00A client recently wrote to me asking if there was a link to hot climates and an increase in blood pressure. My first thought was, “no,” as an increase in blood pressure among different countries is typically always related to diet and exercise level.
A couple of recent studies, however, determined that blood pressure in elderly patients already suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension) was actually significantly lowered when exposed to hotter climates than normal but only during daytime hours.
In the evenings, however, the systolic number (top number) actually increased significantly. I assumed that this is because the subjects were in air conditioned environments at night. This was not the case so temperature did not seem to play a role.
Patients who did not suffer from high blood pressure were not affected either way by the daytime increase in temperature.
Another study showed a slight increase in blood pressure when subjected to colder temperatures however, the subjects were able to acclimate relatively easily and blood pressure returned to original levels.
Additionally, rates of strokes and heart attacks do not decrease during summer months. This could be for two reasons. First, experts have found that people tend to decrease their blood pressure medication during the summer months.
Second, overwhelming evidence indicates that over time, people adapt to their surroundings and blood pressure is not an exception.
Several of my clients, however, commented that they used an ambulatory blood pressure cuff (these can be purchased at any pharmacy) and recorded the time of day and outside temperature. During summer months the daytime readings did in fact go down.
Upon closer scrutiny, though, I found that most of my clients doing this were also much more active during the summer daylight hours. I won’t name names but many of these same clients also told me they simply stopped taking their blood pressure medicine when their numbers started to go down.
You all know that I do not believe in taking medicine to control a health issue when a natural cure can be found. That said, I DO NOT believe in simply stopping any prescription medicine without first discussing it with one’s doctor.
These medicines are powerful and have serious side effects when taken as prescribed. Taking too much or stopping all at once can have devastating effects. If you truly want to get off the medicine, discuss weaning yourself off the medicine with your doctor first.
Don’t be surprised if your doctor is highly skeptical of doing this. Remember, there was a reason your doctor prescribed the medication in the first place. Left untreated, high blood pressure can damage all of the major organs, eyes and other tissues, which can in turn lead to stroke, heart attack, blindness and other ill health effects.
If you are looking for a natural solution to your hypertension, I highly recommend my High Blood Pressure program. It’s all natural and easy to do. Once your high blood pressure lowers, you can bring this evidence to your doctor and he/she will have to acknowledge that a natural solution works!
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