Why High Blood Pressure is an Immunity Problem

Why High Blood Pressure Medicine is Not Protecting You Against the Coronavirus

This is a quick post, based on a newspaper article I wrote to get this important information out, so there is some extra sensationalism in the headlines.

I will post a video soon, or you can join ‘The Health Lab’ on Facebook to watch the one I’ve already done:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehealthlab7/

Here’s the article (I’ll be adding in more info and references later)

Your Self Defence Against Clovid-19 Just Got Better…

A New Way To Lower High Blood Pressure That Also Improves Immunity

High Blood Pressure Significantly Increases Your Risks With Covid-19 – This Is What You Need To Know NOW To Protect Yourself!

Millions of people in the UK and across the world have hypertension, a condition that, without proper management, can contribute to the risk of heart disease and stroke.  We now also know that people with high blood pressure are also the most at risk from dyeing with coronavirus.

Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist, recently disclosed on Sky news – “the people who are most vulnerable to severe complications from this virus have chronic metabolic disease”

So what is the link between high blood pressure and coronavirus death?

The immune system.

Dr Malhotra went on to say in the Sky News interview, “if you have high blood pressure, if you’re pre-diabetic or type two diabetic and you have a dysregulated immune system, your white cells are not functioning optimally.”

For a number of years scientists have suspected the immune system has a role in protecting us not just against bacteria and viruses, but also heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Then last year, researchers led by the University of Edinburgh discovered a particular cell that is part of the immune system, called the macrophage, was directly related to high blood pressure.  They found that by altering the diet of mice, macrophage levels decreased, and blood pressure went up.  When the scientists restored macrophage levels blood pressure normalised.

We need macrophages to fight bacteria and viruses.

So how do we raise macrophages in humans?

Big Problems…

It has been known for a long time that just treating high blood pressure and heart disease with drugs is inadequate and diet improvement and the correct type of exercise is needed.  There is a big problem though – doctors don’t have the time to learn or teach what is needed.

A truly heart healthy diet will include many of the nutrients we need to lower blood pressure and improve immune function, but today’s modern diet is very deficient in these vital nutrients.

The right amount and type of exercise is critical for immune function, but too much of the wrong type can cause problems which increase blood pressure.

Another big problem is environmental heavy metals.  Various heavy metals like lead and arsenic have been indicated as causes of heart disease and high blood pressure, and are more common than most people realise.  The problem is that many of these metals build up slowly from sources like water pollution, second hand smoke, car fumes, foods, and even medicines.

One more problem is air pollution.  Air pollution disrupts the proper regulation of a chemical called nitric oxide in your lungs, then through your whole body.  Nitric oxide is needed to keep your blood vessels to relaxed, your brain to function properly and is vital to fight bacteria and viruses.  If nitric oxide production is not regulated properly it turns from something friendly, to something potentially deadly.

Drugs fail to offer a real solution because although they can lower blood pressure, they do not tackle the underlying dietary or exercise issues, and certainly not problems with macrophages, heavy metals or nitric oxide regulation. This is possibly why those with high blood pressure are at such risk with Covid-19.

Good news.

While medicine is currently inadequate it is possible to make dramatic changes to your macrophages in as little as 10 days.  Functional health specialist Chris Pickard B.Sc provides online training programs that take you through a step by step approach to restore nitric oxide regulation, lower heavy metals and improve macrophage health.  It starts with a 10 day ‘blood pressure blitz’ – a dietary, nutritional and specific exercise approach designed to rapidly address the underlying causes of poor health.

“It is important that you stay on the medicine your doctor has prescribed through this process, and only lower it once your underlying conditions improve and your doctor says it’s safe to do so” Chris points out.

“I first became interested in natural approached to high blood pressure when my father’s diabetes became so bad his doctor was going to put him on insulin injections. This was despite being of normal weight, being moderately active and following the NHS guidelines on eating.

My father however, refuses to have injections (even at the dentists!) and was determined to improve. So he asked me what else he could try. Without going into detail I put him on an intense detox.

Within a few days his system started to improve. Within 2 weeks his blood sugar and blood pressure where normal, and within 3 weeks he took himself off his medication.

Since that time I have studied with and learned from top functional medical doctors around the world who specialise in fixing the true, underlying cases of chronic disease like high blood pressure and diabetes”

If you, or anyone you know, have blood pressure problems, now is the time to seek help.  To qualify for help form one of Chris’s online programs you must have internet access.  Call now on 01707 662 704 and ask to start the ‘blood pressure blitz’ program.

With covid-19 rampant in the UK there has never been a more important time to lower your blood pressure – naturally.

Call now on 01707 662 704 and leave a message if calling out of hours (although at the moment, all phones are forwarded to allow him to work from home).

 

 

 

Coronavirus, What We Are Doing & What You Can Do

First of all, follow the guidelines about washing hands, and self-isolation if you are unwell.

Remember though that YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.  How well it works today is a direct result of the lifestyle choices you have made, not  the government.

If you are not unwell, then you may want to ramp up your  health, so keep tuned to my emails, FB lives and Youtube videos.  If you are unwell, then I’ll be making some videos to help you in isolation.

My latest update on How to Keep your Immune System Healthy

Here’s what we are doing in the clinic to keep you safe:

Here is what you can do BEYOND the very simplistic (but effective) official guidelines:

Why now is the time to start an outside exercise routine:

Get some perspective on how deadly the coronavirus is when compared to being sedentary and having a poor diet:

And this is a gift from 2 of my mentors, Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi.
Watch them if you need a mindset reboot:  https://dgachieve.com/wisdom16

Keep Well.

If you are looking to boost your health to Magnificent Levels then consider taking my ‘Anti-Ageing Lab’ & ‘Magnificent 7’ training courses.  Call us on 01707 662 704 and ask to speak to me.

 

 

Five Practical Steps To Boost Immunity in the Pandemic Panic

While the government is concentrating on washing hands and self-isolation, and the media is intent on doing nothing of benefit, I thought it would be a good idea to write something useful for you.  Something that is practical, evidence based, and effective not just protecting against one virus (which is all  vaccine can do), but a number of today’s major concerns.

For instance – 7 people die EVERY day from taking pain killer in the UK.  192 will die from diabetes. And 2,191will die today in Europe from air pollution.  So instead of spending a fortune on telling people to wash their hands and 46 million pounds on a vaccine, why not try this approach instead:

1. Eat a diet high in VARIETY of plant foods – 30 different plant types per week. A study on 13,000 identical twins, the PREDICT Study, by Dr Tim Spector, has shown that when it comes to health, ‘plant variation’ in your diet is the key to a long healthy life. The same study also revealed most people will benefit from doubling the amount of fibre in their diets as well.  These 2 factors have a huge impact on your microbiome – all the ‘good’ bacteria in your body that fight ‘bad’ bacteria and also help keep viruses at bay in your lungs.
2. Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other illness.
3. Decrease effects of air pollution. When it comes to protecting yourself against respiratory infections like the coronavirus it would make sense to see what science says we can do. Air pollution contributes to over 30 heart attacks a day in the UK, and over 2000 deaths a day across Europe.  The Institute of Medicine found taking the following nutrients as a minimum to decrease the effects of lung pollution:
   

   • 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate (B9),
   • 3 to 1.7 mg of B6
   • and 2.4 mcg of B12

4. We know that many people in the UK have some form of nutrition deficiency which can lead to a lowered immune response – D3, Magnesium, B vitamins and Omega 3 for instance. All these can be tested by your GP, and also have impacts on other aspects of your health, so it’s worth knowing what you need.
5. Improve your posture! Forward head posture decreases lung capacity, as well as putting pressure on your heart. Better lung capacity and heart function will improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to your whole body and improve immunity.

Further tips –You can learn more about building your health over 30 days with our free ‘Magnificent Health Experience’, enrol here https://livewellforlonger.gr8.com/

Vegan Omega 3, Coronavirus Hype, and Cholesterol

I hope I’m right, the media is wrong, and it gets sued for creating an crises.

If you are as panicked as the media about the coronavirus then go watch the ‘Chiropractic 1918 Flu Pandemic’ video by Dr. Dan Murphy I just added to our ‘How to Prevent colds & Flu’ page.

https://www.thepainreliefcentres.co.uk/how-to-prevent-colds-and-flu/

You may also be interested to know, we now stock CBG oil (similar to CBD oil) which has been shown to kill MRSA.  I’ll be sending out a separate email about that soon.

Today however, I want try and dispel some panic & fear.

Last night I posted this on my personal Facebook page, and it received quite a bit of attention, from people agreeing. Which suggests that the media is really guilty about the hype:

“Today, NOBODY in the UK died from the coronavirus, and there is widespread economic ‘headless chickenry’ and a COBRA meeting.

Meanwhile TODAY there have been 207 deaths from medical errors. In the UK.

192 people died in the UK today from poor dietary choices aka – diabetes.

2,191 people have died today in Europe from air pollution.

It would be great to see some effort and education where it counts.

While ‘washing your hands’ is a huge step towards preventing the spread of disease, educating people on why they should eat more fruit and veg, especially local, and get more exercise would help not just the corona-mania, but also diabetes, heart disease, dementia, cancer, and pollution.

And then maybe adding in some advice like – get some sunshine, and get your D3 and omega 3 profiles checked with a simple blood test. Then supplement if required.

The media is really missing a chance to do a lot of good here.”

In the Facebook post I mentioned getting your D3 and Omega 3 levels checked.  Both these ‘3s’ are critical to a healthy immune response, and while D3 blood tests are common, omega 3 tests are not.  This puzzled me.

Adequate omega 3 levels are not only related to immune health, but also to brain health and heart health.

Indeed Your omega-3 index has a greater impact on risk of heart disease than does your cholesterol level!

The right omega 3 oils also improve blood pressure, reduce inflammation and help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

One of this year’s big trends is veganism, which while I applaud everyone’s increased uptake of plant foods, it does have a number of nutritional drawbacks unless you really know what you are doing. One of them is that plant-based omega-3 (ALA) is converted in restricted amounts to the forms you find in animals (EPA and DHA), but not in large enough amounts to support your brain and heart health.

For this reason, if you are a veggie or a vegan, or anyone who eats fish less than 3 x week , it’s worth getting an Omega 3 ‘fatty acid profile’ test.

It’s not yet common practice in GP surgeries, but you can go and ask.

If you can’t wait, or they won’t do it, then you can get an easy to do test sent direct to you, from one of the labs I use:

https://www.gdx.net/uk/product/bloodspot-fatty-acids-profile

You will have to enter my practitioner number to order -A52LE – and they will send both of us the results.

So to recap:

• it seems that the media and the government want us all to panic about something that most people realise is trivial compared to other issues
• a recent ‘healthy’ trend may be lowering immunity in some people
• you can get checked for Omega 3 levels
• and you can get your spine adjusted to boost immunity (it was in the video I told you about at the start)

I hope you enjoyed today’s email.

Let me know what you think about the coronavirus ‘hype or help’.

Be Well

Chris ‘Omega 3’ Pickard
01707 662 704

 

Productivity and Motivation

Why Pollution Increases Heart Drugs Side Effects

Did you know the heart disease is on the increase?

So with Valentine’s Day this Friday it’s only natural to think of matters of the heart, and why I’m giving away Free Heart Health Checks (both in person and online – subscribe below via the ‘Nitric Oxide’ link and email me).

I usually start Fridays with some stretching, then some learning, then a walk around Stanborough Lakes with Lily (our dog).

Sometimes I go to the gym first.

It’s a given that exercise is great for the heart.

It’s also a given that eating the right foods is important.

But what exactly are the right foods?

While there is no one particular food, it does seem that foods containing nitrogen seem to be key.

Why nitrogen?

Because it’s needed to make Nitric Oxide (NO) which is one of the most important chemicals in the body.

It helps your immune system, is important in controlling inflammation, brain health, sexual health (it’s how Viagra works) and heart health.

It’s now know that the lower your NO levels, not only is it more likely you will have heart disease but also – THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO HAVE SIDE EFFECTS TO THE DRUGS YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN!

I said above heart disease is on the increase, and if you’ve been paying attention to my recent posts and emails you’ll know air pollution is a big cause of that increase.

Why would air pollution increase heart disease?

Well it seems that air pollution disrupts your ability to make/control NO.

So, apart from moving to the middle of Canada to avoid air pollution what can you do?

First of all, purchase an air purifier, even a small one that cleans the air where you sleep at night.

You can find plenty on Amazon – https://amzn.to/2SzbRGL

Second, take something to boost glutathione.  Glutathione both protects you against air pollution, and it also directly protect the NO system.

Try N-acetyl Cysteine for instance. (I can go through what I do on your next visit)

Third – directly feed your NO system with the right food and some supplements by watching the videos and downloading the pdf food guide here:
https://nitric.gr8.com/

Fourth: Book your Free Heart Health Check by replying to the email you’ll get when you subscribe to the Nitric Oxid e info.

So in summary – for a better heart you need to exercise and eat right, and look after your lungs.

Have a great Valentines Day, and share this information with someone you love, who’s heart you care for.

Be Well

Chris ‘Happy Heart’ Pickard
01707 662 704

Links:

https://nitric.gr8.com/

References:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/heart-disease-stroke-deaths-rise-bhf-diabetes-high-blood-pressure-a8910541.html

https://www.thepainreliefcentres.co.uk/health-benefits-nitric-oxide/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18341206

“NO is important as a toxic defense molecule against infectious organisms. It also regulates the functional activity, growth and death of many immune and inflammatory cell types”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/heart-disease-stroke-deaths-rise-bhf-diabetes-high-blood-pressure-a8910541.html

chronic infections and heart disease

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/38/43/3195/3958174

NO and heart health

http://www.clevelandheartlab.com/blog/nurturing-nitric-oxide-heart-healthy-chemical-blood-vessels/

The lower your nitric oxide is the more likely to have heart disease AND side effects to drugs

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180514132501.htm

 

Pollution makes NO bad go bad https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3469275/

Why Detox Beats Diet

Why Does Detox Beat Diet?

Detox beats diet due to a number of reasons.

For starters – most people are already deficient of a number of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, and when they restrict calories by eating less food, they also deplete other nutrients.

As well as all I mention in the above video, detox is also better than diet as it helps reset your ‘Set point’ . Your Set Point is the weight your body thinks it should be, and it will try to maintain that weight even if you decrease or increase calories.  Changing your set point is the key to long term weight loss (or weight gain if you want more muscle).

Detoxification also has a huge positive impact on your mental health and emotions.

Part 4: Sepsis – only available in our Facebook Group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehealthlab7/

Part 5: Detox Beats Diet for Diabetes

So, if you are ready to reboot your system, give us a call on 01707 662 704.

 

The Truth About DNA Health Tests

…and what to do instead

According to Dr. Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology, microbiome expert, researcher, and one of the top 1% of most cited scientists in the world, genetics only account for 20% of your health.  Even though this is still a decent chuck of your health factors, we can only test about 5% of those genes.  This means that even the most comprehensive genetic health test only accounts for 1% of your health.

Among other things  Dr Spector is director of the British Gut Microbiome project and  leader of the ‘Predict’ study.  This, combined with his work looking at 13,000 twins has lead him to some simple and significant dietary recommendations:

• Eat a greater variety of plants (at least 30 different plant types per week – see my cheat below)
• Double the amount of fiber you are eating
• Include fermented food in your diet – https://www.thepainreliefcentres.co.uk/permanent-perfect-eating-permanent-weight-loss-2-cultured-foods/
• Have plenty of polyphenol rich foods

My Cheat Method:

Get some great polyphenol rich recipe ideas in my Nitric Oxide Diet pdf – https://nitric.gr8.com/

Get your hands on my 28 Day ‘Health Challenge’ inspired by the findings of the Predict Study
https://livewellforlonger.gr8.com/

And learn more directly from Dr Tim Spector:

Arthritis Help

Here’s some of our Youtube and Facebook videos about arthritis and it’s many causes.

This may help explain why some people have terrible arthritis on X-ray yet have full mobility, while others have lots of pain, but only some arthritis.

Mahatma Gandhi Guide to Health

In 1921 one of my heroes, Mahatma Gandhi  wrote a Guide to Health.

It has to be said, that he lived a long and active life, and he promoted health, and good living as part of his overall philosophy of peace and understanding.

The book contains some far out ideas, that I don’t cover, I’m only summarising the things he got right (if only partially about  mud!)

Just like Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi believed more people suffered ill health through over-eating than from starvation (a fact that is even more true today).

He believed you should only eat AFTER doing some work – so eating first thing in the morning was NOT on his list.  Gandhi taught skipping breakfast, and waiting 3 hours before you ate.  He also liked fasting, not just as a political protest.  Something now proven  by Nobel Prize winning science to be essential for long term health.

Gandhi saw the stomach as the engine of the body, and therefore of health, so it was important to feed it the right food in the right amounts.

He was a vegetarian, and preached against the use of cow’s milk (it after all for calves, not humans).  Ahead of his time, as now modern milk is full of antibiotics and hormones.

Surprisingly, like me, he also advocated ‘eating your water’ rather than drinking it. He reasoned quite correctly that if you ate enough water filled plant, you would not need to drink much.

Watch my Hydration videos for more on that:
https://www.thepainreliefcentres.co.uk/water-content-of-a-range-of-foods/

Gandhi  was very much for regular daily exercise, realising that a lack of exercise ‘weakens the mind’.  Now we know exercise protects not just against heart disease an cancer, but also depression and dementia.

Likewise he believed you had to exercise the mind as well.

His ideal ‘job’ was a farmer – using mind and body daily.

Getting out doors to get plenty of fresh air was a big must for Gandhi, as he saw being inside breathing the air that others had just breathed out as quite disgusting.  Today however air pollution is linked to hundreds of thousands of early deaths every year in the UK alone.

Finally, Gandhi believed in the healing power of mud. This is something that I think he partially got right – the idea that you could decrease a fever by being buried in it.

This is most likely because of ‘grounding’ see my Natural Pain Relief Report page for more on that.

https://www.thepainreliefcentres.co.uk/the-natural-pain-relief-report/

If you’d like to start implementing more health strategies in your life, then start our 7 day, or 30 day Health Challenge:
http://lesspain.thepainreliefcentres.co.uk/

https://livewellforlonger.gr8.com/