Functional Nutrition Intervention Protocols

HYPERTENSION

SSESSMENT
Anthropometrics Height, weight, BMI
Waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-
to-hip ratio
% body fat, % lean body mass
Biomarkers/Labs
Conventional R/O sleep apnea

Functional None

Nutrigenetic Cardiovascular panel that includes ACE, AGT,

and/or GNB3

Clinical Indicators Nutrition-focused physical exam

Diet/Lifestyle Histories Comprehensive intake form

Medical Symptoms Questionnaire

IAGNOSIS Hypertension

NTERVENTION
Core Food Plan Balanced core food plan

Food Plan Modifications Blood Pressure Management modification:

Dietary fiber (minimum 35 g/day), especially
soluble fiber
(legumes, oats, barley, mushrooms, fruits,
vegetables)
Sodium restricted to 2300 mg/d, if genotypically
appropriate Calcium-, potassium-, and
magnesium-rich foods
Calcium: dairy products, dark-green leafy
vegetables,
legumes, lime-processed corn tortillas,
broccoli, calcium-
set tofu, almonds
Potassium: legumes, milk, nuts, apricots,
bananas, melons, grapefruit juice, melons,
prunes/juice, raisins, potatoes
Magnesium: whole grains, legumes, nuts and
seeds,
chocolate, dark green vegetables, bananas
Celery, 4 or more stalks/day
Cold water fish: herring, haddock, mackerel, salmon,
sardine, tuna
Soy foods, 1 serving/d

Functional Soluble fiber foods (see above)

Foods/Medical Foods Seaweed (hijiki, wakame), kelp (Laminaria), kombu
preparation
Functional Nutrition Intervention Protocols
Dietary Supplements High quality daily multivitamin with chelated
minerals
Vitamin C, to bowel tolerance
Calcium, magnesium, potassium from high
quality daily
multivitamin with chelated minerals
Supplemental potassium typically not warranted

L-arginine, 1400-2400 mg/d in divided doses

between meals;
If susceptible to herpes, L-lysine concomitantly
at 500-
1000 mg tid taken between meals at least 1h
before
arginine and at bedtime
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 1-4 g/d
Try supplements of lactotripeptides from milk,
fish protein
Probiotics (with soluble fiber, see above), 30-100
billion
active live cultures in divided doses daily
Anti-hypertensive herbs:
Dandelion leaves (diuretic) as a tea, 4-10g (1-
2 teaspoons), 3 times daily (tid)
Garlic, 1-4 fresh cloves/d, 300 mg extract
standardized to 1.3% alliin/0.6% allicin, tid
Horse chestnut seed extract (HCSE),
standardized product of 50-75 mg escin q12 hr
(typically 300 mg product, bid)

Food/Medication/Dietary Avoid true licorice candy and licorice

Supplement supplements unless
Interactions using deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL)
Avoid combining prescription diuretics with
herbal diuretics

Lifestyle
Recommendations
Physical Activity Daily activity, as tolerated, preferably outdoors
(sunshine)
Yoga and meditation

Sleep Full complement, as determined for individual

patient

Psycho-social Encourage social connections, activities that are

meaningful
and pleasurable for the individual
 Functional Nutrition Intervention Protocols

ONITORING and VALUATING

Follow-up Plan Periodic contact by functional nutrition
practitioner
Return to clinic in 3 weeks to begin food
reintroduction

Key Resources:
Natural Standard Database or Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database for
supplement information

Chen ZY, Peng C, Jiao R, Wong YM, Yang N, Huang Y. Anti-hypertensive

nutraceuticals and functional foods. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Jun 10;57:4485-99.
Riediger ND, Othman RA, Suh M, Moghadasian MH. A systematic review of the roles
of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:668-79.