Hypertension and “Off-Label”

Question and Answer

Question:      Must I cut my salt intake even though I am taking several blood pressure medications for my treatment resistant hypertensions?

Answer:        Yes, American Heart Association guidelines say that for the 20% of people with high blood pressure who have resistant hypertension (blood pressure that remains high despite taking at least three medications to control it) reducing dietary salt intake can lower systolic blood pressure (top number in the blood pressure ratio) by 5 to 6 mm hg.  What’s more, researchers suggest that a low salt regiment (half a teaspoon a day) helped patients taking an average  of three medications to reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 9.1 points.

Question: My Doctor wants me to try a new medication “Off-label”.  What does this mean?

Vinegar

Good for spider and bug bites.  Soak a cotton ball in vinegar then apply to bite.  Cover and wear overnight.  If the bite is on hand or foot, soak cotton ball, place on hand or foot, wear overnight and by morning the swelling and/or soreness should be gone as if you had hardly been bitten at all.

To Keep Bugs From Biting

1. Protect your child by covering that delicate skin with lightweight, long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks.  Insects may be attracted to floral prints

2. Mosquitoes are usually most active at dusk and just before dawn, avoid paling outside during these times.

3. Keep your window and door screens in good repair.  When possible, keep your child protected indoors or behind mosquitoes netting.

4. If eating outdoors, use an outdoor fan to blow away mosquitoes.

5. To reduce mosquitoes breeding near your home, plant scented geraniums, lemon thyme, marigold, tansy, citrosa plants, sweet basil or sassafras.

6. Eliminate common mosquitoes breeding sites such as sources of standing water (old tires, pools, plastic pots, buckets, garbage cans, or clogged roof gutters).  Change water in bird baths every other day.

7. Make your yard friendly for natural predators such as ladybugs, bats, dragonflies, praying mantis, spiders, and birds.  Stock ponds with goldfish or freshwater minnows.

8. Use yellow light bulbs (non-attractive to bugs) in outdoor fixtures.

9. Fragrances attract insects. Avoid using scented products (such as soap or shampoo) on your child or yourself.

10. Choose safe bug repellent products.  www.safemamma.com has a great guide to natural bug repellent.

Tips for soothing bug bites

Tea Tree Oil:  If you are stung, remove the stinger (if there is one).  Apply tea tree oil liberally in a circular motion surrounding the entry point - be gentle touching the point of entry!  Let dry and the pain and swelling should ease in two to three minutes.  Re-apply if needed.

Baking Soda:  Mix Baking Soda with warm water to form a paste.  Again remove stinger and apply paste.  Cover with gauze or paper towel and tape.  Leave on for one half hour or more until the pain is gone.

Onion:  Relieve the itch from bug bites.  The sulfur in onions neutralizes the chemicals that cause the itch.  Cut the onion in half and rub the cut side on the bite.  The itching should stop immediately.