The Silent Assassin

“This article is dedicated to my Dad who suffered a stroke at a young age and struggled with diabetes. I only wish I knew then what I know now to help him overcome his battle with high blood pressure and diabetes.” 

The Silent Assassin

What is High Blood Pressure?  What causes it? How can I defeat it without medication?

Hello my name is Maggie Tanielian and I’m Your Friendly Certified Health Coach.  I’m here to give you a little background on this silent disease that lurks in our bodies called “High Blood Pressure”.

Before we begin, what is Blood Pressure? 

Blood pressure is our life force. It is the force that moves blood through our circulatory system.

Without blood pressure our basic provisions of oxygen and nutrients would not be pushed around our circulatory system to feed tissues and organs.

Blood pressure not only delivers nutrients and oxygen, but it also delivers white blood cells and antibodies for immunity and important hormones such as insulin. At the same time the fresh blood that gets delivered is able to pick up the waste products of our metabolism, including the carbon dioxide we exhale with every breath and the toxins our kidneys and liver need to clear.

When your blood pressure is too high it puts extra strain on your arteries and your heart. This causes your heart to pump harder to move blood through the body. This will cause the weakening of your blood vessels and the damage of major organs. If left untreated, High Blood Pressure can lead to Stroke, Heart Attack or even Kidney Failure.

Unfortunately this disease is called “the silent killer” because it has no symptoms before it strikes. 

Here are some causes of High Blood Pressure and how to prevent them.

1. - Ditch ALL processed food.

Processed foods and meats are loaded in sodium.  If you have high blood pressure, sodium can cause you to retain too much water. By retaining more water in your blood vessels, you are making your heart work harder which can cause an increase in pressure along the arterial walls. Limit salt to 1,500 mg for those with high blood pressure. Sodium is also usually high in dairy and baked goods. Reading food labels is a great way to track sodium intake. Make sure sodium content on the label is less than 140 mg per serving and no more than 375 mg per meal.

Eat more fruits and Veggies as they are very low in sodium. Fruits contain around 0 to 5 mg of sodium and veggies around 1 to 70 mg. In addition to being low in sodium, they are high in potassium. Potassium is a mineral that plays a key role in heart function and muscle contraction. Potassium works alongside sodium to regulate the body’s water balance.  Nutrition high in potassium and low in sodium lowers blood pressure reducing the risk of stroke. Fruits and Veggies also provide substantial amounts of magnesium and calcium which are essential to the heart and antioxidants that prevent and repair damage caused to the arteries.

2. - Your Stress schedule.

Chronic stress can significantly raise your blood pressure. Stress lowers your serotonin which is your body’s go-to stay calm chemical. Increase your oxytocin kissing, hugging, holding hands, bonding and love. Take short walks. Do some breathing exercises. Talk to someone whose company you enjoy.

3. - Drop your X-cess Baggage.

Weight is a big factor in high blood pressure. By taking small steps to lose excess poundage you can help lower your Blood Pressure naturally. A small weight loss of 5 to 10 pounds will have a positive effect on your overall numbers.

Let go of processed foods and upgrade your nutrition with whole foods like fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains and clean proteins like fish and meat. By eating more protein pact foods your body will require more energy to process a gram of protein than a gram of fat contributing to more calories burned and subsequently weight loss.

 Best Foods for Lowering Blood Pressure are:

•     Whole Grains contain high levels of potassium and magnesium which is linked to lower blood pressure.
•     Spinach is full of magnesium and folate helping lower blood pressure.
•      Beans including soy beans are high in potassium and fiber. The combination of nutrients found in beans makes them an excellent choice for treating high blood pressure naturally. 
•      Unsalted Nuts & Seeds are full of magnesium and are of key importance in the fight against high blood pressure.
•     Bananas are an excellent source of potassium which reduces levels of sodium significantly impacting lowering blood pressure levels.
•     Dark Chocolate, when consumed in small amounts, high in antioxidants and vital nutrients may help bring blood pressure levels down to a normal range.
•     Salmon is an excellent choice of lean protein and Vitamin D. It is important to remember to select healthy cooking techniques as grilling, baking and broiling.
•     Green Tea can help keep blood levels in the normal range.
•     Avocados, when consumed in moderation, are a heart healthy fruit high in antioxidants, vitamin B6 magnesium, folic acid and healthy monounsaturated fats.

4. - Your Genes.

Genetics play a major role in blood pressure. However you may override genetics by living an active lifestyle.

5. - Get Moving.

Find an activity and make it yours! When you exercise, your heart becomes more efficient at utilizing oxygen and uses less energy to pump blood. Regular physical activity opens up your blood vessels, which ultimately helps keep the pressure in your veins and arteries at normal levels. Exercise 30 minutes a day at least 4 days of the week. For example, taking a brisk walk will not only exercise you aerobically but will also reduce stress. Do it with a smile and your heart will thank you J

6. - Stop Smoking.

Not only does smoking have a negative effect on the lungs but it also has a negative effect on blood pressure. The nicotine found in tobacco can elevate your blood pressure immediately after smoking lasting beyond an hour.

There are many ways to lower your Blood Pressure naturally but it’s up to you to take charge of Your Body.

We are born with a flawless functioning system. Our hearts don’t miss a beat, our lungs don’t forget to breath and our minds don’t cease to think.

We owe it to ourselves and to our loved ones to take care of the most important being………YOU.

Health is your Greatest Asset, why not Invest in it? 

Hi, my name is Maggie and it’s a pleasure to share my past, present and future with You!

I was born in Paris, France and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

As a child, I was a sweets lover and as a result I was always a little overweight……..”La gordita”.  Because of the extra pounds I carried as a child I developed an eating disorder that I carried into adulthood.

Around eighteen years of age my family moved to Los Angeles. This new environment overwhelmed me.

Because I didn't

have control of my environment, I controlled my body with my eating disorder. I was not anorexic or bulimic but I was hooked on laxatives. My addiction was such that I would finish a box of laxatives in a couple of days.

A few years later I married and got pregnant.  But because I had done so much damage to my body, my baby never came to term.  Six month later I became pregnant once more with a little boy who fought throughout my pregnancy to hold on.

Again, even after the struggles of pregnancy I had to lose my baby weight and once more I took control of my body this time starving it. I weighed about 90 pounds at five feet and two inches tall.

A couple years later I wanted another child but because of my malnutrition, I stopped ovulating.

I understood at that time that I had to stop the madness and understand that good nutrition was a source of life.

So after changing my eating habits, I had my Baby Girl. As a single Mom, Daniel and Caylen, now teenagers, are a huge part of my life along with my passion for health and wellness.

Silently for years something was brewing within me. I was becoming an athlete during my spare time.

I suppose I had a genetic predisposition as my biological father was an athlete himself.  He was a pioneer of wrestling who started in the late 1940’s and created what was then the equivalent of today’s WWE.

After a few years of dedicated intense physical training and rigorous nutrition programs I decided to compete for the National Physique Committee (NPC) as a Bikini competitor.

I had the best coach, Khanjo Hakeem, a loving, encouraging & motivating individual that believed in me.

After 6 competitions and 4 trophies I became a qualifier for nationals in Las Vegas with the International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB).  While I was on stage I realized that I didn’t need the validation of anyone else but myself and left the stage a true winner. Finally I had found who I was looking for……………simply Me.

After closing my business of designing tutus of 13 years, I started studying to become a Health Coach and a Fitness Trainer.

I took all my experience and applied it in my new found passion. I studied at The Institute of Integrative Nutrition to become a Health and Nutrition Coach. My approach to over a 100 different diets learned was simple……….when it comes to Healthy Living there are NO diets.

Healthy living is the combination of Primary and Secondary foods.

Primary foods encompasses your life, joy, spirituality, creativity, finances, career, education, health, physical activity, home cooking, home environment, relationships & social life.

Secondary foods are all about good healthy foods with the knowledge of their benefits.

It’s truly very hard to keep secondary foods on track if our primary foods are lacking.

So, here is where I come in combining the two for a well-balanced life with primary and secondary foods working together for your benefit and wellness.

My approach is teaching you how to make healthy choices that fit your lifestyle. I will teach and coach you how to change your life and be the “Absolute Best” You can Be.  Just like I found myself from the inside out, I’ll help you find yourself and guide you throughout this life changing experience.

My job is to be your compass as a Health Coach and help you learn techniques to cope with the stressors of life, crowd out cravings and achieve your goals while making nutrition and fitness a fun, exciting and sexy experience.

We are born with a flawless functioning system. Our hearts don’t miss a beat, our lungs don't forget to breath and our minds don’t cease to think.

We owe it to ourselves and to our loved ones to take care of the most important person……”You”.  If we take care of ourselves we can take good care of others.

Health is Your Greatest Asset, why not Invest in it?

Peace & Blessings

Coach Maggie

Askcoachmaggie.com