Thanks for this Robyn, I did a lot of research on this when my Dad was prescribed various Blood Pressure lowering meds, the main point I seem to find as you briefly mentioned was it was the potassium to sodium ratio of the salt with respect to lowering blood pressure.
As usual there a host of "side effects" with Blood Pressure medications, my dad also coincidentally started having skin problems when he started taking blood pressure meds.
The sodium to potassium ratio is HUGELY important. If regular salt is replaced with magnesium-potassium salt, the Na:K ratio is improved both because sodium intake is being reduced, AND potassium intake increased.
Beyond the Na:K ratio though, the study on the effect of high sodium concentration on hypothalamic blood flow suggests that TOTAL sodium intake may still be harmful, even if enough potassium is consumed to achieve a favourable Na:K ratio.
I guess the bottom line is that if we stick to the kinds of foods our ancient ancestors had access to, our sodium intake, and Na:K ratio, will take care of themselves.
Thanks for that clarification Robyn, I don't think I appreciated that aspect of equation, improve the ratio while also reducing the sodium.
Do you think we should mandate replacing regular salt with magnesium-potassium salt, and the reduction of sodium in processed food, because anyone using regular salt is selfish and causing a burden on the health system ;)
Especially after the last 4 years, I am no in favour of mandating (or outlawing) ANYTHING!!! I would turn this over the free market: providers of health insurance and life insurance can set higher premiums for people who eat excessive amounts of sodium, just like smokers pay higher premiums.
I used to be a fan of Australia's Medicare system, but again, after the convid debacle, I now see very clearly that any centralised 'health care' system is actually a threat to genuine health care. I would vote for a party that ran on a platform of abolishing Medicare, and replacing it with a system of independent health care providers that people could pay in cash, or through insurance provided through mutual benefit funds. Get government out of 'health care'!!!!
Excellent insights Robyn. Allopathic Doctors do now look diet, certainly not at salt, sugar intake.
My mother had high blood pressure, and my brother now on blood pressure medicine. Both are Blood Type O, and not sure if certain blood types are more susceptible to HBP, and thus strokes. Am sure given the increase in fast food intake, plus packaged foods we will see a dramatic increase in the years to come. I so appreciate your addressing this issue. Doing a lot of daily downshifting, and exercise in the sun and gardening.
Thanks for this Robyn, I did a lot of research on this when my Dad was prescribed various Blood Pressure lowering meds, the main point I seem to find as you briefly mentioned was it was the potassium to sodium ratio of the salt with respect to lowering blood pressure.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51615942_Feasibility_and_antihypertensive_effect_of_replacing_regular_salt_with_mineral_salt_-rich_in_magnesium_and_potassium-_in_subjects_with_mildly_elevated_blood_pressure
https://www.bmj.com/content/309/6952/436
As usual there a host of "side effects" with Blood Pressure medications, my dad also coincidentally started having skin problems when he started taking blood pressure meds.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/medication-and-your-skin
https://www.epainassist.com/skin/what-blood-pressure-medications-cause-lichen-planus
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/qa/how-can-blood-pressure-meds-cause-your-psoriasis-to-be-worse
https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/health/popular-high-blood-pressure-drug-linked-increased-skin-cancer-risk-older-australians
Can Taking Blood Pressure Pills Cause Itchy Skin? – World Of Medic (enteromedics.com)
The Itching Side Effect Of Blood Pressure Medication – World Of Medic (enteromedics.com)
Ask the doctor: Could my blood pressure pills be making me itch? | Daily Mail Online
Blood pressure medications: Types, side effects, and risks (medicalnewstoday.com)
The sodium to potassium ratio is HUGELY important. If regular salt is replaced with magnesium-potassium salt, the Na:K ratio is improved both because sodium intake is being reduced, AND potassium intake increased.
Beyond the Na:K ratio though, the study on the effect of high sodium concentration on hypothalamic blood flow suggests that TOTAL sodium intake may still be harmful, even if enough potassium is consumed to achieve a favourable Na:K ratio.
I guess the bottom line is that if we stick to the kinds of foods our ancient ancestors had access to, our sodium intake, and Na:K ratio, will take care of themselves.
Thanks for that clarification Robyn, I don't think I appreciated that aspect of equation, improve the ratio while also reducing the sodium.
Do you think we should mandate replacing regular salt with magnesium-potassium salt, and the reduction of sodium in processed food, because anyone using regular salt is selfish and causing a burden on the health system ;)
Especially after the last 4 years, I am no in favour of mandating (or outlawing) ANYTHING!!! I would turn this over the free market: providers of health insurance and life insurance can set higher premiums for people who eat excessive amounts of sodium, just like smokers pay higher premiums.
I used to be a fan of Australia's Medicare system, but again, after the convid debacle, I now see very clearly that any centralised 'health care' system is actually a threat to genuine health care. I would vote for a party that ran on a platform of abolishing Medicare, and replacing it with a system of independent health care providers that people could pay in cash, or through insurance provided through mutual benefit funds. Get government out of 'health care'!!!!
Thanks for these excellent resources!
There I was thinking bp around 110/70 was good !!!
I would still say 110/70 is pretty damn good, especially if you're older than 20!
Excellent insights Robyn. Allopathic Doctors do now look diet, certainly not at salt, sugar intake.
My mother had high blood pressure, and my brother now on blood pressure medicine. Both are Blood Type O, and not sure if certain blood types are more susceptible to HBP, and thus strokes. Am sure given the increase in fast food intake, plus packaged foods we will see a dramatic increase in the years to come. I so appreciate your addressing this issue. Doing a lot of daily downshifting, and exercise in the sun and gardening.
There's quite consistent evidence that people with blood type O have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and clotting strokes than other blood types, although the difference isn't that big. This article https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2018/february/the-connection-between-blood-type-and-heart-health is a good summary of the evidence.
People with blood type O have been found in several studies to have a higher risk of hypertension (e.g. https://www.iasj.net/iasj/download/9483e1df8f0193c0, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28839293/ [diastolic only] and https://www.jstor.org/stable/41448730 [also diastolic only]). On the other hand, this study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3915431/ found a higher rate in people with blood type B.
Even when type Os have hypertension, they have a lower rate of cardiovascular events associated with it, because of lower levels clotting factors - e.g. see this study https://bmccardiovascdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12872-020-01658-z on cardiac injury and death in COVID patients with hypertension.
P.S. I spent most of today outdoors, gardening! It is good for body, mind and soul.
Thank you Robyn. Asking as my mother and brother both blood type O had/have HBP.
Well hypertension at least.