Sugar Impact on Blood Pressure

As a blood-sugar balancing expert, it is important to me that individuals truly understand the impact of blood sugar imbalance on their health.  One major issue that people don’t usually think about is the effect of sugar intake on blood pressure.  Many people know that salt and sodium directly affects blood pressure level.  But, did you know that sugar is actually worse than salt for your blood pressure?  May is National Blood Pressure Month – Let’s celebrate it by taking steps to improve our sugar intake…and our blood pressure!

If you haven’t heard of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), it  is claimed to be among the most effective for controlling hypertension because consists largely of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and very low sodium content. In addition, it’s also low in sugar/fructose.  So, while people on DASH diets do tend to show reduced hypertension, the reason for this may not be solely the reduction in salt, but the reduction in sugar.

However, if you’re not ready to go all-in on the DASH diet, just take a look at your current food intake.  If your regular diet consists of processed foods, you’re causing a lot of harm to your health.  Processed foods are top sources of both heavily-processed salt AND sugar.

In general, I recommend staying away from grains and dairy products because of their impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. Dairy products may cause gut imbalances because of deficiency of enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose (sugar) in milk—this is typical of most people. Gut issues lead to a series of problems from skin to brain function. It is important to NOT generalize how foods, like grains and dairy, impact our bodies.  You don’t have to pay for expensive tests to find this out. I will help you figure it out.

What do you do if you have high blood pressure?

In order to effectively treat and recover from high blood pressure, it’s important to understand its underlying cause, which is often related to your body producing too much insulin and leptin in response to a high-carbohydrate and processed food diet. As your insulin and leptin levels rise, it causes your blood pressure to increase. Eventually, you may become insulin and/or leptin resistant.

As explained by Dr. Rosedale in the journal Open Heart, insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium stored in your cells relaxes muscles.

If your magnesium level is too low, your blood vessels will be unable to fully relax, and this constriction raises your blood pressure. Fructose also elevates uric acid, which drives up your blood pressure by constraining the nitric oxide in your blood vessels.

Nitric oxide helps your vessels maintain their elasticity, so nitric oxide suppression leads to increases in blood pressure. So, any program adapted to address high blood pressure needs to help normalize both your insulin/leptin sensitivity and uric acid level.

If you’re insulin resistant (the majority of Americans are and do not know), have high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic disease, I can help!

Be Fab – Be You Blood Sugar Balancing Program

If you or someone you care are struggling with Weight and belly fat; Fatigue and low energy; Brain fog; Burnout; Difficulty focusing; Intestinal bloating; Cravings for sweets and/or coffee; Eating often or feeling hungry after a full meal; Cranky and irritable if meal is missed; Increased blood pressure; High cholesterol and triglycerides, changes are you blood sugar is compromised and needs attention.

Blood Sugar Balancing Program

I spent most of my life compromising my health, but after I learned I was  pre-diabetic and experienced   digestive and gastrointestinal issues since childhood, I decided to make a change.  I discovered that a “healthy diet” wasn’t enough, what I really needed to reach my full potential in life was a “healthy lifestyle.”

I was highly addicted to sugar and, consequently, suffered from l chronic issues related to imbalances of my own.  I reversed my conditions entirely through lifestyle changes. I developed the Blood Sugar Balancing Program to help others kick the sugar addiction,  learn sustainable and healthy ways to quench the unhealthy temptations and behaviors, and ultimately empower them to turn their health 180º, one step at time, and BE FAB!

My program discusses many ways to balance your blood sugar and restore insulin levels – positively impacting your overall health.  Throughout the program, participants receive the tools they need to get and stay on a healthy path.  Change is scary, but so is poor health.  Let me guide you through your journey! I’ve been there, done that, and I will have your back throughout the way.

Some quick advice to get you started on your road to better health:  total fructose consumption should be kept below 25 grams per day. If you have symptoms discussed above,  limit your fructose to 15 grams or less per day, until your condition has normalized. (The Sugar Fix, Dr. Richard Johnson).  Another day we will discuss the dangers of high fructose syrup. In the meantime, read the labels and avoid foods with it!

For more information on my Blood Sugar Balancing program or other wellness services, call (770) 835.5490 and visit www.befabbeyou.com/blood-sugar-balance.

If you would like me to address a specific topic related to health and fitness, let me know.  I would love you hear from you!