Tag Archives: Normal Blood Pressure

Nitric Oxide Foods!

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Nitric Oxide Molecule

The core of a good cardiovascular program is learning how to choose nitric oxide foods and supplements that will enhance your endothelium’s ability to create nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Just in this first line I introduced you to several key physiological terms that will absolutely reduce your risk for heart disease if you know how to maximize the benefits of nitric oxide foods.

Let’s start with your endothelium. This organ is now considered to be the largest secreting organ in your body.  Unfortunately, most people have never heard of it, yet your endothelium lines all of your cardiovascular system.  The inside of your heart, arteries, and veins are all lined by this one-celled thick organ.  Your capillaries are just extensions of your endothelium.  Most vascular researchers today believe that your endothelium ultimately controls most of your cardiovascular system. And one of its functions is to take nitric oxide foods and convert them into nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator. This means that it relaxes the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control your blood pressure.  Nitric oxide is a short-lived gas that contains a single nitrogen and oxygen atom that, when combined together, act as a signaling molecule.  A signaling molecule is used by your body to cause something else to occur.  In addition to helping you maintain a normal blood pressure, your cardiovascular system uses nitric oxide to keep your blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent strokes and heart attacks.  Nitric oxide is also used to heal and repair damage to the endothelium.

But it doesn’t end there. Your nervous system uses nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter to transmit impulses between nerve cells. Your immune system uses nitric oxide to destroy infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, and tumors.  In fact there is not a cell, tissue, or organ in your body that is not directly or indirectly impacted by nitric oxide.  You could not live without it and the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium produces this life-saving and live-enhancing gas called nitric oxide.

Given this information wouldn’t it make sense to learn which nitric oxide foods will nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production?

Nitric Oxide Foods – What Are They?

When we look at nitric oxide foods we’re looking for foods that contain the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline.  Technically speaking your endothelium uses L-arginine to create nitric oxide.  The reason why I include L-citrulline is because this amino acid will recycle L-arginine to turbo charge your production of nitric oxide.  We’ll talk about this in just a little bit.

To help you better understand which foods are good nitric oxide foods I’ve created a popular YouTube video. Just click here to watch! For those who would prefer to read let me share the following information:

Most research indicates that for you to receive a therapeutic benefit from L-arginine you need to consume at least 5 grams of this amino acid at one time. So I selected 4 nitric oxide foods that I thought would be common food choices.  I did the math conversions to look at how much of these nitric oxide foods you would need to eat to take in 5 grams of L-arginine.  I also looked at the number of calories and grams of fat it would bring into your body.  Peanuts provide the smallest quantity of food but they pack on 70 grams of fat and 918 calories.  Beans, tuna, or chicken breasts are your better choices but you would need to consume at least:

  • one can of beans or
  • two cans of tuna or
  • almost 1 pound of chicken to get a therapeutic benefit.

The other amino acid is L-citrulline. There is not much of a choice in nitric oxide foods for this amino acid.  Watermelon is your one and only good food choice.  Unfortunately, 60% of the L-citrulline is contained in the rind portion of the watermelon which most people never eat.  You would have to eat over a pound of watermelon to get even close to the amount of L-citrulline your body would need for a therapeutic benefit.

When people realize all the food they need to eat, and the limited menu they have to choose from, they begin to ask the question:

Is it better to get these critical amino acids through nitric oxide foods or supplementation?

Comparing costs between nitric oxide foods and supplementation, your total daily food cost could range from $2.50 to $7.00 depending on whether it’s organic or processed food.  Your supplement cost is usually around $2.00 or less.

So supplementation costs you less and doesn’t have the added concern of fat grams and calories to your diet.  You just need to make sure you choose a good supplement company because the quality of the L-arginine and L-citrulline makes a huge difference.  To help you better understand this please click on my YouTube video.

How Long Will Nitric Oxide Foods Provide a Benefit?

Now, I need to make one more important point about nitric oxide foods and supplements as it applies to these two amino acids.

When you bring in a therapeutic level of L-arginine, it typically results in a 30 minute to 2 hour window of improved nitric oxide production.  When you combine your L-arginine with L-citrulline, you increase this therapeutic production of nitric oxide to 24 to 36 hours.  This has huge health benefits in helping you to control your blood pressure and repairing the damage done to the endothelium.

This is so important that the 1998 Nobel Laureate Dr. Louis J. Ignarro had this to say in his 2005 bestseller NO More Heart Disease:

“Any supplement program that does not contain L-citrulline and antioxidants to augment the L-arginine – and most on the market do not – is missing out on a major piece of the potential of nitric oxide to improve your cardiovascular health.”

Learning how to properly nourish, heal, and support your endothelium through proper nitric oxide foods and supplements is a much more cost effective way in reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.  This is especially important for those who have high blood pressure.  Since 33 percent of the American adult population has high blood pressure, and 25 percent are in the pre-hypertensive condition, choosing nitric oxide foods and supplements could be a tremendous health strategy for the prevention of heart disease.

Together we can work to save a million lives by teaching them the benefits of nitric oxide foods!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology.  He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicago area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information about nitric oxide foods has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Part 2!

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High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure

Learning how to properly repair and nourish your endothelium is foundational to helping you gain better control over your high blood pressure issues. The following statistics will help you understand why this is so critically important: 

  • 77% of Americans treated for a first stroke had high blood pressure!
  • 69% of Americans who experienced a first heart attack had high blood pressure!
  • 74% of Americans with congestive heart failure have high blood pressure!
  • 66% of Americans with diabetes have high blood pressure! 

As you can see, high blood pressure needs to be paid attention to. It is why it’s so critically important to repair and nourish your endothelium to help it properly product nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.  

Nitric oxide helps regulate blood pressure, keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to form clots, and repairs the endothelium to reverse and prevent plaque formations and calcification of the vascular walls. It’s why Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, one of the three 1998 Nobel Laureates in Medicine, had this to say about nitric oxide, 

“Nitric oxide can prevent, even reverse, heart disease and stroke!” 

These two video will help you learn how to naturally repair your endothelium so that it can properly produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide can aid you in maintaining normal blood pressure without medication or with significantly less medication. 

These Key Nutrients Can Naturally Prevent High Blood Pressure! 

Proper nutrition is key to nourishing your endothelium and aid it in the proper production of nitric oxide. In Dr. Ignarro’s 2005 bestselling book, NO More Heart Disease!, he outlined six key nutrients. They are:  

  • L-arginine
  • L-citrulline
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Folic Acid
  • Alpha Lipoic Acid 

In addition to these six nutrients, the following video also examines 5 additional nutrients that can have an impact on endothelial cell health and function. Together these 11 nutrients can help you naturally reduce your high blood pressure concerns.  

Our third educational video will help you understand how several key nutrients can help you get a better handle on your high blood pressure issues:

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 3 

How ProArgi-9 Plus Can Help Those With High Blood Pressure!

Most vascular researchers will tell you that your endothelium plays a vital role in determining your blood pressure. In our last video we looked at eleven different nutrients that can provide a natural pathway towards reducing high blood pressure. Specific nutrients that have been shown to help repair and nourish the endothelium and improve its ability to properly produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system and your body’s most potent vasodilator.  

Many people try a piece meal approach by taking multiple supplements. Wouldn’t it be nice to have one supplement that incorporates most of the nutrients? This video discusses ProArgi-9 Plus which contains many of these nutrients and has been clinically proven to repair and nourish the endothelium for improved nitric oxide production.  

Our fourth video will help you understand how  ProArgi-9 Plus addresses high blood pressure:

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 4

You Can Repair and Nourish Your Endothelium to Help Reduce the Risks for High Blood Pressure! 

Over the course of these four videos we’ve given you a lot of information about how your endothelium and nitric oxide play a critical role in high blood pressure. If you or a loved one are experiencing the challenges of high blood pressure, then please share this information with your physician. Together you can implement a natural approach to help repair this critical organ and enhance your body’s ability to create nitric oxide. Work with your physician to monitor your progress and make adjustments in medications. Over time you can reduce, maybe even eliminate, many of your high blood pressure prescriptions. 

If you found the above videos helpful, then please share this information on Twitter and Facebook so that others can benefit. 

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about high blood pressure has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Part 1

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High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure

To make significant improvements in your high blood pressure you need to repair the organ that directly controls your blood pressure. Most people think that organ is your heart. It’s not. Instead, it’s an organ that most people have never heard of and most physicians never treat. Yet, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how this organ produces a gas called nitric oxide. 

Nitric oxide regulates the muscular tone of your vascular system to directly impact high blood pressure. The name of the organ that produces nitric oxide is the endothelium.  

The repair and proper nourishment of your endothelium is critical to anyone who has high blood pressure! 

These two educational videos will help you understand the relationship between your endothelium, the creation of nitric oxide, and how this regulates and impacts your blood pressure.  

 You Can Prevent High Blood Pressure Naturally! 

There is a silent epidemic occurring in America. It all centers around high blood pressure. Currently, 1 in 3 American adults or approximately 70 million have some level of hypertension. High blood pressure is the 13th largest cause of death in America. It’s the leading cause of stroke and a major factor in both cardiovascular disease and the complications associated with diabetes. 

According to the famous Framingham Heart Study, it’s estimated that a 55-year old person, with a normal blood pressure, has a 90 percent lifetime risk of getting high blood pressure. This directly impacts the Baby Boomer population. Every 8 seconds a Baby Boomer turns 65 years of age. Combine this with the Framingham Heart Study and Baby Boomers are on a direct pathway to high blood pressure. 

It’s also important to note that high blood pressure can be resolved without the need for prescription drugs, which carry many unwanted side effects. 

Our first educational video will help you better understand these high blood pressure issues:

 

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 1

How Nitric Oxide Impacts High Blood Pressure!

Damage done to the endothelium directly effects your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Because nitric oxide is an environmental pollutant and a dangerous free radical, most researchers discounted nitric oxide as having any affect on high blood pressure.

However, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how your endothelial cells convert the essential amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscle in your vascular wall to improve blood flow and regulate your blood pressure.

Our second educational video will help you better understand how nitric oxide regulates your blood pressure:

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 2

We’ll Continue These Videos on High Blood Pressure in Our Next Post!

You must properly nourish and repair your endothelium if you want to improve your body’s ability to maintain a normal blood pressure and reduce your risk for cardiovascular issues. There are several key natural ingredients that can make a significant difference in the health of your endotheium and we’ll discuss these in the next post.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about high blood pressure and the endothelium has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis – Treatment Programs!

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ArteriosclerosisAccording to the American Heart Association, arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis account for nearly 75% of all deaths from heart disease! To have a significant impact on reducing the number one killer of people worldwide, it would make sense to focus on treatment programs that address these cardiovascular diseases.

As I gathered data for this article many of the websites made the following comment – “The exact cause of arteriosclerosis is not known.”

This author would like to disagree with that statement.


The exact cause of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis is known!

It is damage to the endothelial cells that line all of your cardiovascular system, which reduces their ability to properly produce nitric oxide, the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system. Nitric oxide is key to cardiovascular health. According to Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, the 1998 Nobel Laureate in Medicine,

“NO – as it is known by chemists – is produced by the body specifically to help keep arteries and veins free of the plaque that causes stroke and to maintain normal blood pressure by relaxing the arteries, thereby regulating the rate of blood flow and preventing coronaries. Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.”

If you look closely at Dr. Ignarro’s statement you will notice the following significant phrase: “. . . specifically to help keep arteries and veins free of the plaque that causes stroke. . .” Plaque formation is at the heart of atherosclerosis. Calcification of these plaque formations lead to arteriosclerosis.

The “natural cardiovascular wonder drug” Dr. Ignarro was referring to is nitric oxide, which is produced by the endothelial cells from two important amino acids: L-arginine and L-citrulline. Nitric oxide can specifically prevent both arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Many researchers would also suggest that the proper production of nitric oxide, by your endothelial cells, can reverse both of these cardiovascular diseases.

The following is a review of many of the treatment programs for arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. These treatment programs can be broken down into two major categories: self-care at home and medical treatment. The overall goals of these treatment programs are to reduce symptoms and prevent the progression of the disease so that potential blockages can be prevented. But, the question remains:

“Is there a better treatment program and can it actually reverse arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis?”

We’ll examine this after we look at the standard treatment programs usually recommended to patients diagnosed with arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis.

Self-Care at Home Treatment Programs!

Self-care treatment programs typically mean lifestyle changes. Let’s look at each of these lifestyle changes in relationship to their effects on the endothelial cells and the production of nitric oxide:

  1. Eat food that is low in saturated fats and low in cholesterol. This is a big topic but in its simplest terms LDL cholesterol (Bad Cholesterol) can damage your endothelial cells leading to plaque formations.

  2. Restrict salt intake especially if you have high blood pressure. Again this is a big topic because it only focuses on one mineral: sodium. Also important to this equation is potassium, magnesium, and calcium for proper cardiovascular metabolism.

  3. Increase the consumption of high fiber foods especially vegetables and fruits. High fiber foods help to absorb bile salts that your body uses in digestion. Your liver manufactures bile from cholesterol. Thus, high fiber foods are a natural way to reduce LDL cholesterol, which reduces the potential damage they can cause to your endothelial cells. Also, vegetables and fruits have little sodium but are high in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which helps maintain proper cardiovascular metabolism.

  4. Quit smoking. This habit has major effects on your cardiovascular system, especially your endothelial cells. Nicotine damages endothelial cells. Cigarette smoking decreases “Good” cholesterol that helps to protect your endothelial cells and increases the “Bad” cholesterol that damages your endothelial cells. The carbon monoxide produced from cigarette smoking also damages endothelial cells and can facilitate plaque formation. Plus, smoking constricts arteries leading to an increased risk of blockages.

  5. Lose weight if overweight or obese. Fat cells absorb and store Vitamin D. Vitamin D inhibits vascular calcification. Vascular calcification is at the heart of arteriosclerosis. Thus, losing weight releases needed Vitamin D back into your system and improves your body’s ability to utilize Vitamin D to reduce multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

  6. Mild to moderate exercise under the supervision of a health care provider. Exercise increases blood flow. Increased blood flow stimulates the endothelial cells to produce nitric oxide.

  7. Maintain normal blood glucose (sugar) levels. When blood glucose is above the normal range it causes oxidative stress to the endothelial cells resulting in damage and a reduction in nitric oxide production.

Medical Treatment Programs

Medical treatment programs usually center on prescription drugs, surgical procedures, or a combination of both to either reduce the risk or repair existing damage to the vascular system. While this list is not exhaustive it does include many of the more prominent treatment programs. Let’s look at each in relationship to the endothelial cells and nitric oxide production.

  1. Taking drugs to normalize blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage the endothelial cells. Yet, learning how to naturally nourish your endothelial cells to improve their ability to produce nitric oxide can also normalize blood pressure but without the side effects of medications.

  2. Taking drugs to normalize blood sugar levels. This is especially important for those with diabetes. But, equally important is having in place a nutritional program that will help to repair the damage high blood sugar can cause the endothelial cells.

  3. Taking drugs to lower lipid levels. Statin drugs are the most commonly used lipid-lowering drugs because they effectively interfere with the production of cholesterol by your liver. Unfortunately, they also interfere with the creation of Co-Q10 which is extremely important for heart health and overall energy production. The main purpose of statin drugs is to keep LDL Cholesterol or Bad Cholesterol from damaging the endothelial cells. The proper production of nitric oxide can also repair this damage and keep the “Bad” cholesterol from creating damage in the first place.

  4. Aspirin inhibits sticky platelets cells from forming a blood clot. Nitric oxide also keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together but without the potential risk for bleeding.

  5. Balloon angioplasty. To open blocked or narrowed vascular vessels a balloon-tipped catheter is inserted into the body. When the narrowed vascular area is reached the balloon is inflated to press the plaque deposit against the vascular wall. This procedure is designed to increase the diameter of the affected area to improve blood flow. The concern is that the balloon procedure will damage the endothelial cells creating a stimulus for additional scarring and plaque formation. This procedure treats a symptom but doesn’t solve the underlying problem.

  6. Stenting. Following angioplasty a metal tube called a stent will be placed in the vascular area to help keep it open. The stent acts as a scaffold to support the vascular wall. To prevent additional complications from the endothelium and blood clotting on the metal surface, patient are asked to take specific drugs. Again, this procedure treats a symptom but doesn’t solve the underlying problem.

  7. Bypass surgery. This surgical procedure uses arteries or veins from other areas of the person’s body to bypass the blocked vascular area to improve blood flow. Again, this procedure treats the life-threatening event but doesn’t solve the underlying problem.

All of these treatment programs are important. Most of the self-care at home treatment programs help to protect and nourish the endothelial cells. Most of the medical treatment programs limit additional damage to the endothelial cells or are used to correct a problematic area of the vascular system. No one is questioning the proper use in helping to reduce risk and/or save a person’s life from the arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis.

But, the question still remains is:

“Is there a better treatment program and can it actually reverse arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis?”

The answer is “YES!”

It all centers on nourishing and repairing the endothelial cells to improve their ability to properly product nitric oxide, the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system or what Dr. Ignarro refers to as “the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.” We’ll explore this in future articles.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

[email protected]

630-936-8079

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis contained in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Can Heart Attacks Be Prevented?

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Heart AttackWhen I wrote the title for this post I immediately thought of my father who passed away in 1987 of a massive heart attack. He died while on a fishing trip in Minnesota. He was sitting in the cabin with his friends eating his favorite snack. Popcorn loaded with butter. He died at the young age of 67.

Like his father who died of a heart attack and his mom who died of a heart attack, he followed their pathway. Was it genetics and heredity that caused this event? Or, was it lifestyle and food choices? Most likely a combination of both with a greater emphasis on food choices.

Just like in 1987, as it is today, heart attacks and cardiovascular disease are still the number one killer of all people. So, the question is still the same:

Can a Heart Attack Be Prevented?

While the question remains the same the outcome can be significantly different!

Eleven years after my father’s death from a heart attack the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers for their remarkable discovery of how the endothelial cells, which line all of your cardiovascular system, create nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system and it has a huge impact on cardiovascular health.

One of those researchers who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine is Dr. Louis J. Ignarro. In his 2005 National Bestseller entitled NO More Heart Disease, Dr. Ignarro made the following statement:

“NO – as it is known by chemists – is produced by the body specifically to help keep arteries and veins free of the plaque that causes stroke and to maintain normal blood pressure by relaxing the arteries, thereby regulating the rate of blood flow and preventing coronaries. Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.”

Even before Dr. Ignarro’s Nobel Prize there was an event taking place that has significantly moved the discoveries made in the lab to practical clinical results in humans.

Let me introduce you to Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast or Dr. Joe as he prefers to call himself. Dr. Joe is a leading endocrinologist from Palo Alto, CA and a nationally acclaimed expert on L-arginine therapy. L-arginine is the amino acid your endothelial cells use to create nitric oxide, the master signaling molecule of your cardiovascular system.

Since 1991, Dr. Joe has been personally using L-arginine and recommending it to his patients. Through his close personal association with Dr. John Cooke at the Stanford School of Medicine’s Cardiovascular Research Center, Dr. Joe has been able to incorporate cutting edge vascular research done in the lab into actual patient care. True clinical application that has benefited thousands of his patients and tens of thousands of people around the world.

Dr. Joe’s clinical application of proper L-arginine therapy has benefited over 7,000 of his own patients resulting in less than 1% patient hospital admissions in 17 years. This is a phenomenal record especially then you realize that 80% of his patients are diabetics who typically have hospital admissions for cardiovascular issues. Because of this remarkable record the American Diabetes Association awarded Dr. Joe the Father of the Year Award in 2008.

Dr. Joe is the product formulator of ProArgi-9 Plus and it causes me to ask the question:

Would My Dad’s Heart Attack Have Been Prevented If He Had Access to ProArgi-9 Plus?

From all the clinical research I’ve seen and the people I’ve been able to help, I believe he would have greatly benefited from this product. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about ProArgi-9 Plus. I truly believe in this product and its ability to improve the cardiovascular health of every person.

To help you better understand how unique and powerful ProArgi-9 Plus is, I’ve created a webinar for you. Here is the link:

http://www.screencast.com/t/ZWY2MmYwOT

(Please note that the webinar presentation is 30 minutes long. Once you click on the arrow to start it, please give it 10-15 seconds to load. The remaining time is used to answer questions from those attending.)

Now you can understand why I believe so strongly in ProArgi-9 Plus. It is a remarkable product that has huge potential to benefit people. Especially those who have cardiovascular health issues.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information contained in this article about heart attack prevention has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Nitric Oxide and Blood Pressure!

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Blood PressureUnderstanding nitric oxide and blood pressure and the role that nitric oxide plays in helping you maintain a normal blood pressure is critical to good cardiovascular health and your overall wellness.  It is one of the reasons why most doctors and nurses will take your blood pressure every time you visit them. They are checking to make sure that your blood pressure has not increased to place you in the high blood pressure or hypertension category.  (Note: If you would like more information about the dynamics of blood pressure then please read my article “Blood Pressure Overview!”)

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension Can Be Deadly!

It’s estimated that over 50 million Americans have hypertension.  Their risk for having a stroke is seven times greater than those who have a normal blood pressure.  According to the Framingham Heart Study, 50% of all people who had their first heart attack and 66% of people who had their first stroke had blood pressure readings above 160/95 mmHg.

It’s also interesting to note that in the Framingham Heart Study two thirds of the participants who started out with normal blood pressure ended up developing hypertension.  Of the top five reasons why people visit their doctors, hypertension is either number one or number two. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 700,000 deaths per year have a hypertension component.

Because you cannot feel high blood pressure it is sometimes referred to as the “Silent but Deadly Disease!” Although it doesn’t typically produce outward signs, high blood pressure can cause major internal damage by injuring the endothelial cells that line the circulatory system.  This damage impairs the body’s ability to naturally produce Nitric Oxide.  It usually leads to inflammation of the arteries which is followed by atherosclerosis and plaque formations.  Hypertension can also enlarge the heart, damage the kidneys, and trigger a heart attack or stroke.

If you do not know what your blood pressure reading is or if you have not had it measured in the last 6 months, then visit your doctor’s office or your local pharmacy and have your blood pressure measured by a qualified health practitioner.  It’s that important!

Nitric Oxide and Blood Pressure – Effective Treatment thru Nitric Oxide!

The typical treatment program for most people with high blood pressure can be a combination of diet, exercise, stress management techniques, and medication.  For many who opt for the medication route, it’s estimated that 26% still do not have their hypertension under control. Since many medications also have some form of side effect it can be a frustrating journey trying to get your blood pressure under control.

Enhancing the body’s ability to produce Nitric Oxide is seldom considered yet Nobel Prize Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis Ignarro makes the following statement regarding nitric oxide and blood pressure:

“More effective than any other factor in the body, nitric oxide can dilate the smooth muscle of the blood vessels.  With this dilation, the vessels can relax and allow blood to flow easily through them – and quite possibly lower the blood pressure.”

Nitric Oxide is produced by many cells in the body for various functions.  Its production by the endothelial cells is critical for proper blood flow.  The endothelial cells produce Nitric Oxide from the amino acid L-arginine by the enzymatic action of Nitric Oxide Synthase or NOS. The human genome contains 3 different genes for the encoding of NOS:

  • nNOS (Type 1) – found in neurons
  • iNOS (Type 2) – found in macrophages
  • eNOS (Type 3) – found in the endothelial cells

In healthy blood vessels, Nitric Oxide is continually being produced by eNOS.  The activity of eNOS is calcium and calmodulin dependent.  Plus, there are two fundamental pathways for the stimulation of eNOS:

  1. Shearing forces of the blood flow on the endothelial cells causes a release of calcium to activate eNOS.  Thus, with each heart beat (systole) the endothelial cells of the blood vessels release a puff of Nitric Oxide.
  2. Endothelial receptors are stimulated by a variety of molecules (acetylcholine, bradykinin, adenosine, etc.) to stimulate calcium release to activate eNOS for the production of Nitric Oxide.

Once produced Nitric Oxide diffuses freely across cell membranes to relax the smooth muscles in the wall of the arterioles.  This causes the arterioles to relax to permit the surge of blood to easily pass through it.

It is interesting to note that in mice studies, where the genes for NOS have been disabled hypertension results.

Nitric Oxide and Blood Pressure – 4 Important Keys to Consider!

I’ve given you a lot of information in this blog post about nitric oxide and blood pressure.  The following 4 keys will help you understand how to produce more Nitric Oxide naturally to aid in blood pressure control.

Key 1 – Exercise! You will note from above that increases in blood flow will stimulate Nitric Oxide formation.  Exercise increases blood flow.  It is usually one of the recommendations given to people with hypertension to help them lower their blood pressure.  A simple walking program can be very effective.  As a precaution, if you are not currently exercising then talk with a qualified health professional before starting an exercise program.

Key 2 – Vitamin D3! Calcium is needed for the NOS enzymes to work properly to product Nitric Oxide.  Vitamin D3 has long been known to aid in calcium absorption.  New research shows that D3 also plays a role in healthy cardiovascular function and supports healthy inflammatory response.

Key 3 – Diet! I’m not talking about going on a diet although this can help overweight people who have hypertension.  Instead I’m referring to the type of diet most Americans consume which is refined flour, animal protein and high intake of dark colas.  This is an acidic diet which leaches calcium from your system to affect the efficiency of the eNOS enzymes to produce Nitric Oxide.  To help you understand this process, please see my article “The Acid Alkaline Balance: Does Your Body’s pH Cause Cancer and Other Diseases? Part 1”

Key 4 – L-Arginine! You body uses this amino acid to produce Nitric Oxide.  Most people’s diets are insufficient in the amount of L-arginine needed to properly support Nitric Oxide production.  Supplementation with a good L-arginine product can be beneficial.  I recommend ProArgi-9 Plus. It contains 5 grams of pharmaceutical grade L-arginine with other ingredients to aid in Nitric Oxide production while helping to repair the endothelial cells.  Additionally, this product has a large number of clinical studies (like the High Desert Heart Institute Study) to support its effectiveness.

There are multiple ways to help your body naturally produce more Nitric Oxide.  If you are currently on hypertension medication and decide to use a Nitric Oxide protocol to help you get your blood pressure under control, then work with your health care professional so that adjustments can be properly made.

Together we can work to save a million lives by helping people understand the important relationship between nitric oxide and blood pressure!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this blog is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information about nitric oxide and blood pressure has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.