Blood pressure, Part II

In yesterday's blog, I discussed some external factors that influence blood pressure. One of those factors was food allergies. Because high blood pressure usually causes no symptoms until complications develop, it is known as the “silent killer”. For this reason, many people who have high blood pressure, are unaware of it. Warning signs associated with advanced hypertension may include headaches, sweating, rapid pulse, shortness of breath, dizziness, and visual disturbances.

In stubborn cases of high blood pressure which do not respond to conventional treatments (such as medications, exercise or a reduction in sodium), you should consider hidden allergy as an underlying cause.

Multiple studies have shown the blood pressure of individuals from allergic families was lowered when certain allergies were avoided. In 1979, The Lancet in the U.S. published a study reporting that food allergy contributed to high blood pressure in migraine suffers. When a study of hypertensive people avoided migraine producing foods, their blood pressure returned to normal. Some patients develop high pressure upon exposure to allergic foods, gluten in particular. Many hypertensive patients have found that elimination of gluten brought their blood pressure readings down to normal.

To identify whether the cause of hypertension is allergy-induced, it is necessary to identify and strictly eliminate all hidden offenders. This can be done through an elimination diet, muscle testing, pulse testing, applied kinesiology, or other forms of allergy/sensitivity testing.

If you suspect food allergy, consider the following factors:

• Caffeine intake
• Gluten
• Nightshade family and citrus family of food
• Tyramine-containing foods, including aged cheeses, saw palmetto, avocado, yeast extract, sauerkraut, liver, and fermented soy products

Until the allergens are identified and eliminated, ensure your diet includes 2,000 to 4,000 mg of fish oil daily. Fish oil is an anti-inflammatory and has been shown to have a blood pressure-lowering effect.

Allergy is at the root of many of today’s common health problems. If you are experiencing symptoms for which there are no explanations, consider getting tested for food allergies.