Author: Scott & Rhonda

Understanding Blood Pressure

Todays post is about understanding blood pressure and the readings.

Scott recently purchased a machine called a sphygmomanometer, also known as a blood pressure monitor. There are several types of sphygmomanometers. 2 of the most common are – the manual device and an automated device. Scott now has both.

The purchase of these devices led to a discussion on what the terms and numbers mean. Here is what I found out.

What is meant by ‘blood pressure’?

 It is actually the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps it around the body.  The pressure against these walls changes as the blood is pumped around the body

A person’s blood pressure actually varies from day to day, even moment to moment, depending on what they are doing. Ideally a person’s blood pressure would be highest in the early morning directly after waking and decreasing during the day. For most people, the opposite is true due to daily stress.

What does the reading mean?

 The blood’s pressure is measured in ‘mmHg’, which refers to millimeters of mercury. This term originates from Mercury manometers, which were the first accurate pressure gauges.

There are two measurements taken – Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP). They are the most commonly reported measures in clinical practice and research studies.

The highest reading is the systolic, and the lowest reading is the diastolic. Usually recorded as 2 figures — highest over lowest or systolic over diastolic.

Systolic blood pressure is the amount of pressure  the heart needs to create to pump the blood around the body.

Diastolic blood pressure is the  pressure created when the heart is pulling the blood back from the body.

What is a ‘healthy’ reading?

Medical professionals consider a healthy blood pressure range is higher than 90/60 mmHg but lower than about 140/90. Ideally normal blood pressure has a Systolic reading under 120 mm Hg and a Diastolic reading under 80 mm Hg.  

What does it mean to have a high pressure?

 High blood pressure is when the blood pressure is permanently higher than normal.

It is possible to have high blood pressure without knowing, as there are no obvious signs or symptoms. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease, especially heart attacks and strokes. This condition is manageable however, with some simple changes to lifestyle, such as eating a heart healthy diet and exercising more.

What about low pressure? 

Low blood pressure does not cause any problems for some people. Regular medical examinations will identify if a person has continually low pressure.

A sudden fall in pressure however, can be dangerous. A change of just 20 mm Hg — a drop from 110 systolic to 90 mm Hg systolic, for example — can cause dizziness and fainting when the brain fails to receive enough blood. Big drops in pressure, such as those caused by uncontrolled bleeding, severe infections or allergic reactions, can be life-threatening.

‘Hypotension’ or ‘orthostatic hypotension’ is a particular type of low blood pressure condition. In this condition, a person’s blood pressure is normal when they are sitting or lying down, but it drops suddenly when they stand, making them feel dizzy or lightheaded. This can also occur when standing too long without moving.

This condition is fairly common in older people.

Blood pressure – high or low, are important markers of general health. This is why it’s important to have your pressure checked regularly by a health professional.

I hope that this post has answered any question you may have had about blood pressure.

 

Till the next post,

 Live clean n prosper

(Sources – National Centre for Biotechnical Information, Wikipedia, Heart Foundation, Health Direct )

A condition called Pyrrole Disorder

Hello all Scott here again.

Following on from my last post I thought I would talk about something called “Pyrrole disorder” or Pyroluria.

So what is pyrrole disorder?

Pyroluria, or pyrrole disorder, is a condition caused by stress. It develops when there are too many pyrrole molecules in your body.

Hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL) is a molecule naturally excreted via urine. Some people may excrete more HPL (pyrroles) than others. Previously called elevated HPL, this condition is now known as pyrrole disorder.

Pyrrole molecules don’t serve any important function in the body. However, an excessive amount can deplete the body of certain vitamins and minerals before they are able to be absorbed.

This means that these nutrients, mostly zinc and B6, become depleted in the body. This in turn leads to an excess of copper because copper and zinc are linked and the levels of one affect the other.

The result of this is noticeable shifts in mood.

Pyrrole disorder has been known to have symptoms including anxiety, depression and even schizophrenia.

How is it diagnosed?

The condition has many and varied signs and symptoms, making it impossible to diagnose from history and observation alone. It is often mistaken for bipolar disorder. This is due to the variations of mood changes, which can range from mania to depression over a period of weeks.

There is also pathology testing which includes a urine assessment called a kryptopyrrole test. This test identifies how many HPL molecules you have in your body. An excessive amount may indicate pyrrole disorder.

What are some common symptoms?

This disorder is thought to affect around 10% of the population with the most likely cause being genetics.

Common symptoms include –

  • sensitivity to light or sound
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • mood swings / a propensity to anger easily for insufficient reason
  • memory loss / poor short-term memory
  • feelings of anxiety / depression
  • Insomnia / fatigue

The severity of symptoms can be affected by stressful or traumatic situations and/or poor diet as well as allergies.

How is it treated?

Research on this subject is still ongoing and new things are being discovered about it all the time.

At this stage there appears to be no cure as such for Pyrrole disorder. However, given the role of HPL molecules in removing vitamin B6 and zinc from the body, it has been found that supplementing these micronutrients can help treat pyrrole disorder.

Most therapies focus on a holistic approach that addresses nutrition, stress, and lifestyle.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

 (Sources – Nutrient Power  by Dr William J. Walsh,  The Science of Psychotherapy )

Mood Disorders and the Gut

HI, Scott here. While I am on holidays from UNI I have decided to write a post for our blog.

Since my studies are focused on treating anxiety, depression and PTSD what better subject to start with.

None of these conditions are simple or simple to treat. First is to identify which mood disorder followed by identifying the cause.

There are many reasons people suffer from a mood disorder. It may have been triggered by a traumatic experience or a result of poor dietary practices. Trauma does not need to be a specific event. It could be a result of a series of things that have built up to have a cumulative effect. Just as diet doesn’t need to be recent, it could be that a persons diet as a child was lacking which has had long lasting effect the body.

So, what to do about it,

My belief is that a multi-pronged approach is needed. This will mean lifestyle and diet changes with the addition of some specific, medicinal herbs and counselling.

For some it may also mean accepting that things will not be the same as they were before. When we say “I just wish that I could be the way I was when” this may not be possible simply because life changes us every day we live it. Equally, this does not mean that we need to go through life suffering or causing pain to those who love us.

The body is an amazing thing that conventional medicine thinks of as a machine but in my view is so much more than that.

The way the bodies systems work with each other, is like a giant 3D jigsaw that is in constant motion. Its just incredible to think that it is continually changing shape, growing and shedding all the time. This also means that by giving the body what it needs actually helps the body and mind to heal itself.

How does this work?

Primarily, the work is done in the gut or microbiome. This process is truly fascinating and has become my passion.

There are many scientific papers that discuss the importance of the microbiome and its effect on our mood and personality. A 2016 article in “The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry” looks at the influence of the microbiota on the development of PTSD with some interesting results. By looking at how gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters like Serotonin, Dopamine and GABA.

Put simply, what we eat directly affects the structure and function of the brain and, ultimately, our mood. Few people are aware of the connection between nutrition and depression. It is easier to understand the connection between nutritional deficiencies and physical illness.

Depression is more typically thought of as strictly biochemical or emotionally based. However, science has discovered that nutrition can play a key role in the onset as well as severity and duration of depression. There are actually more neurotransmitters produced in the gut than in the brain.

Like an expensive car, the brain functions best when it gets only premium fuel. Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain.

Diets high in refined sugars, for example, are harmful to the brain. Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function and a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders.

What does all this mean for people suffering with a mood disorder?

It means when reaching for that soft drink, cheeseburger or deep fried snack. Take a moment to think about your mental health and the effect that your diet may have on it.

Identifying a diet that has a positive effect on mental health is a whole other subject, however, a whole food diet is going to be most beneficial. This means that if you can’t identify what you are eating, chances are it’s not doing you, or your mental health any favours.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

(Sources –
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience –
Harvard Medical School – 
US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health )