Seattle, Aug. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New guidelines from the American Heart Association mean that nearly one out of every two American adults with high blood pressure may be facing a choice about prescription drug treatment. Naturopathic medicine gives more options to people with hypertension through whole-body health evaluation and care. Licensed naturopathic doctors identify and address the underlying cause(s) of high blood pressure, and help patients minimize reliance on prescription medications when possible. This is according to the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM), which today released a new FAQ on naturopathic medicine approaches to manage hypertension, in partnership with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP).
High blood pressure, which often occurs without symptoms, boosts the risk of stroke and heart disease. Further, patients diagnosed with hypertension are estimated to pay almost $2,000 more in annual healthcare costs than those who have blood pressure in the normal range. While blood pressure medications represent some of the greatest advances in healthcare pharmacology, they have side effects and consequences with long-term use.
Licensed naturopathic doctors (NDs) are trained to evaluate and treat the whole person. They help patients identify the well-known causes of and modifiable risk factors for hypertension, as well as less-examined causes that include vitamin and mineral deficiencies and inflammation. NDs offer a large spectrum of treatments including: clinical nutrition, exercise prescriptions, botanical medicine, behavioral medicine, and, at times, standard medications.
Because of their extensive training in clinical nutrition, NDs are well-equipped to help people with specific diets and nutrition for hypertension, now supported by a large body of evidence in the treatment of high blood pressure.
“Licensed naturopathic doctors provide highly individualized therapies for hypertension,” said Michelle Simon, Ph.D., ND, and Chair of the INM Board of Directors. “The naturopathic medicine principle of recognizing the healing power of nature always brings NDs back to health-promoting, natural approaches that support the body’s effort to repair itself.”
Find the complete FAQ online at: ”How do naturopathic doctors help people manage blood pressure?”.
About the Institute for Natural Medicine
The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides public education about naturopathic medicine and increases consumer access to naturopathic doctors. As a close partner to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the INM strives to increase consumer and physician choice in safe, effective healthcare that improves patient outcomes and lowers costs. For more information visit www.naturemed.org or call 855-799-4490.
About the AANP
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians is the professional association that represents licensed naturopathic physicians. The AANP strives to make naturopathic medicine available to every American and to increase recognition of naturopathic physicians as the identified authorities on natural medicine. Learn more at www.naturopathic.org.
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