Overview
The Lionheart Hypertension Reduction Protocol is an investigational, physician-guided program designed to help you lower blood pressure safely while improving energy, sleep, mood, fitness, and long-term heart and brain health. Built around the Lionheart KLOTHO Wellness Program, this comprehensive approach combines gentle bioelectric therapies, targeted exercise, nutrition, supplements, and recovery modalities to address the root causes of high blood pressure. Rather than turning immediately to medication as the only route, this protocol provides holistic tools to support cardiovascular health and reduce cardiovascular risk through foundational lifestyle modifications, advanced bioelectric support via PressureStim®, and personalized clinical guidance. Hypertension is a significant cardiovascular risk factor, and appropriate management can support cardiovascular health and reduce mortality in both men and women. This program requires full informed consent to participate. Important: Do not stop or change prescription blood pressure medications unless your clinician tells you to.
Key Benefits
This comprehensive program delivers transformative cardiovascular and whole-body support:
- Lower average blood pressure toward individualized clinician targets
- Improve autonomic nervous system balance and stress response
- Enhance sleep quality, fitness capacity, and cardiovascular health
- Support long-term heart, brain, and metabolic wellness
- Build strength, circulation, and resilience through personalized care
How It Works
The Hypertension Reduction Protocol is structured as a 12-week intensive program combining multiple therapeutic modalities under close clinical supervision, followed by a sustainable maintenance plan.
PressureStim® (Blood Pressure Support)
PressureStim® is a gentle bioelectric therapy supervised by your clinician that supports healthy nervous system balance and blood pressure control through targeted nerve stimulation. Sessions typically last 15–30 minutes and are performed 4–6 days per week. The therapy is designed to support BP reduction while avoiding bradycardia or breathing disruption. Treatment begins with clinician-supervised initiation for the first 2–3 sessions, then transitions to either in-clinic or at-home use under protocol and safety rules. Session frequency progresses from 3 sessions in week 1 to 5–6 sessions per week during weeks 3–8, then tapers to 4–5 sessions per week for maintenance during weeks 9–12. Blood pressure is monitored before and 30–60 minutes after sessions to track response patterns. Session safety rules include immediate cessation and clinician contact if experiencing dizziness, faintness, chest pain, unusual shortness of breath, palpitations, severe headache, or neurological symptoms.
BodStim® EMS Training (Strength and Circulation)
BodStim® combines full-body electrical muscle stimulation with light exercise to improve circulation, metabolism, and cardiovascular fitness. Sessions occur 2–3 times per week and last 45–60 minutes, including 5–10 minutes warmup, 20–30 minutes of BodStim-assisted functional circuit training (squats, step-ups, rows, carries, gentle core work), 10–20 minutes of Zone 2 cardio (walking, cycling, or swimming), and 5 minutes of cooldown with breathwork. The protocol is hypertension-friendly, avoiding high-strain Valsalva lifting early and building aerobic base first before modest resistance increases. If resting BP is very high on a given day, sessions switch to walking and breathwork only.
Brain Support (Mood, Focus, and Stress)
Brain-focused stimulation supports relaxation, focus, and emotional balance to improve program consistency and stress resilience. Sessions last 15–20 minutes and occur 3–5 times per week, preferably midday or early evening. This component recognizes that BP control improves when sleep, mood, and stress physiology improve, treating brain health adherence as a BP intervention. Mood, focus, and sleep quality are tracked to monitor progress.
Food as Medicine – Metabolic Meals
Daily chef-prepared meals are designed specifically to support healthy blood pressure using a DASH/Mediterranean hybrid approach. Meals provide balanced protein, fiber, minerals, and controlled sodium, removing the guesswork from eating well. The nutrition plan emphasizes high potassium foods (leafy greens, legumes, squash) unless contraindicated, 25–40g fiber daily, adequate protein for body size and satiety, and minimal ultra-processed foods and added sugars. Sodium strategy is personalized based on individual needs, activity level, age, and medication use. The program teaches label literacy and restaurant strategies for long-term success. Alcohol is minimized and caffeine kept consistent to avoid BP spikes.
Personalized Supplements
Your customized supplement plan is clinician-supervised and may include Rejuvant® for cellular energy support, SNiP Nutrition® for personalized nutrition based on genetics and labs, KlothaMax™ for Klotho-support, and additional supplements such as magnesium glycinate, omega-3s, soluble fiber, or beetroot/nitrate foods as appropriate. Supplements are introduced gradually using a “start low, add one change at a time” approach to assess tolerance and avoid medication interactions. Supplement progression begins with baseline essentials only in week 1, adds 1–2 items during weeks 2–3, then optimizes the full personalized stack from week 4 onward. BP trends, sleep, GI tolerance, energy, and relevant labs are monitored throughout.
Recovery and Resilience Modalities
The program includes a structured weekly schedule of supportive therapies. Daily practices include 10–20 minutes of yoga, breathwork, or meditation, 20–45 minutes of walking in nature or outdoor light exposure, and social connection touchpoints. Two to four times per week, participants engage in sauna (10–20 minutes, 1–3 rounds with proper hydration), cold plunge (30–120 seconds, 1–3 rounds, avoiding if it spikes anxiety or BP), and red light therapy (10–20 minutes for recovery and comfort). Two to three times per week includes swimming, cycling, or walking for Zone 2 cardio. One to three times per week may include hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a recovery block with sleep and BP response tracking. Weekly social activities such as group walks, swim sessions, yoga classes, or healthy dinner nights provide accountability and support.
Sleep Apnea Screening and Treatment
Undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea is one of the most common hidden causes of stubborn high blood pressure. When breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, oxygen levels drop and the body releases stress hormones that raise blood pressure, strain the heart, and disrupt normal nighttime BP “dipping.” Over time, this keeps blood pressure elevated even during the day and can make medications less effective. Getting sleep apnea under control through proper testing, CPAP or oral appliances when prescribed, weight management, nasal breathing support, and consistent sleep routines often leads to meaningful reductions in blood pressure, better sleep quality, improved energy, and lower cardiovascular risk. Treating sleep apnea is not just about better sleep—it is a key step in protecting your heart, brain, and long-term health.
Optional: Electro-Acupuncture (Integrative Support)
An optional integrative arm of the protocol may include electro-acupuncture, as applied at UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute or comparable licensed integrative medicine centers. Electro-acupuncture combines traditional acupuncture point selection with low-frequency electrical stimulation, which has been shown in clinical and translational research to help modulate the autonomic nervous system, reduce sympathetic overactivity, improve vascular tone, and lower stress hormone signaling—all key drivers of high blood pressure. When used under licensed practitioner supervision, electro-acupuncture may support reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, improve sleep quality, and enhance stress resilience, making it a complementary option alongside PressureStim, BodStim, nutrition, and lifestyle therapies. Typical use may involve 1–2 sessions per week for 6–12 weeks, individualized based on patient response and coordinated with the supervising clinician to ensure safety and continuity of care.
What to Expect
Your journey begins with comprehensive baseline assessment including a 7-day home blood pressure monitoring protocol (twice daily readings), medication review, weight and waist measurements, basic labs (CMP, lipids, A1C, hs-CRP, CBC), sleep screening, and stress/mood baseline evaluation. The 12-week protocol progresses through three phases:
- Weeks 1–2 focus on stabilizing your routine with food delivery, supplements, gentle activity, breathwork, and gradual device introduction.
- Weeks 3–8 intensify with structured training, consistent recovery modalities, and optimized device schedules.
- Weeks 9–12 optimize results and taper to a sustainable maintenance dose.
Throughout the program, you’ll follow a daily checklist including morning BP readings, light movement, hydration, supplements, and breathing exercises, midday metabolic meals and walks with optional brain sessions, and evening BP readings, PressureStim sessions, dinner, and relaxation practices such as yoga, sauna, meditation, or red light therapy. Weekly clinician reviews during weeks 1–4 (then biweekly) monitor your BP dashboard, assess side effects, coordinate medication adjustments as BP improves, and watch for escalation triggers requiring immediate attention. Most participants experience lower average blood pressure, improved energy and sleep quality, reduced stress levels, increased strength and cardiovascular health, and enhanced long-term heart, brain, and metabolic wellness. Following the 12-week intensive phase, you’ll transition to a maintenance program with PressureStim 3–4 times per week, BodStim and exercise 2–3 times per week, at least one delivered meal per day or structured meal planning equivalent, and weekly nature, social, and mindfulness anchors to sustain your results.
Ideal For
This protocol is ideal for adults with elevated blood pressure, Stage 1–2 hypertension, or treated hypertension not at goal who are willing to commit to daily home BP monitoring, lifestyle changes, and supervised device sessions. It’s well-suited for those seeking a comprehensive, holistic approach to blood pressure management that addresses root causes rather than relying solely on medication, and for individuals ready to invest in long-term cardiovascular health through personalized, physician-guided care. This is an investigational research study requiring full informed consent to participate.