Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase Risk of High Blood Pressure

The lazy days of summer have passed once again, and old man winter is just around the corner. The winter will bring colder weather and reduced sunlight. In a society where many people rarely venture outdoors, vitamin D deficiency is a major concern, especially during the winter months when sunlight is scant. According to research reported at the American Heart Association's 63rd High Blood Pressure Research Conference, vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of high blood pressure later in life.

Researchers found that women who had a vitamin D deficiency in 1993 were 3 times more likely to experience hypertension 15 years later in 2007. The researchers controlled for age, fat mass, anti-hypertensive medication use, and smoking.

"This study differs from others because we are looking over the course of 15 years, a longer follow-up than many studies," co-author Flojaune Griffin related to Science Daily. "Our results indicate that early vitamin D deficiency may increase the long-term risk of high blood pressure in women at mid-life. Our study highlights the importance of vitamin D in the risk of high blood pressure later in life, a major health problem in the United States."

Vitamin D deficiency may also increase the risk of certain cancers and inflammatory diseases. Hypertension and chronic inflammation often go hand-in-hand. As plaque builds up on arterial walls (which increases blood pressure), the immune system begins to attack the plaque as if its a foreign invader. This triggers an inflammatory response.

The best source of vitamin D is sunlight. Your body synthesizes vitamin D when ultraviolet B rays hit the skin. You cannot get too much vitamin D from sunlight, and sunlight provides the ideal form of vitamin D.

Dietary vitamin D, acquired in supplements and fortified foods, gives a slightly less efficient form of vitamin D and it is plausible to consume too much dietary vitamin D. Some researchers recommend that the current recommendation of 400 to 600 IU is too low, and they propose 1,000 to 5,000 IU. However, daily consumption of over 2,000 IU of vitamin D may produce side effects such as nausea, constipation, and poor appetite. Talk to your doctor before you begin taking any supplements.

If feasible, get 15 to 30 minutes of healthy sunlight exposure each day. Enjoy your time in the sun. Use it as your time to relax. Exposure as much of your body to the sun as you can; more exposed skin means more vitamin D. During the winter, contemplate supplementing vitamin D, but don't take too much. If you believe that you might have a vitamin D deficiency if you suffer from high blood pressure and chronic fatigue, for instance your doctor can check your vitamin D levels with a simple blood test.

Alternative methods to reduce blood pressure naturally take into account a healthy low-fat diet and regular exercise. See high blood pressure exercises to learn more about three simple exercises that are guaranteed to lower your blood pressure.

And bear in mind vitamin D deficiency seems to increase the risk of high blood pressure later in life, so don't let your children remain indoors and play video games or watch TV all day. Make them go outdoors and play.

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Blue Heron Health News is a leading publishing company in natural health information guides. Our latest publication is a revolutionary exercises program lower blood pressure naturally. Check out more information on our heart health blog.

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• Low Vitamin D Raises Blood Pressure in Women (nlm.nih.gov)
• Study: Kids Aren't Getting Enough Vitamin D (blogs.wsj.com)

High Blood Pressure: Find Out How you can manage it!

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition that places huge amounts of strain on your heart. If high blood pressure is not managed, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, aneurisms and shortened life expectancy. It is therefore extremely important that it is managed. One way to do this is by changing your dietary habits.

People who are overweight are at a higher risk and more prone to developing high blood pressure. In fact, two thirds of cases of high blood pressure develops as a direct result of obesity! One of the main reasons why weight should be carefully managed. Trying to maintain a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) of 19kg/m² - 24.9kg/m² is critical.

One’s dietary choices play an important role in helping to maintain a healthy weight, so be sure to choose foods that are low in total fat and saturated fat. Remove the skin from the chicken prior to cooking, use margarine instead of butter and low fat dressings and sauces. Plenty of fruit and vegetables should be consumed every day. This will help keep high blood pressure at bay.

Another risk factor for developing hypertension includes sodium sensitivity. In some cases, reducing the sodium intake has been effective in managing the condition. If you have used salt in your food during cooking, avoid using it once it’s served. Takeaways, ready meals, soups, sauces, stock cubes, crisps and biltong are very high in sodium. The dietary guideline for sodium is 2 400mg per day which is just over 1 teaspoon of table salt.

Try to avoid smoking and alcohol intake. 30 Minutes of exercise, three times a week will definitely improve overall wellbeing.