Entries by Chet Zelasko

Natural ACE-Inhibitors

Perhaps the thought crossed your mind that maybe you could get a prescription for an ACE-inhibitor. Maybe it was fleeting, just a wisp of a thought floating by, but it was there. Remember, a couple of studies do not a treatment make, and connecting dots doesn’t always end with the picture you think it might. […]

Get This Free COVID-19 Audio

The COVID-19 virus is impacting our lives, yet there seems to be a lot of confusion about what is and is not real. That’s why I’ve put together this free download on the COVID-19 virus. I’ve included the answers to questions I’ve gotten and divided them into a logical order. What is the history of […]

What Is ACE?

Angiotensin-converting enzyme—ACE—is the enzyme that converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II (ANG2). You’re probably thinking, “Well, that clears it up!” Here’s the problem: under the right conditions, ANG2 causes vasoconstriction and sodium and water retention, and the result can be hypertension because the overwhelmed kidneys can’t get rid of sodium or fluids. However, it gets […]

High Blood Pressure and COVID-19

If you have hypertension, commonly called high blood pressure, and you’re taking a medication called an ACE inhibitor (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor), make sure you take it regularly. It may—and I repeat, may—provide some protection against the COVID-19 virus. I’ll spend the rest of the week explaining why, but I want you to have that information […]

Not So Smartphones

Many variables that were included in the smartphone study weren’t reported, and there’s a good reason for that: they were non-significant. I don’t mean not statistically significant—I mean not significant in the real world either. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a study with so many variables that were non-significant. The one that […]

Limitations of the Smartphone BP App

In the examination of a smartphone application to help lower blood pressure, the results were a little surprising. Take a look at the graphic representation above of the study, including the results. More and more journals are going to that type of graphic summary. They’re great summaries, but they don’t always tell the entire story. […]

Get Health Support via Your Smartphone

Paula has an appointment with her primary care doctor this morning, and she’ll be right here on the sofa when it happens. Telemedicine is now a part of everyday life, but your phone can be an asset to your health even beyond speaking to your doctor. For example, hypertension is still a significant problem in […]

Observations and Questions About the Step Study

Most research papers such as the step study I began to review on Thursday have a main point, sometimes a couple points, and that’s all we take from it. But there some interesting things that may not get headlines but are still worth mentioning. Let’s take a look at some other results from the steps […]

Step It Out!

By the looks of it, “Stay Home and Stay Safe” will extend through the beginning of May and perhaps longer. As we adapt to our new normal, here is a little incentive to make exercise a regular part of your life from now on. Researchers analyzed data from the 2003–2005 National Health and Nutrition Education […]

Adjusting to Your New Normal

Today is the end of the month; it’s also the end of the first quarter of the year. I would guess that due to COVID-19, you may have to set new and perhaps different goals. I know I am; my seminar schedule has blown up completely—for now. The challenge is that we really don’t know […]