Reading Room

Salt Vindicated-a personal case study

by Tammera J. Karr, PhD, BCHN, BCIH

In 2005, I thought I was developing hypothyroidism; I was tired, overweight, with high triglycerides, and muscle pain, all symptoms. I was eating real food, but I was under a lot of stress. Remember I have said several times over the last three years that stress is the number one cause of illnesses, and can kill you.

I saw a doctor I had confidence in, had her run a battery of tests and found out – nothing. So I cut back on salt, red meat, grains, and cut all sugar out of my diet. By 2006, I was running very high heart rates, triglycerides as well as my LDL’s were still elevated, I felt like crap, and my stress had doubled. Now my thyroid test began showing elevations in my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), my free T4 and free T3 numbers changed also.

This scenario would have continued to escalate and in fact did – my TSH levels reached 8, my doctor told me I was too difficult of a patient and I needed a specialist, I couldn’t tolerate thyroid medication due to my elevated heart rate, and refused to take medications to slow my heart rate for the rest of my life.

I kept looking till I found the answers that made sense to me, and am very pleased to say today my thyroid numbers are all perfect without medication. My current nurse practitioner, when reviewing my labs from the last 7 years, admitted she had never seen anyone turn their thyroid around. Oh and my heart rate is normal again!

Dr. James Wilson told me in 2006, “If you don’t treat the Adrenal Glands before the thyroid, the client will never get better.” I went back to eating Celtic sea salt, lean red meat, and took supplements for thyroid support and stress. The hardest part was acknowledging what the major stress triggers were, and over time cleaning house so to speak.

Salt

In 2011, the medical communities called on food manufactures to cut sodium in commercial foods. GOOD, why, because the forms of salt used in commercial foods are nitrates and nitrites, not natural salt with all the trace minerals for health.

A study released October 2011, in the American Journal of Hypertension, brought into question the time honored belief salt is bad for you. When I first viewed this article on Medscape the opening sentence was, “critics don’t believe study findings”, and of course after reading the conclusion of the study I can see why – it is throwing salt in their eyes. The study titled – Effects of Low-Sodium Diet vs. High-Sodium Diet on Blood Pressure, Renin, Aldosterone, Catecholamines, Cholesterol, and Triglycerides.

At this point I need to tell you several of the aforementioned named in the study title are either manufactured in the adrenal glands or in the liver –salt, is a detoxification agent for several glands and organs. Cholesterol and triglycerides are also elevated by poor thyroid function. Beginning to see the connection here? This is what the study found to my hearts delight.

“sodium reduction resulted in a significant increase in plasma cholesterol (2.5%) and plasma triglyceride (7%), which expressed in percentage, was numerically larger than the decrease in blood pressure of 1%. These results do not support that sodium reduction may have net beneficial effects in a population of Caucasians.”

Aldosterone is a steroid hormone produced by the outer-section of the adrenal gland, and acts on the functioning unit of the kidney, to cause the conservation of sodium, secretion of potassium, increased water retention, and increased blood pressure. The overall effect of aldosterone is to increase reabsorption of ions and water in the kidney — increasing blood volume and, therefore, increasing blood pressure. So if this hormone goes up, so does your water retention and BP, salt prevents this from happening according to the study.

Renin is an enzyme released by the kidneys that breaks down proteins and helps regulate blood pressure. This enzyme is the key to activating a complex process in which it increases the secretion of aldosterone, and stimulates the hypothalamus to activate the thirst reflex, each leading to an increase in blood pressure.

Catecholamine is a compound that acts as a neurotransmitter or hormone; neurotransmitters are used in the brain. They include dopamine, as well as the “fight-or-flight” hormones adrenaline. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter lacking in Parkinson’s patients, and when under stress our fight or flight hormones increase. That’s why Dr. Wilson and Dr. Brownstein believe salt to be critical for adrenal health, when under constant stress the adrenal glands dump salt through the kidneys, creating an imbalance in electrolytes. When potassium levels elevate, tachycardia can result. (an excessively rapid heartbeat, typically regarded as a heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute in a resting adult)

Cholesterol, is painted as the evil one, in fact it is far from it. Without cholesterol we would not be able to think or make hormones. All forms of cholesterol are important to the body as a constituent of cell membranes, and involved in the formation of bile acid.  Cholesterol is necessary for the synthesis of vitamin D and the steroid hormones, including the adrenal gland hormones cortisol and aldosterone.

Now this doesn’t mean you can eat all the salt you can stuff in, but the reasonable use of high quality salts from Selina Naturally and Redmond, are indeed a recommendation for everyone living with stress. It won’t fix all of your health challenges; you will have to take back control of your health just as I did with the right supplements and dietary changes.

There is more to good health than the Status Quo.

Building Pressure

by Tammera J. Karr, PhD

This last week I had one client come in and share how their blood pressure was way too high after getting upset over a work issue – Another client who thrives on stress or so they think, has on several occasions been taken to the ER for heart attack symptoms; if these symptoms are ignored serious trouble results, i.e. death.  By the way when reading through the side effects of medications note to self, death is NOT a side effect, its game over. The next client was out hunting, ignored the symptoms and hours later found themselves being air flighted and prepped for quadruple bypass.

A new report from the centers for disease control states that two-thirds of the adults in America who have high cholesterol, almost half of them have high blood pressure, and are not being treated effectively.  Heart attacks, strokes and related vascular diseases kill more than 800,000 Americans annually, easily more than any other cause. Of those 150,000 are younger than the age of 65 like the clients I mentioned at the start of this column. [i]

As the heart pumps blood through the arteries, it pushes the blood against the arterial walls with a force that is measured as “blood pressure.” High blood pressure is defined as a reading above 140/90 mm Hg. Research now suggests “high-normal” blood pressure (130 to 139 over 85 to 89) also raise risk of cardiovascular disease. Normal blood pressure is 120 to 129 over 80 to 84, and optimal blood pressure is less than 120 over 80. The elderly have increased risk for hypertension, and high blood pressure as the arterial walls lose their elasticity with age and cause the pressure of the blood moving through the arteries to rise.

Hypertension is often called a “silent killer” because even severe, uncontrolled high blood pressure usually has no obvious symptoms. Excessive pressure makes the heart work harder, increasing its oxygen demands and contributing to angina, and eventually leads to an enlarged heart, and damage to blood vessels in the kidneys and brain. Hypertension, therefore, increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease.[ii]

It is common for menopausal women to develop high blood pressure as a result of estrogen dominance. Estrogen thickens the blood, and it doesn’t just apply to the female of the species but also the male. As a man advances into andropause after the age of forty, he too has an increase in estrogens, causing his blood to become thicker, cholesterol to elevate and the balance between insulin and glucose to change increasing inflammation of the vascular system – Arteriosclerosis.

An August 2011 study in the journal of clinical hypertension concluded that lifestyle intervention such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf for more information), as well as nutritional supplements like CoQ10 and Potassium are valuable alternatives to drugs for lowering blood pressure. Additional supplements found to be beneficial for hypertension are calcium in doses no higher than 500mg, vitamin C 1000mg-4000mg from sources other than ascorbic acid, vitamin D3 5000iu, folate, flavonoids, fish oil 3000mg mercury free, and garlic.

Herbal supplements include forskoline, mistletoe and the traditional hawthorn.  All this and after careful review it is still CoQ10 and vitamin C that have the best clinical study performances for hypertension. Serrapeptase (an enzyme made from silk worms), and Nattoveta+ (natto an enzyme made from fermented soy) are my pick also as they help to reduce fibrogen and inflammation both associated with hypertension.

A diet high in fruits, especially apples and vegetables like broccoli was also found to be highly beneficial for not only hypertension control but also for diabetes management, and weight loss. [iii]

• Insulin resistance can increase blood pressure by causing the kidneys to retain sodium.
• Medications. Some prescription drugs, including steroids, birth control pills, decongestants, NSAIDS and diet pills can raise blood pressure. Some over-the-counter medicines, such as those containing licorice root, ephedra, guarana, kola nut, yerba mate, ginseng and yohimbe, may also raise blood pressure.
• Limit your caffeine intake. The caffeine in coffee, tea, diet drinks and sodas acts as a cardiovascular stimulant and raises blood pressure.
• Increase your pure water intake!
• Avoid processed foods. These are the biggest sources of sodium and bad fats in today’s diet.
• Relax. Stress causes hypertension by activating the sympathetic nervous system, causing the arteries to maintain a more rigid tone. Meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and biofeedback are all relaxation techniques that can lower blood pressure.
• Exercise. As little as 30 minutes of a day walking, is the most effective natural remedies for high blood pressure.

 

What to eat?

• Eat 8 to 10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables per day.
• Limit animal protein to 8 oz per day, emphasizing lean sources.
• Use garlic, which helps lower blood pressure and relaxs blood vessels.
• Consume 4 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds and dry beans per week (2 Tbsp nuts or seeds, or 1/2 cup cooked dried beans).
• Eat plenty of wild Alaskan salmon. At least three servings a week,

Real Red Wine (4-6oz only) contains OPC’s (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins) and tannins in red wine inhibiting the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and inhibiting the activation of Nuclear Factor-Kappa B.

Blueberry/Bilberry may help to prevent Atherosclerosis (due to Anthocyanosides and Proanthocyanidins in Bilberry improving Blood Circulation and increasing the strength of Blood Vessels). Grapefruit (especially Red Grapefruit, Olives, Pineapple, Pomegranates, Prunes, Rice Bran, Reishi and Shiitake Mushrooms may help too.

High consumption of Walnuts, Lentils, Yerbamate, Turmeric, Saffron, Rosemary.

Unlike many other Dietary Oils, Coconut Oil may NOT contribute to the development of Atherosclerosis and may indirectly reduce the risk of Atherosclerosis (due to the absence of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil).  Olive Oil (only Extra Virgin Olive Oil), Sesame Seed Oil, Chocolate (dark Chocolate), Grape Seeds (extract), Globe Artichoke, Onions. [iv]

Doing these things may not correct years of damage right away, but there is no better time to make a change than now. Please don’t wait till you have had surgery or a funeral to make these changes their side effect may be your life.