February 25, 2018
My friend and mentor Joe Cannon recently wrote a really comprehensive blog entitled 13 Ways To Naturally Lower Blood Pressure Without Drugs (and I can’t say enough good things about this guy plus all the rest of the People I Like…if you don’t already know Joe you really ought to check him out!) You can read the entire blog online if you like but here are the highlights:
But with all due respect to Joe, however, I think his research fell just a bit short (and when I spoke with him about all this, BTW, he was very open-minded, rechecked the science, then decided he’ll be updating his blog …needless to say I was THRILLED because Joe has quite a following so I’m exceedingly grateful he’s willing to help promote my unique perspectives on the true nature of health & wellbeing!!!)
All that being said, I humbly offer up the following additions to Joe’s excellent list.
# 13.5 – PRACTICE T’AI CHI CHIH
And yes that’s not a typo…I deliberately numbered this tip 13.5 because truthfully ANY mindfulness practice will probably have the same effects on your blood pressure (and in many ways yoga has a mindfulness aspect to it…most likely that’s what causes the BP-lowering effect.)
I actually teach a couple of different types/styles of evidence-based mindfulness practices when I'm working one-on-one with various clients BUT it’s been my experience that regular T’ai Chi Chih practice is potentially the easiest mindfulness practice of all so therefore it also potentially holds the most possibility for completely transforming more people's lives more quickly than any of its mindful cousins.
In short, T’ai Chi Chih RULES (again in my opinion LOL!)
And FYI blood pressure regulation is NOT the only condition for which T’ai Chih Chih is considered a viable treatment option! In fact, The Arthritis Foundation, the American Medical Association, The Mayo Clinic, plus several other well-respected authorities on health & wellness have endorsed T’ai Chih Chih as potentially more effective than medication for a pretty large collection of physiological and psychological conditions.
T’ai Chih Chih has also demonstrated its effectiveness in at least twelve controlled trials over a twenty-year period so you can clearly see that T’ai Chi Chih’s health-enhancing qualities are well documented. If, however, you’re still curious to learn more about the hard science backing up the myriad of benefits this easy moving meditation can provide, visit www.taichichih.org and www.tcccommunity.net then click on any of the current medical studies linking regular T’ai Chih Chih practice to positive changes in all of the following:
But enough of my personal opinions or even rock-solid research. Why don't you simply sign up for my next series of Introductory T'ai Chi Chih classes (remember the first class is FREE!) and see for yourself what the Chi has in store for you?
Look at it this way: what have you got to lose except high blood pressure (plus maybe even a few more health concerns) and stress?
Which brings me to (drumroll please)…
#14 – EAT MORE VEGGIES
It’s now a well-known fact that eating a diet largely composed of processed food is not only the root cause of all aspects of coronary artery disease (otherwise known as heart disease and, of course, elevated blood pressure definitely falls under that umbrella) but is also the main contributing factor of almost every deadly chronic disease most Americans are either at risk for or actively dealing with today.
And here’s an interesting fact: boatloads of studies actually point directly to a vegan diet as the best way to not only reduce disease symptoms but even reduce the risk of developing almost every major disease. But here’s the hitch: for most folks in this country (where we have a unique constellation of physical and emotional stressors plus health risks unparalleled anywhere else in the world or in the history of man) that's a lifestyle they simply cannot maintain.
So let's say you're suddenly very interested in eating a plant-based diet that’s both EASY AND SUSTAINABLE but simply don't know where to start? (And let’s call a spade a spade, it has to be yummy too because the only diet anyone will ever stick to is the one they like, right?)
Then you're in luck because my next Whole 30 DONE RIGHT! class is just a couple of weeks away. Boiled down, a "Whole 30" is nothing more than whole meals composed of whole food for a whole month…it's basically a simple yet powerful detox and ANYONE looking to improve their health (regardless of their weight) would benefit from this unprocessed and mostly plant-based 30-day plan.
The Whole 30 just happens to be considered an important component of the Paleo diet, however, and that’s a phrase I’d definitely lay odds you’ve heard before because in the last decade several million people have not only tried the Paleo diet on for size but have also completely transformed their health in the process…I think we’d all have to agree that Paleo has definitely become pretty popular.
But here’s the problem: in order for a really good idea to become really popular it has to morph into something slightly different so just because a food label says it’s “Paleo” doesn’t mean it is and just because your friends tell you they’ve done a Whole 30 doesn’t mean they can show you how to do it!
Whole 30 DONE RIGHT! will show you how EASY it can be to change not just your blood pressure but every aspect of your health including your mood, your sleep, your relationship with food, and your weight (just as a side-effect) in no time flat. So don’t miss this fun & innovative workshop led by none other than ME (the area’s most unique educator who, BTW, was trained by the folks who wrote the book!)
But again enough about what I think…why don't you simply sign up for my next class and see for yourself how easy it can be to transform your whole diet (and maybe even your whole LIFE) in just 30 days?
Look at it this way: what have you got to lose except high blood pressure plus some weight (almost as an afterthought…how cool is that?)
