother
called me, (now this lady
00:04:52.59\00:04:55.62
was in her 60s, so her mother
must have been in her 80s),
00:04:55.66\00:04:58.16
my mother gave me a call,
she said, "Nancy, (this lady's
00:04:58.19\00:05:02.66
name was Nancy), "Nancy,
my blood pressure is 180/150,
00:05:02.70\00:05:07.80
what do I do?" Well
Nancy was pretty calm.
00:05:07.84\00:05:11.91
The mother went on to say,
"Shall I call the ambulance?
00:05:11.94\00:05:14.64
Shall I go to the hospital?"
00:05:14.68\00:05:16.01
Nancy said, "Well mom, I'll
tell you what, just sit down,
00:05:16.04\00:05:20.12
drink 3 big glasses of water and
when I get there in 45 minutes,
00:05:20.15\00:05:24.62
we'll check your
blood pressure again."
00:05:24.65\00:05:26.45
Forty-five minutes
later, Nancy walked in,
00:05:26.49\00:05:30.03
checked mom's blood
pressure and it was 120/80!
00:05:30.06\00:05:33.90
Oh, truly! Nancy knew something
that you knew obviously.
00:05:33.93\00:05:39.27
Well that's just amazing!
00:05:39.30\00:05:40.70
Why does that work though?
00:05:40.74\00:05:42.87
How does that
happen? I mean, you know,
00:05:42.90\00:05:47.91
if you have really low
hydration, if you're dehydrated,
00:05:47.94\00:05:52.11
your blood pressure can
actually drop - so I'm just
00:05:52.15\00:05:55.35
intrigued to know how
drinking a lot more water would
00:05:55.38\00:05:58.92
actually lower it.
How does that work?
00:05:58.95\00:06:01.09
And it's true, if
you don't have any water,
00:06:01.12\00:06:03.16
your blood pressure
will go out the bottom.
00:06:03.19\00:06:05.49
Well yeah, I think
it just stops. Yes.
00:06:05.53\00:06:08.26
And so somewhere though before
it goes totally to nothing,
00:06:08.30\00:06:11.83
your body works VERY hard
to get the blood pressure up
00:06:11.87\00:06:15.40
because its goal is
to get the blood going
00:06:15.44\00:06:18.21
to the top of your brain.
00:06:18.24\00:06:19.57
And if the blood is
going to the top of your brain
00:06:19.61\00:06:22.04
very well, several things
happen - one is all of the
00:06:22.08\00:06:25.68
blood vessels in your
body tighten up to squeeze the
00:06:25.71\00:06:28.75
blood up to the top of
your brain - sort of like
00:06:28.78\00:06:30.52
squeezing a toothpaste tube.
00:06:30.55\00:06:32.75
The second thing that
happens is your heart starts
00:06:32.79\00:06:35.42
going faster and so you get
a fast heartbeat - maybe you
00:06:35.46\00:06:39.46
feel your heartbeat,
maybe you think you're having
00:06:39.49\00:06:41.66
what we call "palpitations"
or a heart that's signaling
00:06:41.70\00:06:46.17
you that it's working hard.
00:06:46.20\00:06:48.37
So that's how it
works, well that's
00:06:48.40\00:06:49.80
intriguing and
that makes so much sense
00:06:49.84\00:06:51.21
when you explain it like that.
00:06:51.24\00:06:52.57
By the way, I don't squeeze
the tube - I roll it. Oh!
00:06:52.61\00:06:55.91
Just a little aside.
00:06:55.94\00:06:57.38
Are there any other natural
remedies that you could suggest
00:06:57.41\00:07:01.65
that would help with
people having experiencing
00:07:01.68\00:07:04.62
high blood pressure?
00:07:04.65\00:07:05.99
I had a friend whose mother
always had high blood pressure,
00:07:06.02\00:07:08.79
I mean her whole life -
she was on three high blood
00:07:08.82\00:07:11.69
pressure medications all
the time and still went to the
00:07:11.73\00:07:14.13
emergency room
frequently without a controlled
00:07:14.16\00:07:17.13
high blood pressure.
00:07:17.17\00:07:19.20
And, her son said, "Well
I've been studying some of these
00:07:19.23\00:07:23.04
nice natural remedies especially
for high blood pressure,
00:07:23.07\00:07:28.91
and studying drinking
water," and he discovered
00:07:28.94\00:07:32.61
that if you added
some lemon to the water,
00:07:32.65\00:07:34.72
that it was very
helpful for high blood pressure.
00:07:34.75\00:07:37.29
So he said, "Mom, every morning
start out with a liter of
00:07:37.32\00:07:40.79
water with the juice of
one fresh squeezed lemon in it
00:07:40.86\00:07:44.33
and see if that doesn't work."
00:07:44.36\00:07:46.49
Well mom started doing
that and within 6 months
00:07:46.53\00:07:49.60
she was off all her
blood pressure medications,
00:07:49.63\00:07:52.30
and she was drinking her lemon
but she got tired of lemon!
00:07:52.33\00:07:56.30
I mean it is pretty acid!
00:07:56.34\00:07:58.17
And so she and he did
some more research and found a
00:07:58.21\00:08:01.48
good herb that was very similar
and that is "Hawthorn berry."
00:08:01.51\00:08:05.35
Hawthorn berry has been very
beneficial for a lot of people
00:08:05.38\00:08:08.98
for high blood pressure.
00:08:09.02\00:08:10.99
Some people take it as
a tablet; others as a tea;
00:08:11.02\00:08:13.99
I tend to prefer a
tea - that way you get the
00:08:14.02\00:08:15.89
liquid with it again.
00:08:15.92\00:08:17.49
And she found that she
could control her blood pressure
00:08:17.53\00:08:20.36
on that natural
remedy while continuing
00:08:20.40\00:08:22.53
to drink plenty of water.
00:08:22.56\00:08:25.23
Very, very simple things
that you could hardly imagine
00:08:25.27\00:08:28.54
would be so
effective - it's just amazing.
00:08:28.57\00:08:31.21
I mean huge amounts
of people see the doctor
00:08:31.24\00:08:35.64
for blood pressure - I
think how many would that be,
00:08:35.68\00:08:37.58
like I think I've heard you
say, something like "most people
00:08:37.61\00:08:42.15
see the doctor for
high blood pressure,"
00:08:42.18\00:08:43.52
is that something like what
you were saying the other day?
00:08:43.55\00:08:45.65
That's right! For a
general practice physician,
00:08:45.69\00:08:48.76
the number one
disease he's going to be
00:08:48.79\00:08:51.09
seeing is high blood pressure.
00:08:51.13\00:08:52.59
Right and to be able to
control it in such a simple way.
00:08:52.63\00:08:56.03
I mean that isn't just
preventing it, that's actually
00:08:56.06\00:08:58.20
bringing it down over
time - so that's fantastic!
00:08:58.23\00:09:02.07
That's really wonderful!
00:09:02.10\00:09:03.44
What about exercise? What
sort of a role or how does
00:09:03.47\00:09:05.84
that fit in with
high blood pressure?
00:09:05.87\00:09:07.58
You know, if people
don't exercise, they get stiff.
00:09:07.61\00:09:12.08
Like if we sit in these
chairs too long... ha, ha, ha,
00:09:12.11\00:09:15.48
and we don't get up,
we're going to feel mighty stiff
00:09:15.52\00:09:18.09
when we get out of this chair.
00:09:18.12\00:09:20.02
Well this happens to the whole
body - the muscles get stiff;
00:09:20.06\00:09:23.99
the blood vessels get stiff and
stiff muscles resist blood flow.
00:09:24.03\00:09:29.43
Stiff blood
vessels resist blood flow.
00:09:29.46\00:09:32.37
Therefore, it takes more
pressure to get the blood
00:09:32.40\00:09:34.80
to go through those stiff
muscles and stiff blood vessels.
00:09:34.84\00:09:37.87
And so exercise helps
to relax the blood vessels,
00:09:37.91\00:09:43.31
make them more supple -
it helps relax the muscles,
00:09:43.35\00:09:46.72
make them more supple.
00:09:46.75\00:09:48.08
It also makes it so that
the heart is more efficient
00:09:48.12\00:09:51.75
in each of its pumps so
that the blood comes through
00:09:51.79\00:09:55.56
in a more steady fashion.
00:09:55.59\00:09:57.33
Well that's just
amazing, I mean we keep hearing
00:09:57.36\00:09:59.59
about exercise is good for
just about anything that you
00:09:59.63\00:10:03.30
name - to deal with the
body, it's just amazing.
00:10:03.33\00:10:05.33
But I would not have
known that it was so good for
00:10:05.37\00:10:08.77
high blood pressure.
00:10:08.80\00:10:10.17
You tend to think that
when you actually exercise,
00:10:10.21\00:10:12.74
it sends your blood
pressure up for that period.
00:10:12.77\00:10:15.01
But what you're saying is that
after that, it's normalizing it
00:10:15.04\00:10:18.41
and there's nothing wrong
with the blood pressure going up
00:10:18.45\00:10:20.85
while we exercise - it's very
normal - so that's fantastic.
00:10:20.88\00:10:24.02
And what about
foods? Are there foods
00:10:24.05\00:10:26.45
that contribute in one way or
another to high blood pressure?
00:10:26.49\00:10:30.39
You know we are
what we eat. Yes.
00:10:30.43\00:10:33.36
I tell people - if you
don't like what you are,
00:10:33.40\00:10:36.06
physically/medically
as far as diseases go,
00:10:36.10\00:10:38.80
change what you eat!
00:10:38.83\00:10:40.17
And it sort of makes
sense, doesn't it? It does, yes.
00:10:40.20\00:10:42.94
And so there are certain
foods that will send your blood
00:10:42.97\00:10:45.97
pressure high.
00:10:46.01\00:10:47.38
Now salt is known
to be one of those.
00:10:47.41\00:10:50.45
There's a couple of reasons why
salt causes high blood pressure.
00:10:50.48\00:10:53.62
One, is it hardens the arteries!
00:10:53.65\00:10:55.98
It's sort of like not
getting enough exercise,
00:10:56.02\00:10:58.09
those arteries become stiff,
the blood doesn't go through
00:10:58.12\00:11:00.62
them well and you end up
with high blood pressure.
00:11:00.66\00:11:03.53
It also causes
inflammation in those arteries,
00:11:03.56\00:11:06.73
and that can be sort
of a problem with causing
00:11:06.76\00:11:09.76
the heart to go faster.
00:11:09.80\00:11:11.20
The other reason why we have
trouble with high blood pressure
00:11:11.23\00:11:16.81
with salt is that salt
makes you accumulate more fluid.
00:11:16.84\00:11:22.04
It raises the volume of
blood and so there's more blood
00:11:22.08\00:11:24.91
coming in the heart, more
blood going out of the heart,
00:11:24.95\00:11:27.28
so higher
preload, higher post load.
00:11:27.32\00:11:30.22
This is another
reason why salt is a problem.
00:11:30.25\00:11:33.62
But then there's a
certain group of people who are
00:11:33.66\00:11:36.93
especially salt-sensitive.
00:11:36.96\00:11:39.36
It works on their
nerves; it works on their body,
00:11:39.39\00:11:42.06
and it raises
their blood pressure.
00:11:42.10\00:11:43.43
I had a friend who was
working at a lifestyle center,
00:11:43.47\00:11:45.73
he had a patient
who had sinus problems.
00:11:45.77\00:11:48.20
So they were washing
his sinuses with salt water
00:11:48.24\00:11:52.07
or saline solution - it
gave the gentleman very high
00:11:52.11\00:11:56.08
blood pressure - just
that much salt. Really?
00:11:56.11\00:11:58.78
And so some people are
very sensitive, so lowering
00:11:58.81\00:12:01.52
the salt is a strategy
used in lowering blood pressure.
00:12:01.55\00:12:05.62
Oh, that's fantastic!
00:12:05.65\00:12:07.42
But I imagine that
even he must have absorbed
00:12:07.46\00:12:11.33
some of that
salt into his system.
00:12:11.36\00:12:13.36
Yes, it went right
into his bloodstream and...
00:12:13.40\00:12:16.16
Didn't even drink it or
eat it or anything like that.
00:12:16.20\00:12:19.40
Oh, that's amazing.
00:12:19.43\00:12:21.50
And so any other
strategies that you have
00:12:21.54\00:12:24.61
like what we've
talked about salt,
00:12:24.64\00:12:26.68
Or anything else that
would affect blood pressure
00:12:26.71\00:12:30.61
or helpful or unhelpful?
00:12:30.65\00:12:32.51
Your salt is related to
other seasonings such as
00:12:32.55\00:12:36.65
monosodium glutamate.
00:12:36.69\00:12:38.65
Now you'd be
surprise how many foods have
00:12:38.69\00:12:41.69
monosodium glutamate in them.
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.19
They hide it under
different names because nobody
00:12:43.22\00:12:45.39
goes to the supermarket
looking for a product
00:12:45.43\00:12:47.60
that has monosodium glutamate
in it, but it's in there.
00:12:47.63\00:12:52.07
It's in things that are highly
seasoned especially salty foods
00:12:52.10\00:12:55.94
and that will raise your blood
pressure pretty significantly.
00:12:55.97\00:12:59.97
But what are these names,
what are these secret names?
00:13:01.78\00:13:04.11
What do they hide it
under? Yeah, what do they?
00:13:04.15\00:13:06.08
Well here in Australia,
they give it a number,
00:13:06.11\00:13:08.82
but it can be under "natural
flavors;" it can be under
00:13:08.85\00:13:12.85
"seasonings;" it can be
under "spices;" it can be
00:13:12.89\00:13:16.52
in such foods as soy sauce.
00:13:16.56\00:13:20.20
It can be in any of these
foods that are very salty or
00:13:20.23\00:13:25.77
any food that has been created
through rotting, spoiling,
00:13:25.80\00:13:29.14
fermenting, ageing such
as vinegar; such as cheese,
00:13:29.17\00:13:35.14
and so those things will
raise your blood pressure
00:13:35.18\00:13:37.55
pretty significantly too.
00:13:37.58\00:13:38.91
Yes, cheese is actually very
high in salt as well, isn't it?
00:13:38.95\00:13:41.98
Very high in salt
and also aluminum.
00:13:42.02\00:13:48.29
Oh, is that right?
00:13:48.32\00:13:50.33
So that's a very
daunting thing. Yes.
00:13:50.36\00:13:53.06
Now other foods that
will raise your blood pressure
00:13:53.09\00:13:55.50
are anything that we
call "vasoactive foods,"
00:13:55.53\00:13:59.03
foods that have chemicals
or properties to them that
00:13:59.07\00:14:03.00
tighten your blood vessels up.
00:14:03.04\00:14:04.54
Caffeine would be
the number one. Okay.
00:14:04.57\00:14:07.18
Any foods with caffeine or
its related other chemicals,
00:14:07.21\00:14:11.61
theobromine or even nicotine
will raise your blood pressure.
00:14:11.65\00:14:15.65
Oh well that's quite a
list of things that, you know,
00:14:15.68\00:14:19.35
we can take into
account. Thank you for that.
00:14:19.39\00:14:21.22
So does that cover all the
foods we're going to talk or...
00:14:21.26\00:14:24.43
Well, we should also
talk about good foods to eat,
00:14:24.46\00:14:26.66
so people don't just eliminate
everything and, of course,
00:14:26.70\00:14:29.03
your blood pressure
would go down then but...
00:14:29.06\00:14:31.67
Certain foods
are especially known
00:14:31.80\00:14:34.44
to be helpful
for blood pressure.
00:14:34.47\00:14:35.94
One of those is celery! Celery!
00:14:35.97\00:14:38.87
Celery, either as juice or
eaten lowers blood pressure,
00:14:38.91\00:14:43.48
but any fresh fruit
and vegetables are going to
00:14:43.51\00:14:45.81
help you with your
blood pressure as opposed to
00:14:45.85\00:14:47.98
tinned or processed foods.
00:14:48.02\00:14:51.42
Most tinned or
processed foods have added salt;
00:14:51.45\00:14:54.72
have added preservatives;
have added other things
00:14:54.76\00:14:57.49
that can affect your blood
pressure, whereas if you're
00:14:57.53\00:14:59.33
eating fresh
fruits and vegetables...
00:14:59.36\00:15:01.53
And I usually recommend
people get about half their diet
00:15:01.56\00:15:04.60
as fresh fruits and vegetables,
and it's very good for
00:15:04.63\00:15:07.57
other things as well
besides high blood pressure.
00:15:07.60\00:15:11.11
Yes, well that's great.
00:15:11.14\00:15:12.51
And what about
the timing of meals?
00:15:12.54\00:15:16.14
I know you have
something to say about that.
00:15:16.18\00:15:18.38
How does that play
into high blood pressure?
00:15:19.11\00:15:21.88
My grandfather used to say
he only ate one meal a day.
00:15:21.92\00:15:25.72
He just ate all
day long! Oh right.
00:15:25.75\00:15:29.12
And when you're
doing that, you're always
00:15:29.16\00:15:30.49
putting a little bit of
food in your bloodstream.
00:15:30.53\00:15:33.16
Food in your bloodstream
will cause the blood to be
00:15:33.19\00:15:37.43
thicker; it will cause it
to be harder to be pumped.
00:15:37.47\00:15:40.14
Whereas if you have
your meals at a regular time,
00:15:40.17\00:15:43.54
it makes it so your
body gets ready for the meal;
00:15:43.57\00:15:45.87
it processes it quickly
and then when it's done,
00:15:45.91\00:15:48.91
you don't have stuff in
your bloodstream all the time.
00:15:48.94\00:15:52.31
Now another factor is whether
or not you eat 3 meals a day.
00:15:52.35\00:15:57.75
Interestingly enough,
the third meal is associated
00:15:57.79\00:16:01.29
with more high blood pressure.
00:16:01.32\00:16:02.92
So I had a gentleman who
I had given him the lecture
00:16:02.96\00:16:07.96
on high blood pressure,
a DVD that we produced,
00:16:08.00\00:16:12.53
and he watched that and he said
he quit eating his third meal
00:16:12.57\00:16:17.81
and as long as
he didn't do that,
00:16:17.84\00:16:19.17
his blood
pressure went to normal.
00:16:19.21\00:16:21.01
So it was very helpful not
to be eating in the evening.
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.88
If you eat in the evening,
your digestion is slower;
00:16:23.91\00:16:26.92
the more the food
is in the bloodstream,
00:16:26.95\00:16:28.72
it stays there
overnight and your blood
00:16:28.75\00:16:30.82
pressure goes up overnight.
00:16:30.85\00:16:32.25
You gave a really good
explanation of how that works
00:16:32.29\00:16:36.62
and I always think it's helpful
to know why certain things
00:16:36.66\00:16:39.73
have the effect that they
do, so that's very interesting.
00:16:39.76\00:16:43.67
Now a lot of people in
Australia actually do skip
00:16:43.70\00:16:48.74
a meal a day but
it's not usually, if ever,
00:16:48.77\00:16:53.61
the third meal - it's usually
the first meal which, of course,
00:16:53.64\00:16:56.54
is the most
important one, breakfast.
00:16:56.58\00:16:58.51
That's right.
00:16:58.55\00:16:59.88
And I think when people
start missing that third meal,
00:16:59.91\00:17:05.05
it's easier to eat a
really good breakfast
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.92
and make that the main meal.
00:17:07.96\00:17:09.52
But it would be a bit
difficult if you haven't
00:17:09.56\00:17:11.83
had breakfast and you've
had a light lunch to actually
00:17:11.86\00:17:14.03
do what you're
saying but it's something
00:17:14.06\00:17:15.83
worth working on, isn't it?
00:17:15.86\00:17:17.20
A lot of people wake up
in the morning and they say,
00:17:17.23\00:17:19.67
"I'm not hungry for breakfast,"
and I say, "That's because
00:17:19.70\00:17:23.17
you ate your breakfast
the night before!" Laughter.
00:17:23.20\00:17:27.21
Your stomach is full,
you're full of energy,
00:17:27.24\00:17:30.01
and then you can't sleep
well at night and you wake
00:17:30.05\00:17:34.38
up groggy and then you don't
feel like eating breakfast.
00:17:34.42\00:17:37.39
People who eat breakfast
have less other diseases,
00:17:37.42\00:17:41.02
less diabetes, less
heart disease, less cancer.
00:17:41.06\00:17:44.09
People who eat a
big meal at night have
00:17:44.13\00:17:46.83
faster growing
cancer. Is that true? Yes.
00:17:46.86\00:17:50.70
Is that right? Wow, lots
and lots of reasons to do
00:17:50.73\00:17:55.30
all of the good things that
you have found to be helpful
00:17:55.34\00:17:57.47
for not just one
problem but many.
00:17:57.51\00:18:00.98
What else can you
tell us about taking care
00:18:01.94\00:18:04.35
of high blood pressure?
00:18:04.38\00:18:05.71
You know, when you have high
blood pressure and you don't
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.22
realize it, sometimes it's good
to monitor it and you can get
00:18:08.25\00:18:12.42
little kits at
the chemist usually
00:18:12.45\00:18:15.69
and check your blood pressure.
00:18:15.72\00:18:17.43
A lot of people have
the trouble that when they
00:18:17.46\00:18:19.13
go into the doctor, they see his
00:18:19.16\00:18:21.06
white coat and their
blood pressure goes up.
00:18:21.10\00:18:23.80
Yes, I've heard about that.
00:18:23.83\00:18:25.47
And we call it, "white
coat syndrome." Yes, yes.
00:18:25.50\00:18:28.70
But it also has to
do with people's stress,
00:18:28.74\00:18:31.81
and so we discovered that when
people are under more stress,
00:18:31.84\00:18:35.21
then their blood vessels
tighten up, their heart goes
00:18:35.24\00:18:37.58
faster and their
blood pressure goes up.
00:18:37.61\00:18:40.08
And so stress
management is a big part of
00:18:40.12\00:18:42.85
blood pressure
control. Yes, yes it would be.
00:18:42.88\00:18:46.49
And some people even get
an electronic biofeedback
00:18:46.52\00:18:50.83
machine to see
where their stress is,
00:18:50.86\00:18:53.26
and it helps
their blood pressure.
00:18:53.29\00:18:54.63
Oh okay, so that's
another good strategy.
00:18:54.66\00:18:56.70
You're full of good ideas,
what else can you tell us?
00:18:56.73\00:19:00.80
Well I know when I've
dealt with people with high
00:19:00.84\00:19:03.37
blood pressure, that when
they understand the physiology
00:19:03.41\00:19:07.58
as to why they have
high blood pressure, it helps
00:19:07.61\00:19:10.78
So three reasons:
#1, the blood vessels
00:19:10.81\00:19:13.82
tighten up - this
can be through stress.
00:19:13.85\00:19:16.35
This can be through things
they ate like caffeine or it can
00:19:16.38\00:19:19.89
even be through just
always being low on water.
00:19:19.92\00:19:26.43
The second thing is
the heart going faster.
00:19:26.46\00:19:29.66
Hearts go faster if
you're out of shape.
00:19:29.70\00:19:31.87
People who are fit,
they've been exercising - have a
00:19:31.90\00:19:36.91
slower heartbeat and a
more efficient heartbeat
00:19:36.94\00:19:39.61
and have lower blood pressures.
00:19:39.64\00:19:41.94
The other thing that makes
the heart go faster is if you're
00:19:41.98\00:19:44.38
having a lot of MSG -
it actually tends to mess
00:19:44.41\00:19:47.25
with the heart rhythm
and give you an arrhythmia
00:19:47.28\00:19:50.05
or a fast heartbeat.
00:19:50.09\00:19:52.59
Other things that will affect
the heart when it's going fast
00:19:52.62\00:19:55.09
since you have high
blood pressure is if
00:19:55.12\00:19:59.23
you end up always being
late to appointments. Laughter.
00:19:59.26\00:20:04.93
Yes, oh yes, I think we've all
done that once or twice, oh yes.
00:20:04.97\00:20:10.07
I want to mention a
little bit about the effect of
00:20:10.11\00:20:13.27
medications on your
high blood pressure.
00:20:13.31\00:20:15.28
They did a study on a
bunch of people who were getting
00:20:15.31\00:20:17.55
high blood pressure - they
wanted to see what its effect
00:20:17.58\00:20:20.28
had on their brains - they
started scanning their brains
00:20:20.32\00:20:23.35
periodically and they discovered
that people that were getting
00:20:23.39\00:20:26.25
high blood pressure were
accumulating white matter
00:20:26.29\00:20:28.96
lesions in their
brains, lesions that would
00:20:28.99\00:20:31.36
lead to Alzheimer's at a
rate 10 times faster than
00:20:31.39\00:20:35.03
the normal population.
00:20:35.06\00:20:36.40
Ten times? Ten times faster!
00:20:36.43\00:20:39.03
That shows a serious problem.
That's a very scary number!
00:20:39.07\00:20:42.40
So they said, "We better
hurry up and give these people
00:20:42.44\00:20:45.17
high blood
pressure medications."
00:20:45.21\00:20:47.34
So they put them on
diuretics, commonly called,
00:20:47.38\00:20:49.91
"water pills," they put
them on all these different
00:20:49.94\00:20:52.35
interesting pills. They
should have talked to you!
00:20:52.38\00:20:54.72
And the result was the
blood pressure did come down,
00:20:55.45\00:20:59.39
but when they
continued to scan their brains,
00:20:59.42\00:21:01.92
the blood pressure medications
did absolutely nothing
00:21:01.96\00:21:06.36
to slow the rate at
which the white matter lesions
00:21:06.39\00:21:09.46
were accumulating in the brain!
00:21:09.50\00:21:10.93
In fact, for diuretics, it
made them accumulate faster!
00:21:10.97\00:21:14.04
So in order to stop the
high blood pressure and the
00:21:14.07\00:21:17.11
accumulation of the
pre-Alzheimer's lesions
00:21:17.14\00:21:20.28
in the brain, you would
need to change the lifestyle
00:21:20.31\00:21:23.08
factors that were creating both.
00:21:23.11\00:21:25.81
And so - drinking more water,
00:21:25.85\00:21:27.68
eating more fresh
fruits and vegetables, staying
00:21:27.72\00:21:30.22
away from salt and MSG, and
00:21:30.25\00:21:32.15
caffeine and
these kinds of things.
00:21:32.19\00:21:33.69
Another thing,
dietarily that will create high
00:21:33.72\00:21:36.39
blood pressure is too
much oil, too many fats.
00:21:36.42\00:21:39.76
It thickens the blood,
makes it harder to pump;
00:21:39.79\00:21:42.40
it makes the blood so it carries
less oxygen - so it has to be
00:21:42.43\00:21:45.43
pumped faster and
harder to get the same effect.
00:21:45.47\00:21:48.00
Oh just say that one
again, that's interesting,
00:21:48.04\00:21:50.71
what you just said
about (Oils), yes and not much
00:21:50.74\00:21:56.38
oxygen in the blood -
so the heart works harder
00:21:56.41\00:21:59.91
to get that
amount of oxygen through.
00:21:59.95\00:22:01.78
That's right. I
love the way you explain
00:22:01.82\00:22:04.29
these things because if
you just said, "Don't do this,
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.15
do that and don't do
that," it would be like,
00:22:06.19\00:22:07.79
"Well, you haven't
convinced me," but now we
00:22:07.82\00:22:11.23
understand how this works;
it's more compelling, yes.
00:22:11.26\00:22:15.83
Yes, so the oil tends to coat
the red blood cells - making
00:22:15.86\00:22:20.07
it harder for
them to get oxygenated.
00:22:20.10\00:22:22.20
It's also true that oil
itself in digestion takes more
00:22:22.24\00:22:25.94
oxygen to become metabolized
to get digested and so it
00:22:25.97\00:22:30.88
burns more oxygen; it slows the
oxygen getting into the cells
00:22:30.91\00:22:35.18
and so people on a high oil diet
00:22:35.22\00:22:37.69
had a lower
oxygen on their brains.
00:22:37.72\00:22:39.89
They don't think as well
and the effect lasts for about
00:22:39.92\00:22:43.79
3 days after a high fat
meal, so it's a slow process
00:22:43.83\00:22:46.93
of... stuff 3 days.
00:22:46.96\00:22:48.46
Three days! One
high fat meal, 3 days?
00:22:48.50\00:22:52.13
Three days! That is correct.
00:22:52.17\00:22:55.07
And that's quite likely
going to be an evening meal?
00:22:55.10\00:22:59.44
Often an evening
meal, things that are fried.
00:22:59.47\00:23:03.11
We've got a lot of stuff going
on by eating at night already,
00:23:03.14\00:23:06.11
and if it was a high
fat meal, that would be
00:23:06.15\00:23:08.38
(Even worse)
hmm for the problem.
00:23:08.42\00:23:10.02
That's right. That's correct.
00:23:10.05\00:23:12.79
Another thing that will
raise your blood pressure
00:23:12.82\00:23:15.22
is drinking
sodas or soft drinks.
00:23:15.26\00:23:19.09
Soft drinks have a lot of sugar.
00:23:19.13\00:23:21.03
The sugar often gets
metabolized into uric acid,
00:23:21.06\00:23:24.57
the component of gout.
00:23:24.60\00:23:26.87
When the uric acid goes
up, the blood pressure goes up.
00:23:26.90\00:23:29.87
On the other hand,
feeding people pills or tablets
00:23:29.90\00:23:32.17
to take away uric acid
will lower blood pressure.
00:23:32.21\00:23:34.54
So anything that
would give a person gout,
00:23:34.58\00:23:36.75
would give another
person high blood pressure.
00:23:36.78\00:23:38.88
Oh, is that right?
00:23:38.91\00:23:40.72
Well it's fantastic the
way so many of these natural
00:23:40.75\00:23:43.62
things that the Good Lord
gave us, you know, fresh air,
00:23:43.65\00:23:46.45
and exercise, good food
and so on - we've interfered
00:23:46.49\00:23:51.19
a lot with the
food supply, haven't we?
00:23:51.23\00:23:53.73
And I'm not just talking
about genetic engineering,
00:23:53.76\00:23:55.93
I'm talking about the numbers
of products on the shelf.
00:23:55.96\00:23:59.70
I don't know the numbers
but it's many times, many times
00:23:59.73\00:24:04.67
as many as they used to be going
back a few decades and they're
00:24:04.71\00:24:08.11
not new plants or anything
like that - they're manufactured
00:24:08.14\00:24:13.08
things that have got a lot
of those items in that you were
00:24:13.11\00:24:16.28
mentioning - the flavors,
the salts, the sugars and
00:24:16.32\00:24:18.95
all of those other
little numbers that we
00:24:18.99\00:24:21.79
need to be a bit careful of.
00:24:21.82\00:24:23.16
So we really have changed
a lot in what we eat from
00:24:23.19\00:24:29.96
going back a while, haven't
we? and paying dearly because
00:24:30.00\00:24:34.24
most of these illnesses that
we're discussing - we're talking
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.91
about high blood
pressure today but most of these
00:24:36.94\00:24:39.64
illnesses are
getting worse. Right!
00:24:39.67\00:24:41.88
I haven't actually heard of one
that's getting better. Right!
00:24:41.91\00:24:45.65
Have you? No, no - that's right.
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.32
So that should tell us
something that, you know,
00:24:48.35\00:24:51.09
the increase is
related to what, you know,
00:24:51.12\00:24:54.22
we're made of what we eat.
00:24:54.26\00:24:55.92
Modern life in this world
has gotten more stressful,
00:24:55.96\00:24:59.19
and it's interesting
one statistic is that if
00:24:59.23\00:25:01.26
somebody moves from the
bush or the country into a
00:25:01.30\00:25:04.33
big city, their blood pressure
will go up by 20 points.
00:25:04.37\00:25:08.20
On the other hand,
getting away from the city
00:25:08.24\00:25:10.54
and getting out in the country
and walking where there's
00:25:10.57\00:25:12.81
nature; there's birds; there's
trees - your blood pressure
00:25:12.84\00:25:15.14
will go down.
00:25:15.18\00:25:16.51
For somebody that has high
blood pressure and needs to
00:25:16.54\00:25:18.51
bring it down, walking
out in nature is one of those
00:25:18.55\00:25:21.05
good things! Yes.
00:25:21.08\00:25:22.48
I think we'll probably have
an influx of people moving to
00:25:22.52\00:25:25.15
where we are but I've
lived in city environments
00:25:25.19\00:25:30.66
and we're currently living
in Morisset - we're just down
00:25:30.69\00:25:35.23
the road from Morisset and
we just comment frequently.
00:25:35.26\00:25:38.60
We'll go for a drive and say,
"I love being in the country"
00:25:38.63\00:25:41.20
because there's trees on either
side of the road, you know,
00:25:41.24\00:25:44.34
in all the places, not
just dwellings and the fresh air
00:25:44.37\00:25:48.11
and no traffic jams, no
we don't have traffic jams.
00:25:48.14\00:25:52.71
We've heard about them on
the news most times where the
00:25:52.75\00:25:55.88
freeways are getting clogged up.
00:25:55.92\00:25:57.69
But it's beautiful, I
would not want to live in
00:25:57.72\00:26:01.72
even an urban area
now, suburban rather.
00:26:01.76\00:26:04.79
I wouldn't even want to do
that anymore - it's just so
00:26:04.83\00:26:07.46
so nice and to have that
natural environment, beautiful!
00:26:07.50\00:26:11.87
Yes and the
stress is the big factor.
00:26:11.90\00:26:14.04
I was interested to know a
certain study that showed that
00:26:14.07\00:26:17.44
what you believe
affected your stress
00:26:17.47\00:26:19.87
and affected
your blood pressure.
00:26:19.91\00:26:22.24
They studied older
people and what they believed,
00:26:22.31\00:26:26.25
and if their spouse
passed away and they believed
00:26:26.28\00:26:31.15
in a good afterlife,
they had low blood pressure.
00:26:31.19\00:26:34.19
But if they didn't
believe in a good afterlife,
00:26:34.22\00:26:36.79
they had high blood pressure.
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.46
Well isn't that interesting!
00:26:38.49\00:26:41.86
Yes, because our mind tells
us lots of things, doesn't it?
00:26:41.90\00:26:45.00
And it doesn't have to
be necessarily a truism,
00:26:45.03\00:26:47.34
I'm not saying in that
instance, but what we believe
00:26:47.37\00:26:51.07
about an activating
event is really what
00:26:52.77\00:26:55.68
triggers the response.
00:26:55.71\00:26:57.71
There's lots and
lots of different aspects
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.68
that you've told us
about, maybe you should just
00:27:00.72\00:27:02.15
review some of those
and just go over them again
00:27:02.18\00:27:06.02
because you've told us a
lot of very interesting things.
00:27:06.05\00:27:09.46
Well I'm going to make
the list start with water.
00:27:09.49\00:27:12.46
Oh I'm not surprised
about that and I actually did
00:27:12.49\00:27:15.26
remember that was number one.
00:27:15.30\00:27:17.37
And so water is very
important keeping the blood come
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.83
to the top of your head
and making sure that your blood
00:27:19.87\00:27:22.57
vessels are full of
blood so that your heart can
00:27:22.60\00:27:25.24
efficiently pump it and
your body isn't struggling
00:27:25.27\00:27:28.31
to get the blood to
the top of your head.
00:27:28.34\00:27:30.38
The second thing is good,
fresh fruits and vegetables
00:27:30.41\00:27:34.78
which are low in salt,
high in fiber, a lot of
00:27:34.82\00:27:38.15
plenty of good nutrients.
00:27:38.19\00:27:39.52
We want to eat food that will
sustain life and avoid salt.
00:27:39.55\00:27:44.69
And then exercise -
exercise that keeps your blood
00:27:44.73\00:27:48.16
vessels supple - it keeps
the heart in good condition.
00:27:48.20\00:27:51.77
It keeps the muscles
from resisting blood flow
00:27:51.80\00:27:54.14
because they are also supple.
00:27:54.17\00:27:56.34
And last of all, I mentioned
that meal-timing is good,
00:27:56.37\00:28:00.88
no evening meal.
00:28:00.91\00:28:03.01
Yes you did, you mentioned that.
00:28:03.04\00:28:05.18
And thank you so
much, it's been a very, very
00:28:05.21\00:28:08.45
informative session.
00:28:08.48\00:28:09.82
Viewers if you would like to
watch our programs on demand,
00:28:09.85\00:28:13.15
just go to our website,
that's 3abnaustralia.org.au
00:28:13.19\00:28:18.39
and click on the watch button.
00:28:18.43\00:28:20.06
We hope to see you next time
for more lifesaving information.
00:28:20.10\00:28:24.27
God bless you.
00:28:24.30\00:28:25.63