Emergency Preparedness – High Blood Pressure

This is my third post in my Emergency Preparedness series where I address an important issue as lack of access to medicine and medical care in case of emergencies.

What if access to medication and medical care is denied?

 In my first post, Emergency Preparedness, I was wondering how people on prescribed medications would handle an emergency situation if access to medication and medical care is denied. I won't bore you and repeat all  I previously wrote so I encourage you to go back to my previous posts and read them. ( Some things on this post are a repeat but I felt some things needed to be repeated) My other posts cover  anxiety & depression,  pain , diabetes and allergy.

I urge you to take charge of your own health so you're better prepared for any situation where you might not be able to fill your prescription or use any medical facilities.


Natural solutions

 Below are some natural solutions to the most prescribed drugs in America today. 

Why essential oils?

• You can stockpile essential oils, and they have no expiration date if they are stored correctly. Herbs also lose their potency over time.
•  They are small enough so they can be put in a pocket if needed. 
• They are more potent so less amount is needed for healing. You have to drink 26 cups of peppermint tea in order to get the same healing effect as one drop of therapeutic peppermint essential oil. 

Treat the body holistically
It is important to remember to take a holistic approach to healing and not only rely on natural remedies. Dietary changes, living a toxin free life, exercise, sufficient rest and sleep, and incorporating other healing therapies into your life should also be considered. 


Okay, here we go:

#2 High Blood Pressure medications are some of the most prescribed drugs in our country

According to CDC, it is estimated that 68 millions of Americans high blood pressure.  High blood pressure increases the risk for stroke and heart disease, the leading causes of death in America. Instead of treating high blood pressure with dietary and lifestyle changes most Americans choose to take medication for their high blood pressure. 

High Blood Pressure according to Experts

• Avoid all alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
• According to Battaglia, use garlic, onions and ginger in your cooking. He says garlic has been shown to decrease the systolic pressure by 20-30 mm Hg, and the diastolic by 10-20 mm Hg.
• According to Dr.Mercola, cut back on the fructose. "Fructose is a major promoter of hypertension - far more so than salt the connecting link between fructose consumption and hypertension lies in the uric acid produced. Uric acid is a byproduct of fructose metabolism, and increased uric acid levels drive up your blood pressure" Mercola
• Cutting out fructose and grains from your diet effectively eliminates one of the underlying causes of a number of health problems, including hypertension. (Mercola) 
• Make sure that the carbohydrates come primarily from vegetables. (Mercola)
• Normalize your omega 3-6 ratio. Most are getting way too much of the omega 6 in their diet but not enough omega 3. (Mercola)
• Start an exercise regimen.

Time for the oils:

According to Battaglia, essential oils will alleviate hypertension by their:

• Hypotensive effect
• Sedating and calming effect
• Detoxifying effect

Battaglia thinks the most important oils for lowering blood pressure are lavender, ylang ylang and sweet marjoram. 

Battaglia also recommends to use a selection of sedative, uplifting and antidepressant oils such as frankincense, Roman chamomile, bergamot, and neroli. 

Remember

Never quit any prescribed medication on your own since it may be dangerous. Some medications needs to be weaned of slowly. Consult with your doctor first.

Thanks for reading and come back for my 4th part in this series to find out the solutions to the other medications on the list!

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Check out my safety page to make sure you are aware of any contrindications before you use essential oils. Some oils are not suitable when suffering from certain conditions. Also, Read this Before You Start Using Essential oils. Some oils should not be applied prior to sun exposure so make sure you check this list before spending time in the sun.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

• Topical Application
• Inhaling Essential Oils
• Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?
• How to Dilute Essential Oils
• Vita Flex Technique

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide. 

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.

Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

Sources:

Connie and Alan Higley, (Twelfth Edition, revised 2010). Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Abundant Health
Gary Young, ND (2006). Essential Oils, Integrative Medical Guide. Essential Science Publishing

Salvatore Battaglia (1995). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion Pty Ltd

Julie Behling  (2011). Medical Preparedness for Adults  E-book

The Essential Oils Desk Reference. (Fifth edition 2011). Life Science Publishing

Photo credit

This post is linked to:
Simple Lives Thursday

Emergency Preparedness ~ Introduction

So, you already have a food storage and plenty of supplies, but what about your medication? Can you maintain your health if there is an absence of drugs or medical care?

Learn about food storage and emergency preparedness

This my first post in this series of Emergency Preparedness from a health perspective. There are already several great blogs sharing wonderful tips about food storage and emergency preparedness tips, so I stick with what I know best, natural health. Check out my friend Laurie at Common Sense Homesteading for some wonderful tips about food storage and emergency preparedness.

What to do if you can't renew your medication

I see a lot of people stockpiling food and supplies, but I'm not sure they would do very well if their access to medicine and medical care is denied. Unfortunately, doctors don't seem to allow people to stockpile their medicines. So if you're dependent on medication for your well-being, then you should consider what to do in a situation where it may be difficult or impossible to renew your medications. Having some herbs or oils at home in a first aid kit is one thing, but the real concern is what to do if you can't get your prescribed medication anymore.

Learn about essential oils

My advise is to learn about natural remedies, especially essential oils. You can stockpile essential oils, and they have no expiration date if they are stored correctly. They are small enough so they can be put in a pocket if needed. Not only do they take up less room than herbs, but they are more potent so less amount is needed for healing. You have to drink 26 cups of peppermint tea in order to get the same healing effect as one drop of therapeutic peppermint essential oil. Herbs also lose their potency over time. You should also make lifestyle and dietary changes necessary for obtaining optimum health.

We are getting prepared

My husband and I have been building our food storage as well as purchasing other things for emergencies so that we are getting prepared for things such as natural disasters. We live in the Sierra Foothills and in the summer there's always a threat of wildfires, and in winter we can get snow storms and be without power for days. There is also the fear of an economic collapse which already has happened in countries such as Greece, Iceland and Argentina. In Russia, when the currency devaluated in 1998 the citizens were without foods for weeks. Believe me, I'm not the gloom and doom kind of person, but who knows what will happen here the next few years? So I like to be prepared.

“Lack of access to medications is projected to be the #1 cause of death in the event of an

economic collapse, beating out starvation, lack of drinking water, pandemic, injury, and many more. This is because half of America’s populace relies on prescription drugs and would be lost

without them.” Julie Behling

Being ready and helping others

We are far from finished and we still have plenty of things to do, but I'm confident that we are ready for medical emergencies. My husband is a traditional Naturopath and Master Herbalist, and I'm an Aromatherapist, so we use natural remedies anyway and always have them at home. My husband also learned some useful skills such as do stitches and deal with broken bones and such while he was in the army. Fortunately we don't suffer from any medical conditions, but I want to set aside remedies to help others with their medical conditions. I am concerned when I know friends and family are on multiple medications with no intentions of quitting them. Not having access to their medications could be fatal in some cases, and it is also dangerous to quit some medications cold turkey.

Reduce the dependence 

About 50% of Americans are on some kind of prescription drug for their chronic health problems and 1 of 2 say they suffer from a chronic illness that affect their daily lives. You'll be a lot better prepared for emergencies if you start learning about natural remedies so that you can reduce your dependence on Western medicine.

The most frequently prescribed drugs in our country are.

• Antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs such as Prozac, Wellbutrin, Celexa, Efflexor, Valium and so on. 
• High blood pressure medications such as Metoprolol, Lisinopril, Furosemide and so on.
• Pain killers such as Vioxx, Celebrex and Hydrocone and so on. 
• Allergy medications such as Zyrtex, Singular and so on.
• Diabetes medication such as Glucotrol, Metformin, Avandia and so on.
• Heartburn medications such as Prevacid, Protonix and so on.
• Statin drugs such as Zocor, Lipitor, Plavix, Tricor and so on.
• Thyroid medications such as Levoxyl, Synthroid and so on. 
• Antibiotic and and antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu, Zithromax, Amoxillin and so on. 

Learn about your condition

These are only the most commonly prescribed drugs in America so you if take any other medications not listed, then you should look into what you can do in a situation where you can't access your medications. Learn about your condition and what can be done naturally, start by making dietary changes, incorporate natural remedies, and work with your doctor to see if your medication can be reduced or discontinued.

Consider talking to your doctor about stock piling your medication

There are situations such as when suffering from Type 1 diabetes , or when the thyroid is removed, when medication is absolutely necessary. In some conditions it may be impossible to find a natural alternative that doesn't require prescription.

I have already covered many health conditions on my blog, and I plan to continue next post about Emergency Preparedness by sharing natural alternatives to the most frequently prescribed medications listed above.


Update:
Read part 2 of this series to learn about anxiety
Read part 3 of this series to learn about High Blood Pressure
Read part 4 of this series to learn about Pain.
Read part 5 of this series to learn about Allergy

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Johanna is an aromatherapist she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.  
Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

Sources:

Julie Behling  (2011). Medical Preparedness for Adults  E-book

Photo credit

This post is linked to:
Titus 2sdayFresh Bites Friday, Small Footprint Friday, Fight Back Friday, Sunday School Blog Carnival
Natural Living Monday, Fat Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Teach Me Tuesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, WFMW, Encourage One Another, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Wildcrafting Wednesday, The Mommy Club, Riverton Housewives Roundup
What I learned Wednesday, Thank Your Body Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, The Homeacre Hop