The Downside to Low Blood Pressure
Have you ever been patted on the head by your doctor and praised for having low blood pressure? I have and it's frustrating. Those of us that have chronic low blood pressure have, at one time or another, experienced the less-than-desirable side effects of this condition. Chronic fatigue, poor circulation and vertigo or dizziness when standing are typically associated with low blood pressure but did you know that menstrual cramps, depression, anxiety, decreased libido and cravings (salty and sweet) can also be caused by this as well?
Why do I have low blood pressure?
First, let me say that there can be other reasons for low blood pressure, but the one I'm going to talk about today tends to be the most common and one of the easiest ones to fix. Blood pressure is directly linked to the amount of electrolytes (i.e. minerals) in your bloodstream. The short and sweet of it is, minerals thicken your blood, increasing the pressure, making you feel better. So why are your minerals low? There are several causes but one of the biggest ones is digestion. If you are not properly digesting your food and absorbing minerals, your body's supply will slowly diminish. If you drink lots of water throughout the day, you are diluting (and peeing out) your minerals and if you exercise, you are sweating them out through the skin.
How can I help bring up my minerals?
The first step is working to correct digestive issues. Are you producing enough stomach acid to properly breakdown your food? Are you producing enough bile to further break up food into its most basic elements so that it can be assimilated into the body? Are you eating REAL food? If not, start there. Next, try adding in a simple sea salt to your diet. Celtic or Himilayan sea salt contains valuable minerals that help you feel better and fight cravings. Load your food up with as much sea salt as you can tolerate. Lots! Limiting your water intake throughout the day can help as well. This does NOT mean don't drink water... it just means you shouldn't overdo it. If you want to take it a step further, you can add trace mineral drops to your water.
To wrap it up...
Low blood pressure is not an "issue" in western medicine because there is no pill to fix it. However, just like running on overinflated tires is risky, so is running on underinflated tires. Our brain and nervous system rely on minerals in our bloodstream to relay information back and forth. When these resources run low, you feel like crap. The best thing you can do is work on any digestive issues you might have. You can also add sea salt to your diet or possibly a trace mineral drop to your water. Knowledge is power - now you know that low blood pressure is not "good", don't ignore it!