high blood pressure

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sugababy60
sugababy60 Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
hi there guys ive had high blood pressure for the last few months and im on medication for it ive also been having problems with my knee and foot and it's possible arthritis. I was just wondering if you guys knew of any foods to help lower blood pressure or have any tips for me im getting desperate now

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  • scooterchick
    scooterchick Posts: 10
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    Hi there SB, cant help but wanted to say hello. someone will be along shortly they are so helpful am sure they will have ideas for you. take care Scoots x
  • aisha11188
    aisha11188 Posts: 43
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    I second to that but not had problems with my knees. Iv been told by the doctor to stop going to the gym :-( I usually eat health anyway but would also like to know any foods 2 lower BP. I am on medication but want to get off it. Any suggestions anyone?
  • anna_b1
    anna_b1 Posts: 588 Member
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    I suggest eating less salt or watching your sodium intake. The best advice is to avoid packaged or processed foods which tends to have a really high sodium intake.

    Other than that, I don't know of any miracle food (other than bananas which are supposed to lower b.p.).

    Good luck. (I have the same problem)
  • TropicalKitty
    TropicalKitty Posts: 2,298 Member
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    Similar situation here...

    Generally they suggest lower your salt intake to below 1500mg/day.

    Check out the DASH diet. http://dashdiet.org/ That's what most doctors will suggest you do and what the clinics I've gone to on lowering bp have suggested. Obviously, lower weight (if you are significantly overweight) and exercise. Increase water intake. Monitor stress.

    Last spring I was really diligent and ate at home with more veggies, less processed foods, worked out 4x/week at least and the bp dropped. I also dropped about 20lbs.

    Good luck!
  • SimonLondon
    SimonLondon Posts: 350
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    Same problem here but mine BP has decreased dramatically over the last 4 months (from 130 resting to 85 and cardio workouts from 185 to 135)

    I had the cartilage removed from my right knee a few years ago so I also have to be VERY careful. I go to the gym 6 days a week and use the Elliptical trainer a lot. This is VERY low impact on the knee but gives you the same workout (and some say better) than a treadmill. It has reduced my BP back to normal levels for the first time in 10 years. I tend to do 30 minutes Elliptical (or treadmill), 10 minutes rowing and 20 minutes on weights.

    My Doctor was shocked at the difference but not as much as I was :laugh:

    I don't think diet alone will do it but the combination of exercise and diet has really made a massive difference to mine!
  • TropicalKitty
    TropicalKitty Posts: 2,298 Member
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    Same problem here but mine BP has decreased dramatically over the last 4 months (from 130 resting to 85 and cardio workouts from 185 to 135)

    That looks more like your heart rate, not your blood pressure. ;) Yes, a cardio workout will decrease your heart rate as your cardiovascular system gets in better "shape."

    Diet can have a huge impact on your blood pressure (BP)!
  • sugababy60
    sugababy60 Posts: 5
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    i know the feeling my doctor wasnt overly excited about exercise either and more or less said it was for toning up and not really as an aid to weight loss i was like mmm ok i disagree but never mind.
  • patwil73
    patwil73 Posts: 28
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    As many have said lowering your sodium intake can be beneficial to helping lower your blood pressure. However, it does depend on what is causing the high blood pressure in the first place. Aortic stenosis (a narrowing of the aorta) can lead to high BP. Calcification from high cholesterol and triglycerides can also do so. Kidney disease is another. The most common by far though is obesity and sodium. So if you lose weight and lower your sodium your blood pressure should come down. If it doesn't you might have your doctor look at what is causing the high BP.
  • amk44
    amk44 Posts: 159
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    Lowering sodium intake, losing weight, exercising, and using advice from "The DASH Diet For Hypertension" by Thomas Moore (as was mentioned earlier) did it for me. If you aren't already monitoring your sodium, you might want to include it in your Food Diary.
    Wishing you success.
  • hapemopirate
    hapemopirate Posts: 68 Member
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    Everybody is right about the salt intake. Lower is ALWAYS better when you have high blood pressure. It will keep your weight down, which may relieve the pain in your joints. Another thing I would recommend is FIBER. Make sure you're getting your 35 g a day! I know it seems like a lot, but your body will thank you. Fiber can help lower blood pressure, make you full longer, and keep your GI system clean. It also reduces your risk of colon cancer. It's good stuff!

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