Health Watch readers know there are natural ways to help tame blood pressure. And good thing—new research reveals prescription drugs for high blood pressure may be contributing to the rise of another dangerous condition…
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin thought there could be a link between blood pressure medications and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The team looked at 1,913 subjects. They were all between the age of 43 and 86. The researchers examined the subjects every five years. This went on for 20 years. And they came to a disturbing conclusion…
They found taking blood pressure medications raised risk of developing early AMD by about 70%. These include beta blockers and vasodilators. But people taking nitroglycerin were at even greater risk…a scary 81%.1
Those numbers are bad enough… Now consider that over 25% of adults in the U.S. will get treatment for high blood pressure this year.2 And don’t forget that these drugs already come with dangerous side effects.
Taking a vasodilator can cause chest pain and heart palpitations.3 Beta blockers may cause depression and hallucinations. And if you suddenly stop taking them, you risk a heart attack—even death.4 Now you can add AMD to the list…
AMD is the leading cause of blindness and general vision loss in seniors.5 Usually it’s aging that causes the macula to start deteriorating. It’s the part of your retina that controls sharp vision. We couldn’t recognize our friends’ faces, read, or drive a car without it. But early AMD—the kind found in this study—may be an even bigger problem.
Most people with early AMD may not experience any symptoms. Not even vision problems. The best chance of detecting it is with a full eye exam. And by the time you get a diagnosis, it may be too late to do anything about it. That’s because there aren’t any treatments for this form of AMD.6 But there are ways to help prevent it. In fact, the natural methods for preventing high blood pressure may also help protect against AMD.
Your lifestyle choices may be the most important weapons you have against developing high blood pressure and AMD. Not smoking is a great place to start. It decreases your risk for both of these conditions. Adding exercise is always a good idea for keeping blood pressure in check. People who exercise are also less likely to develop AMD. But your diet plays a major role too.
You’ll get antioxidants like lutein and beta-carotene from eating leafy greens.7 Eating wild-caught salmon will give you the omega-3 fatty acids that help keep inflammation low. But eating it also provides you with astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant over 54 times more powerful than beta-carotene. It helps fight oxidative damage in your eyes. But it also helps boost circulation to your eyes. This helps get vital nutrients into your eyes—and flush away the bad stuff—fast.8
Researchers say they want to conduct more studies… They still can’t explain why these drugs pose such threat to your sight. We say don’t risk losing your vision by taking a dangerous blood pressure drug. They’re not even the best way to help prevent heart disease…
Some brave doctors are finally telling the truth about what really causes—and treats—heart disease. Like the natural supplement a Mayo Clinic professor prescribes to all his heart patients…and the natural nutrient from fruit that may help lower cholesterol safer than a well-known prescription drug.
Discover all the details on these and more, HERE.
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References:
1http://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(14)00203-6/abstract
2idem
3http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure-medication/art-20048154?pg=2
4http://www.medicinenet.com/beta_blockers/article.htm#what_are_the_side_effects_of_beta_blockers
5http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/826219
6https://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp
7Idem
8http://institutefornaturalhealing.com/2013/11/the-nutrient-that-improves-your-eyesight-in-10-days/