Restoration of Vascular Function using Isometric Therapy
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Mark Young, CEO at Zona Health, gave an excellent lecture on Restoration of Vascular Function using Isometric Therapy.
The Zona Plus is an isometric handgrip therapy device. Isometric means not concentric exercise and not eccentric exercise. It is like the expansion and contraction of a muscle group but an isometric beam (Latin term for equal measurement), much like a plank juxtaposed to a setup. In a setup, you will contract, and then you will extend; meanwhile, in a plank, you will hold the muscle group in a static area. The Zona Plus does the same.
The Zona Plus is a software-controlled hand-held device that uses biofeedback to lower blood pressure and increase nitric oxide throughout the body. It uses the proven science of isometric therapy to reduce blood pressure naturally.
"You do that for 2 minutes on the right, 2 minutes on the left, right and then left and repeat. Ultimately just under 12 minutes a day. You're moving the body back and forth from that parasympathetic to sympathetic. What's happening is that increased vasodilation takes place by nitric oxide release. Vasodilation takes place so the cardiovascular system opens and closes, opens and closes," Mark explained.
Talking about the ultimate biohack, Mark underlined: "We find the systolic that the top number of your blood pressure reduces approximately 15 percent, diastolic 10 percent. Now I say percent very distinctly because I don't want you to think that means 15 points. That's 15 percent, which means that if your blood pressure, the systolic was at 150, you're talking about actually a 22.5 drop, not just 15.
I'll give you an example until you are average reduction to all of our studies that we've done over time has been 19 systolic points while using a device 4 to 6 weeks. The numbers the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] considers a device or a pharmaceutical to be effective if it can decrease systolic blood pressure by 5 points. The Zona Plus reduces by 19 points."
The FDA has determined that 5 points are what it takes to decrease a cardiovascular event's likelihood by 50 percent. If you have a 100 percent likelihood of a cardiovascular event, a heart attack, or stroke, the 5 points systolic reduction brings you down to only a 50 percent chance, another 5 points to get you to 25 percent, another 5 points brings you down to 12.5 percent.
The Zona Plus is at 19 points. You can approximate that multiplier down 4 times with the effectiveness of this non-pharmacological device.
Additionally, Mark explained the Nitric Oxide’s influence on metabolic and cardiovascular function. Nitric Oxide is a compound in the body that causes blood vessels to widen and stimulates the release of hormones as insulin and human growth hormone.
There was a study on Nitric oxide synthases and cardiovascular diseases: insights from genetically modified mice that show how nitric oxide effect is cardiovascular disease. All we are talking about is diabetes and high cholesterol, and it is cardiovascular disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. Every 36 seconds, a person dies from cardiovascular disease in the U.S.
Following the study, the cells under the subject have an equilibrium between sodium and potassium in every cell. Mark added that The Zona Plus deals with muscle constriction. The cell still tries to maintain that equilibrium, but as it holds that equilibrium in muscle contractions. The balance between sodium-potassium ends up out of sync. When you end up with an imbalance, the cell must get back to equilibrium and what the cell does is release potassium.
So when the Zona Plus releases nitric oxide, how it relates to the potassium released. However, potassium released by the muscle cell is being released and moves into the endothelium. The endothelium is a sensor. It senses if there is high blood pressure.
"When the endothelium hardens much like arteriosclerosis, for instance, it no longer senses that the blood pressure is high, and when it doesn't sense that the blood pressure is high, it doesn't release the nitric oxide it should. So what ends up happening as this potassium releases the endothelium becomes softer, the softer endothelium can recognize that there is a problem and thus create and release the nitric oxide into the blood flow."
The American College of Gastroenterology shared the study showing that only 2 percent of Americans got daily recommended 4700mg potassium. The average person is taking in only 2632mg. This study showed that Americans overeat salt and not enough potassium.
Mark explained: "What's happening in that cell? The balance of sodium to potassium in all of the muscular cells is offset. Too much sodium is not released from any of the potassium. The sodium ratio needs to go down, the potassium needs to go up. But we eat high sodium and low potassium."
The fact that only 2 percent get the needed amount of daily recommended 4700mg potassium is frightening. Maybe there is a decent alternative to fulfill the missing amount of potassium: potassium supplements?
"Potassium supplements are limited by law to 99mg due to cardiac safety concerns. If somebody were to try to supplement their way into a daily recommended 4700mg, they would have to take 47 tablets a day. But you can not do that because taking that amount of potassium through a supplement will destroy your heart. It increases cardiac events, which is why the CDC and the FDA restrict taking more than 99 milligrams of potassium through a supplement".
We're doing this at Zona Plus. We are increasing potassium release from the muscle cells into the endothelium, leading to nitric oxide production. The device itself is a phenomenal piece of science as well as doesn't look particularly complicated".
In conclusion, Mark mentioned that he loves the biohack world, space where we all live in the biotech world. It is the ultimate biohack. There are so many cool things that are represented today that Mark loves because it's so functional and so healthy.
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If you want to try The Zona Plus, you have an excellent opportunity to save $100. Feel free to check it out on the section Top Biohacks on our website.
The BiohackingCongress team is grateful to the wonderful Mark Young for giving the educational lecture!
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Based on the lecture by Mark Young.
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