BLOOD PRESSURE & VIT C

On November 21, 2011 by constance

The most likely cause of death for many of us will not be cancer. Under reported, but still very relevant, many of us have a far greater risk of getting a blood clot, so a few of my posts over the coming weeks will reveal the details that we all need to know.

An article published online on July 18, 2011 in the journal Hypertension makes for interesting reading, because it reveals an association between increased levels of Vitamin C and a reduced risk of high blood pressure.

Researchers here in the UK, evaluated data from 20,926 men and women aged 40 to 79 years between 1993 and 1997. For those whose plasma Vitamin C levels were among the top 25 percent of participants, the adjusted risk of having hypertension was 22 percent lower than those in the bottom quartile. Each 20 micromole per litre increase in plasma Vitamin C was related to a 0.9 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure.

Vitamin C is associated with consuming one additional serving of fruit and vegetables daily and is already a well-known Antioxidant. The vitamin also acts as a vasodilator by increasing the bioavailability of nitric oxide.

In sum, the authors of the study about the link with low Vitamin C levels and hypertension say, “the magnitude of the association between fruit and vegetable consumption depicted by plasma Vitamin C concentration and blood pressure is considerable and independent of known major risk factors for high blood pressure”

C O N S T A N C E ‘ S – C O M M E N T

Check out my article on Oxidative Stress. Apart from its link with blood pressure, oxidative stress is the critical factor that is linked to every known disease entity including high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, stroke and age-related illnesses.

More often as not, oxidative stress is the greatest reason for pre-mature ageing. Understanding how to avoid it or switch it off, is the most salient point that I can make right across the board in my work today.

It is important to focus upon the quantity, the quality and type of fruit and vegetables you use to feed your body. Our advice at the practice is to eat nine portions of vegetables (fruit’s great, but often quite sugary and/or acidic), to take Vitamin D3 and to increase your consumption of high-grade quality Fish Oil. Trust me, once you start, you will feel amazing and will enjoy wonderful physical, facial and mental benefits. I always advise; “Get shopping and chopping”!

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