43 and trying to get healthy

michelle91674

I'm 43 and a month ago I was diagnosed with stage II hypertention. My doctor recommended the DASH diet, so here we go. any tool and tips on how to make food not so bland when you are on a low sodium, low carb and low fat diet will be greatly appreciated. I refuse to be on blood pressure meds for the rest of my life, so I am committed to eating healthy and dropping the weight. Its time to get in the best shape of my life, life begins at 43 so they say.

catweiler57

I have been on a low salt diet for years. My profile picture is old and I weigh about 140 pounds less than I did then. Wish I had lost the weight years ago...I could have been in so much less pain and able to move around better. I am 60....keep strong and you can do this!

michelle91674

thanks! I'm active and my weight has never seemed to hold me back, but clearly my food choices and the extra weight has had a negative impact on my health now that i'm over 40.

chicmomma

I'm also 43 and starting to get some diet related health problems. I think that one of the best ways to get flavor when low sodium/carb/fat is by using spices. Curries, BBQ rub, and dishes like that have a lot of flavor and can be really delicious.

Marx_MI

Care to share what your BP numbers were. I monitor my BP at home and it has steadily been going up. My problem is I get major anxiety as soon as I put that cuff on my arm. Yes- it’s strange.
My BP averages 145/92

michelle91674

Marx..originally my BP was 166/104... In 3 weeks on the DASH diet i have brought it down to about 125-140/85-95. I took HCTZ meds for 10 days but couldnt take them because they made me so dizzy...yesterday i was put on lisiniprol to help get the diastolic down hopefully with following DASH and weight loss i wont need to take meds for long

Marilyn0924

Spices and herbs are your friend! Some really great seasoning blends out there that contain no sodium or MSG.

kommodevaran

This advice may be given with the best intentions, but it's taken to such extremes that it's not only impossible to follow, it's unhealthy if it were to be followed to a T. You can't go low fat and low carb at the same time, that means high protein and bad for your kidneys. I think the most important thing you can do for your health, including your blood pressure, is to lose weight and become more active. To do that, you need to stick to lower calories. To do that, you need to eat well. Bland, boring food is not eating well. Instead, and what I think was the thought behind this advice from the start, but somehow hard to prescribe: cook more from scratch, and prepare balanced meals. Add just enough fat, sugar and salt to make the food appealing. Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, including whole grains, beans and pulses, eggs, dairy, fish and meat, nuts and seeds, fats and oils. Have treats occasionally. Eat food you like, and enjoy your food. Don't eat too much overall. Get enough sleep, manage stress, exercise moderately.

michelle91674

Chicmomma ive been experimenting with different spices...but i just havent found my "go to" spice mixture yet

michelle91674

Marx...i understand the anxiety....when i first went to the doctor it was because i was having serious headaches. When i heard that the headaches were most likely caused from the high BP and i could have a stroke is scared the crap out of me. At first when i would test myself at home i would be so anxious about what the number would be.

michelle91674

kommodevaran wrote: »

This advice may be given with the best intentions, but it's taken to such extremes that it's not only impossible to follow, it's unhealthy if it were to be followed to a T. You can't go low fat and low carb at the same time, that means high protein and bad for your kidneys. I think the most important thing you can do for your health, including your blood pressure, is to lose weight and become more active. To do that, you need to stick to lower calories. To do that, you need to eat well. Bland, boring food is not eating well. Instead, and what I think was the thought behind this advice from the start, but somehow hard to prescribe: cook more from scratch, and prepare balanced meals. Add just enough fat, sugar and salt to make the food appealing. Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, including whole grains, beans and pulses, eggs, dairy, fish and meat, nuts and seeds, fats and oils. Have treats occasionally. Eat food you like, and enjoy your food. Don't eat too much overall. Get enough sleep, manage stress, exercise moderately.

I totally agree, and I think you are exactly right. when the doctor first told me, low carb, low fat, low sodium I was left thinking, well what do I eat, I don't know how to low carb and go low fat at the same time. She had recommended the DASH diet, so I did some research, the basics of DASH is eating whole grains, fruit and veggies, no processed food, lots of water, healthy fats.

kommodevaran

michelle91674 wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

This advice may be given with the best intentions, but it's taken to such extremes that it's not only impossible to follow, it's unhealthy if it were to be followed to a T. You can't go low fat and low carb at the same time, that means high protein and bad for your kidneys. I think the most important thing you can do for your health, including your blood pressure, is to lose weight and become more active. To do that, you need to stick to lower calories. To do that, you need to eat well. Bland, boring food is not eating well. Instead, and what I think was the thought behind this advice from the start, but somehow hard to prescribe: cook more from scratch, and prepare balanced meals. Add just enough fat, sugar and salt to make the food appealing. Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, including whole grains, beans and pulses, eggs, dairy, fish and meat, nuts and seeds, fats and oils. Have treats occasionally. Eat food you like, and enjoy your food. Don't eat too much overall. Get enough sleep, manage stress, exercise moderately.

I totally agree, and I think you are exactly right. when the doctor first told me, low carb, low fat, low sodium I was left thinking, well what do I eat, I don't know how to low carb and go low fat at the same time. She had recommended the DASH diet, so I did some research, the basics of DASH is eating whole grains, fruit and veggies, no processed food, lots of water, healthy fats.

It's the absolutes that makes diets so difficult, and scary too, because they demand perfection, so the smallest slip means failure. But perfection is neither possible nor necessary. What you're really after, is improvement. Improving your diet is really simple and attainable: choose whole grains more often, eat more (both amounts and types of) fruit and vegetables, cook more at home (home cooking is processing too), be aware that many drinks have calories, avoid man made trans fats and deep fried foods. If you're not enjoying your diet, you're adding to the stress, and stress is not good for your blood pressure.

CILLAJ8

I've lost nearly 40 pounds since August and have lowered my blood pressure medication. I was hoping to come off of it completely but I'm not quite there yet. I'm on the lowest dose possible of Metoprolol. In my opinion, it's all about finding a balance. I'm a full-time working mom so that's sometimes hard. But I exercise as often as I can. Walking/jogging. Even if it's just for 15 minutes at a time during a break at work. And I went whole foods plant based. Cut out the processed foods and sugars. Lots and lots of veggies, and fruit in moderation. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc. There are so many delicious and healthy foods to choose from. Search the web, pinterest. You can do this. My diary is open to friends if you'd like to add me.

michelle91674

CILLAJ8 wrote: »

I've lost nearly 40 pounds since August and have lowered my blood pressure medication. I was hoping to come off of it completely but I'm not quite there yet. I'm on the lowest dose possible of Metoprolol. In my opinion, it's all about finding a balance. I'm a full-time working mom so that's sometimes hard. But I exercise as often as I can. Walking/jogging. Even if it's just for 15 minutes at a time during a break at work. And I went whole foods plant based. Cut out the processed foods and sugars. Lots and lots of veggies, and fruit in moderation. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc. There are so many delicious and healthy foods to choose from. Search the web, pinterest. You can do this. My diary is open to friends if you'd like to add me.

That is pretty much the approach im trying to take as well, I haven't weighed myself since I made the change in my diet on jan 3rd, im trying not to focus to much on the scale and instead how I feel, how my clothes fit. I have been eating 3 pieces of fresh fruit a day but I worry its to much because of the sugars. ive had great success on low carb diets such as atkins, but gained the weigh back as soon as I went off it. this is really my first real attempt at just leading a healthy life style and eating a balanced diet low in sodium/fat/carb.

kommodevaran

michelle91674 wrote: »

CILLAJ8 wrote: »

I've lost nearly 40 pounds since August and have lowered my blood pressure medication. I was hoping to come off of it completely but I'm not quite there yet. I'm on the lowest dose possible of Metoprolol. In my opinion, it's all about finding a balance. I'm a full-time working mom so that's sometimes hard. But I exercise as often as I can. Walking/jogging. Even if it's just for 15 minutes at a time during a break at work. And I went whole foods plant based. Cut out the processed foods and sugars. Lots and lots of veggies, and fruit in moderation. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc. There are so many delicious and healthy foods to choose from. Search the web, pinterest. You can do this. My diary is open to friends if you'd like to add me.

That is pretty much the approach im trying to take as well, I haven't weighed myself since I made the change in my diet on jan 3rd, im trying not to focus to much on the scale and instead how I feel, how my clothes fit. I have been eating 3 pieces of fresh fruit a day but I worry its to much because of the sugars. ive had great success on low carb diets such as atkins, but gained the weigh back as soon as I went off it. this is really my first real attempt at just leading a healthy life style and eating a balanced diet low in sodium/fat/carb.

Well, if you feel great and your clothes are looser, you are losing weight. Maybe 3 pieces of fruit makes it harder to get in all the nutrition you need and still keep within your calorie allowance, but do NOT worry about the sugar content of fruit! If you regained, it means the diet you were on, wasn't really a success. Depending on what you mean by low, a balanced diet is not low in any particular components, that's what "balance" means. I think you have a semi-serious case of food-fear, not orthorexia territory yet, but your quality of life is threatened. Just wanted to give you a heads-up. I too struggled with "eating right", and I ended up eating really poorly - first from the restrictions in themselves, then from the rebound overeating when I couldn't stick to the restrictions. I couldn't have managed health and weight without finding the balance. And that is something that takes time and critical thinking and challenging everything you believe, as well as kindness and discipline.