High Blood Pressure


High blood pressure, known as hypertension,  affects 1 in 4 Canadians. This is an alarming ratio and can be attributed to several factors. If persists long enough, it may cause a wide array of health problems such as heart disease, kidney disease etc.

Hypertension can actually be a part of something we call a metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of factors that include: over weight, hypertension, high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol. This affects about 1 in 4 people. This is a problem with your metabolism rather than just blood pressure directly.

Unfortunately, hypertension can be undetected and undiagnosed for years, this why it’s important to get a physical examination on a yearly basis.

high blood pressure solutions in Toronto for hypertenstion

Hypertension Diagnosis

Blood pressure consists of 2 numbers – systolic and diastolic.

  • Normal : below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic (120/80).
  • Elevated : 120-129 systolic / below 80 diastolic. If not taken care of, elevated blood pressure tends to get worse.
  • Hypertension stage 1: systolic numbers ranging from 130-139. Diastolic numbers ranging from 80-89.
  • Hypertension stage 2: systolic numbers ranging from 140-149. Diastolic numbers of 90 and higher.
  • Hypertensive crisis – if systolic is over 180 or diastolic is over 120.

*  if you have low blood pressure and feeling dizzy and tired, this may be a sign of an underlined issue with your adrenal glands. To understand more about the HPA axis, read more about Adrenal Fatigue.


Causes

  • Atherosclerosis – due to fatty deposits clogging your arteries.
  • Aging – reduces collagen and compliancy of blood vessels
  • Kidney disease / kidney problems 
  • Medications & illegal drugs
  • Thyroid disorders
  • Stress – our stress cortisol hormone raises blood pressure
  • Excessive caffeine & alcohol intake
  • Diet with too much salt and not enough potassium
  • Sleep apnea
  • Overweight / obesity
  • Smoking
  • Lack of exercise
  • Hormonal imbalances / adrenal imbalances

Age, race and family history can also predispose you to hypertension.


High Blood Pressure Naturopathic Treatment

Dr. Tali uses evidence based naturopathic treatment for your hypertension solution. This will be done using an individualized treatment protocol consisting of herbal medicine, supplements, nutraceuticals, diet, nutrition and lifestyle modification. It’s important to start changing habits when your blood pressure is elevated to prevent it from going into stage 1 hypertension.   

Treatment goals are to manage hypertension, reduce medications and improve heart and health markers to avoid any complications – preventative medicine is key! Getting to the root cause of you hypertension is vital as this will depend on the treatment plan tailored specifically to you. Remember, no two bodies are the same. While treating the root cause of your hypertension and managing your blood pressure levels, the focus will also be on improving any other symptoms you have been experiencing.

If you are on any medications and wish to lower them or come off of them, Dr. Tali will be checking for interactions and communicating back and forth with your doctor with regards to proper dosing.