High Blood Pressure members - HELP!

fatboy235 · May 2013

HI,
I've had issues with my blood pressure since I was 15. I don't currently drink or smoke (2 years smoke free). I've been a member of MFP for around 2 years. I've tried paleo, vegan, Weight Watchers, low carb, high protein and a slew of other things. Up to a week ago I was running 3.5-4 miles on the treadmill 3 times a week. Hurt my knee, went to the Dr. today and he was more concerned with my blood pressure. It was 162/95 they took it again 10 minutes later and it actually went up. They want me back in the office in 6 weeks and all he said was eat a low sodium diet whatever the hell that is, keep exercising and drop some weight. He mentioned that he could give me pills for the blood pressure and weight loss. I'm not one to take pills just to take pills and i've been fighting this issue for the last 5 years. I do all the cooking at the house, but am running out of time and ideas. Therefore I am asking the MFP community or those of you that have high blood pressure issues for some help with diet because something has to give.

Thank you in advance for the help
Fatboy235

susannamarie · May 2013

If you're not used to eating low sodium, pre-track your food to see how much is in it. He should have given you guidance on how low it should be -- manually set your value to that and start tracking it.

Also work on raising potassium levels in your diet -- there's evidence that increasing potassium can do quite a bit to help high blood pressure as well. Here's a site with some more info:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Potassium-and-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_303243_Article.jsp

Some of the best sources I've found are beet greens, low sodium v8, and potatoes.

mcdebbie · May 2013

How old are you? I am surprised that the doctor did not automatically prescribe BP pills. BP is nothing to play around with so he/she must have confidence that you can lower it on your own.

My doc told me number 1 culprit was cheese so cut out pizza, cheeseburgers, etc. It's been very hard for me since DH is die hard Atkins and he pushes cheese and nuts for my afternoon snack. How many people are you cooking for each night? If it is more than just you and your spouse you may have issues changing diets. It seems you are trying a lot of different "diets" but have had a hard time finding an eating plan that suits you and your family?

Do your hands shake in the morning? If so, run - don't walk - and get the BP pills. If not you can probably solve this by diet but I think we need more info to help you. Are you tracking your food everyday?

fatboy235 · May 2013

I'll be 42 next month and have had B/p issues since I was 15. My hands don't shake in the morning or anything like that. I'm just tired all the time. I cook for the week on Saturday and it's just me, my spouse and 3 year old. The doctor did not give me a sodium level to stay below or any type of diet to follow. I took the low sodium info from the sheet they give you after the visit. I was tracking on live strong for a while but will be coming back to MFP starting Thursday. I currently have my diary set to friends only.

knittnponder · May 2013

Ideally you should monitor your BP at home for two weeks and see what's going on. Mine fluctuates throughout the day and different things can effect it. For example, when I drink coffee it goes up!

The DASH diet (just google it) is the go to diet that is usually prescribed for high BP. If you google it you can find lots of info on how to do it. Track your food, track your potassium and sodium and try to get your potassium two times higher than your sodium. Magnesium is also helpful.

Stay hydrated as being dehydrated can also make your readings higher. I am with you on wanting to stay off meds if at all possible but if it remains high and uncontrolled you're better off taking them. High BP can cause organ damage and lead to stroke or heart attack so it really isn't something to mess with. Just be very aware of what meds you're being put on and what the possible side effects are. Some of them can actually cause your pulse pressure to go up instead of down and that is not something you want. Be your own healthcare advocate and ask questions if you are confused or concerned.

ythannah · May 2013

I have idiopathic hypertension (not caused by any identifiable lifestyle factors) and the daily guideline for sodium is a maximum of 1500 mg.

MFP has it set at 2500 mg but that's an old, outmoded level -- especially for someone with high blood pressure. I just track anyway and watch that I'm not going over 1500.

Processed foods are a HUGE source of sodium -- soups, pasta sauces, etc. Read labels and opt for sodium-reduced products whenever possible.

NaomiJFoster · May 2013

I've been on BP meds since I was about 39 or 40. My BP without meds is usually around 145/75. It's not drastically high, I know. But both of my parents have heart disease (my dad had a heart attack and open heart surgery 5 weeks ago, my mom has an irregular heart rhythm and a pacemaker for that and also has atrial fibrulation). Neither of them ever smoked or was overweight. It's just a genetic thing. Anyway, my doc popped me on the pills immediately, and said that if I lost weight we would reassess then, but that she isn't going have me stay in a dangerous situation while waiting for that to happen. There is nothing wrong with taking medication when it's necessary and when it's properly used. I strongly suggest (urge) getting the meds and using them, while also working to lose weight and change your diet. In a year, you and your doc can reassess your needs. Losing weight and changing your body can take a while, don't put yourself at risk in the meantime.

Also, invest in a BP monitor for your home. Walgreens has a very good brand, very reliable and reputable. Get the one with the electrical cord, not battery operated. Chart your BP 2x a day for a few weeks. It could just be that you have a severe case of White-Coat Syndrome, and your BP goes up in the doctor's office. It shouldn't go that high, but...

laele75 · May 2013

Low sodium diet is 1500mgs of sodium per day. Track all your food, look at labels. I wasn't quite as bad as you are, but it has really helped me. After 85 days of eating 1500mg to 1800mg of sodium a day, I just clocked in yesterday with a BP of 115/75 down from 135/90 on two BP meds. You can do it.

Watch out for hidden high sodium in things. Store bought bread and baked goods are usually bad. Meat is often injected with salt to plump it up. Don't add salt or salt based seasoning to ANYTHING. Use herbs and spices instead. Garlic and onion powder are my favorites, along with basil and paprika. If you're a person who likes spicy, peppers, cumin and the like can all be substituted.

If you have any more questions, add me and drop me a message. I've been doing this for nearly three months, and I can help you not make the mistakes I did.

SanteMulberry · May 2013

Three years ago, I was on the maximum dose of two blood pressure pills. When my doc wanted to add a third, I said to myself, "Nope. That's enough, the two I'm on already make me sick!" So I set out to solve the problem. Turns out excessive uric acid is one of the main causes of hypertension (excluding kidney disease--and my kidneys tested out just fine). High uric acid causes gout (I have gouty arthritis) and other metabolic ailments. While I carry a genetic predisposition to high uric acid, I found out that certain foods increase uric acid (high purine foods) and the consumption of sugar and a high carb diet also cause high uric acid because, as the body breaks down fructose (sucrose, i.e. sugar is 50% fructose) one of the by-products is uric acid which then must be flushed through the kidneys. (One of the b.p. meds I was on actually increases serum uric acid as one of the side effects--but that's another story.)

So I went totally off of sugar (not even any sugar in my coffee) and started restricting my total carbohydrates to between 70-100 grams of non-starchy carbs per day. (Obese people have an ability to efficiently turn high blood glucose into fructose so total carbs must be governed if the blood pressure is going to respond.) Even before I had lost much weight, my blood pressure returned to normal (in about two weeks) and I was able to taper off of both b.p. meds. My doc is agog as most people are stuck on b.p. meds for the rest of their lives. My b.p. reads about 112/72 every morning (I take it at home just to keep tabs on it). The worst thing about taking b.p. meds is that it gives a false sense of security. It does NOT mean that you aren't still in the process of developing CVD (cardio-vascular disease). My mother died of a hemorrhagic stroke even though her b.p. was well medicated and quite low.

I track both my sodium and potassium and try to make sure that my potassium is twice as high as my sodium intake. That means eating a lot of vegetables and some low-fructose fruit like berries and citrus every day. Magnesium is important too (magnesium relaxes the walls of the blood vessels) but eating foods that are high in potassium (vegetables in particular) will ensure that you are getting plenty of magnesium as well (nature tends to package them together). Good luck!

ETA: If you decide to monitor your blood pressure at home, and you have large arms, make sure that you get a large cuff as you will get a falsely high reading if the cuff is too small. My doc was using a medium cuff on me when my arm was larger (before I lost weight)--my b.p. was probably not even as high as he said it was. I use a medium cuff now that my arm is smaller. Make sure your doc uses an appropriately-sized cuff.

Doodlewhopper · May 2013

Low sodium diet is 1500mgs of sodium per day. Track all your food, look at labels. I wasn't quite as bad as you are, but it has really helped me. After 85 days of eating 1500mg to 1800mg of sodium a day, I just clocked in yesterday with a BP of 115/75 down from 135/90 on two BP meds. You can do it.

Watch out for hidden high sodium in things. Store bought bread and baked goods are usually bad. Meat is often injected with salt to plump it up. Don't add salt or salt based seasoning to ANYTHING. Use herbs and spices instead. Garlic and onion powder are my favorites, along with basil and paprika. If you're a person who likes spicy, peppers, cumin and the like can all be substituted.

If you have any more questions, add me and drop me a message. I've been doing this for nearly three months, and I can help you not make the mistakes I did.

Youve been given a lot of good advice and I wont repeat it, but keep in mind that restaurant and processed food is loaded with sodium. (a typical hamburger with fries can easily put you well over 2500mgs.) Breads and tortillas can also be loaded.

Things I use instead of salt are Dash, vinegar, lemon juice & be careful with salt substitutes (potassium chloride) it can be bad for some people. If you cant find low sodium can goods rinse the contents with water.

art81usa · May 2013

I was born with hart problems.
This is what I do. It might work for you.
I take Hawthorn Berries 565 mg. I get it at Wall-mart.
Three with breakfast, three with lunch, and three with supper.
I have used them for over 10 years and have good results.
I also eat a salad of Dandy Lion leaves picked fresh in my yard when in season.
They help me.
I don't ad salt to my food and try to stay under 500mg per day.
So read all food labels
The drug I take to please family and doctor is Losartan 25 mg. I have only used it for a month.
It is helping without making me sick.
Art

Doodlewhopper · May 2013

Three years ago, I was on the maximum dose of two blood pressure pills. When my doc wanted to add a third, I said to myself, "Nope. That's enough, the two I'm on already make me sick!" So I set out to solve the problem. Turns out excessive uric acid is one of the main causes of hypertension (excluding kidney disease--and my kidneys tested out just fine). High uric acid causes gout (I have gouty arthritis) and other metabolic ailments. While I carry a genetic predisposition to high uric acid, I found out that certain foods increase uric acid (high purine foods) and the consumption of sugar and a high carb diet also cause high uric acid because, as the body breaks down fructose (sucrose, i.e. sugar is 50% fructose) one of the by-products is uric acid which then must be flushed through the kidneys. (One of the b.p. meds I was on actually increases serum uric acid as one of the side effects--but that's another story.)

So I went totally off of sugar (not even any sugar in my coffee) and started restricting my total carbohydrates to between 70-100 grams of non-starchy carbs per day. (Obese people have an ability to efficiently turn high blood glucose into fructose so total carbs must be governed if the blood pressure is going to respond.) Even before I had lost much weight, my blood pressure returned to normal (in about two weeks) and I was able to taper off of both b.p. meds. My doc is agog as most people are stuck on b.p. meds for the rest of their lives. My b.p. reads about 112/72 every morning (I take it at home just to keep tabs on it). The worst thing about taking b.p. meds is that it gives a false sense of security. It does NOT mean that you aren't still in the process of developing CVD (cardio-vascular disease). My mother died of a hemorrhagic stroke even though her b.p. was well medicated and quite low.

I track both my sodium and potassium and try to make sure that my potassium is twice as high as my sodium intake. That means eating a lot of vegetables and some low-fructose fruit like berries and citrus every day. Magnesium is important too (magnesium relaxes the walls of the blood vessels) but eating foods that are high in potassium (vegetables in particular) will ensure that you are getting plenty of magnesium as well (nature tends to package them together). Good luck!

ETA: If you decide to monitor your blood pressure at home, and you have large arms, make sure that you get a large cuff as you will get a falsely high reading if the cuff is too small. My doc was using a medium cuff on me when my arm was larger (before I lost weight)--my b.p. was probably not even as high as he said it was. I use a medium cuff now that my arm is smaller. Make sure your doc uses an appropriately-sized cuff.

You always seemed to be a deep source of info. Thanks for this post. I will re-read later and may be PMing you.

jsiricos · May 2013

Also remember, you went to the DR in pain.

Pain pushes your BP up (so does going to the DRs - white coat syndrome)

But, if all you remember from the replies here is one thing, remember this, - it is far easier to take BP pills than it is to recover/survive a heart Attack or Stroke.

changeyourlimits · May 2013

You probably should remove all processed foods where sodium is used often. Have a plant based diet. Doesnt mean you have to go vegan but you want to have fresh natural foods removing the saturated fats you get in animal proteins. Also Almonds Spinach bananas are high in potassium. I would also look into monounsaturated fats which help lower heart related affects like blood pressure and cholesterol.. Avocados have tons.

SanteMulberry · May 2013

You probably should remove all processed foods where sodium is used often. Have a plant based diet. Doesnt mean you have to go vegan but you want to have fresh natural foods removing the saturated fats you get in animal proteins. Also Almonds Spinach bananas are high in potassium. I would also look into monounsaturated fats which help lower heart related affects like blood pressure and cholesterol.. Avocados have tons.

^^^THIS^^^^You will need to eat VERY well. Lots of vegetables in particular--but nuts, and avocados are your friends.

ythannah · May 2013

Original All Bran is a surprisingly high source of potassium, as is blackstrap molasses (the unrefined stuff). Orange juice too.

Ultimately, my BP issues started in my early mid 30's and didn't budge for any alterations in lifestyle (quitting smoking, giving up caffeine, doing regular cardio). I was already accustomed to eating low sodium because of having grown up with my dad's high BP -- can't stand the taste of salty food now. So sometimes there is nothing you can do other than take the meds.

SanteMulberry · May 2013

Original All Bran is a surprisingly high source of potassium, as is blackstrap molasses (the unrefined stuff). Orange juice too.

Ultimately, my BP issues started in my early mid 30's and didn't budge for any alterations in lifestyle (quitting smoking, giving up caffeine, doing regular cardio). I was already accustomed to eating low sodium because of having grown up with my dad's high BP -- can't stand the taste of salty food now. So sometimes there is nothing you can do other than take the meds.

The experimental work of Richard J. Johnson, M.D. and his group of researchers at the University of Colorado has suggested that hypertension is most often caused by high uric acid levels, which are, in turn, likely caused by a high carbohydrate diet (especially one containing sugar) in those who are genetically susceptible to it. They produced "metabolic syndrome" in a majority of healthy male test subjects in about two weeks when they "supplemented" their diet with high fructose corn syrup drinks. (Fortunately, the subjects of the test returned to normal after the test.) While Dr. Johnson and his colleagues have been criticized for the high doses of fructose, they were not outside the range that many in the "food addicted" category would consume on a daily basis. And also, most medical research is conducted in the same way--exposing the test subject to a lot of a substance over a short amount of time (rather than exposing them to a little over a longer period). While metabolic syndrome usually takes a number of decades to develop, what is striking, in this case, is that Dr. Johnson and his team were able to produce it in TWO WEEKS. Even he and his team were startled by the outcome. You might be interested in this paper that he and his colleagues wrote on the subject of hypertension and metabolic syndrome: http://www.foodaddictionsummit.org/docs/johnson-347ajcn review.pdf

karenmi · May 2013

[But, if all you remember from the replies here is one thing, remember this, - it is far easier to take BP pills than it is to recover/survive a heart Attack or Stroke.
[/quote]

^^ This is a great statement! There's nothing wrong with taking medication for something like high BP if it's potentially going to save your life. I've had high BP since my early 30's (I'm 49 now) and have taken meds for years. Before I lost 50 lbs in 2010 I was on the highest dose of 2 medications, now I'm only on half that dose of each and my BP is completely under control.

Perhaps ask your doctor to send you for a 24-hour BP monitoring test. You wear the monitor for a full 24-hour period and it takes your BP every 30 minutes (every hour while your sleeping). I've had two of them and it was the only way to truly know what my BP was throughout a normal day.

Good luck!!

marsellient · May 2013

There's lots of good advice about diet here. I'd like to second the advice to get your own monitor and track your BP at home. I eventually took my monitor to my doctor for her to check it and my pressure was actually higher, in her office, on my machine than hers. She could see from the memory that it was consistently much lower at home, so white coat in my case. Now that I've lost some weight and am doing more exercise, it's lower in her office, too, but not anywhere near what it is at home. I take my readings in every three months and have not had to take meds yet.

redraidergirl2009 · May 2013

Try the dash diet and also perhaps water pills (caffeine free) and there are many herbal natural things you can try like teas and beet juice. You may need medication if natural methods do not work.

redraidergirl2009 · May 2013

Avoid betablockers if possible they slow your pulse which is terrifying. My pulse went down to 48 on them. I am 25. My resting pulse is normally 70-75. I take linsinopril now which is an ace inhibitor so it doesn't mess with pulse. It is okay, I am just having water retention issues but now they make one with a diurectic in it so maybe I will get that one next time. Trying natural ways to deal with water retensuin now.

luvinlaurakate · May 2013

I've had blood pressure problems since I was 17. Had pregnancy-induced hypertension that never went back to normal, and even now (12 years later) without medication my BP runs about 150/105. Everyone else has given pretty good advice already. All you can do is adjust your diet accordingly and hope your BP stabilizes. Just don't let yourself get discouraged if you have to go on meds. I have taken 3 different types over the years, and have tried repeatedly to go off of them, with no success. I just think there are some cases where the natural methods just aren't enough. Good luck!

luvinlaurakate · May 2013

I take lisinopril as well, and have actually had the best luck with it. I was put on it after I had my twins and what I was taking (Aldomet) was no longer working. I initially took a Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiozide combo because I was retaining fluid after my pregnancy. I would recommend checking into it, it did wonders for me!

redraidergirl2009 · May 2013

I take lisinopril as well, and have actually had the best luck with it. I was put on it after I had my twins and what I was taking (Aldomet) was no longer working. I initially took a Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiozide combo because I was retaining fluid after my pregnancy. I would recommend checking into it, it did wonders for me!

I am going to see about switching to that one soon. I don't know why my dumb doctor didn't consider it when I came to her complaining of water retension. She put me on a beta blocker and it was aweful.

Calliope610 · May 2013

If you have been hypertensive for the last 26 years, it might be time to take some pills.

meghan6867 · May 2013

Don't panic. Blood pressure fluctuates and chances are your body was just stressed when you got your reading. Follow doctor's orders eat a low sodium diet (the DASH diet is generally recommended), exercise when you can, consider some meditation...

If worse comes to worse, they may prescribe blood pressure meds... but that doesn't mean you'll be on them forever. When I was diagnosed with hypertension I was 24 with regular BP readings 180/120. I took the Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiozide combo pill for two years and was eventually able to wean myself off them entirely.

Now I'm medication-free with 120/80... still though... when I get overly stressed out or visit the doctor (it's called "white coat syndrome") my BP skyrockets.

Good luck to you!

castelluzzo99 · May 2013

I'm not a doctor, but I've learned a lot about health. Here are a few suggestions to try:

1) Sodium chloride, which is what you get in table salt from the store, is not really good for you. You should look into getting some Himalayan salt. It is gray and has magnesium, which helps lower blood pressure. Granted, you don't want to overdo it, but if something really needs salt, that would be what you should use.

2) Watch Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead. You might want to consider trying the protocol in the video. It might help. At least, it helped the people in the video.

3) Cut out all refined foods from your diet. This includes refined oils, white flours, and sugar. These things irritate the circulatory system and put you at higher risk for heart disease. You can lower your risk by cutting them out.

Good luck!

castelluzzo99 · May 2013

Also, try deep breathing before and during the blood pressure check. On the out breath, think "relax". This helps me a lot. It can lower my blood pressure in seconds!

herblackwings39 · May 2013

I take lisinopril as well, and have actually had the best luck with it. I was put on it after I had my twins and what I was taking (Aldomet) was no longer working. I initially took a Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiozide combo because I was retaining fluid after my pregnancy. I would recommend checking into it, it did wonders for me!

I am going to see about switching to that one soon. I don't know why my dumb doctor didn't consider it when I came to her complaining of water retension. She put me on a beta blocker and it was aweful.

I took lisinopril for over a year while I was losing weight. It worked, but I was one of the "lucky ones" who got the coughing side effect. The frequency of it did decrease after awhile, but coughing to the point of vomiting really sucked.

cwolfman13 · May 2013

HI,
I've had issues with my blood pressure since I was 15. I don't currently drink or smoke (2 years smoke free). I've been a member of MFP for around 2 years. I've tried paleo, vegan, Weight Watchers, low carb, high protein and a slew of other things. Up to a week ago I was running 3.5-4 miles on the treadmill 3 times a week. Hurt my knee, went to the Dr. today and he was more concerned with my blood pressure. It was 162/95 they took it again 10 minutes later and it actually went up. They want me back in the office in 6 weeks and all he said was eat a low sodium diet whatever the hell that is, keep exercising and drop some weight. He mentioned that he could give me pills for the blood pressure and weight loss. I'm not one to take pills just to take pills and i've been fighting this issue for the last 5 years. I do all the cooking at the house, but am running out of time and ideas. Therefore I am asking the MFP community or those of you that have high blood pressure issues for some help with diet because something has to give.

Thank you in advance for the help
Fatboy235

Diet can help, but it doesn't always fix it. I eat a very low sodium diet, run and walk upwards of 20 miles per week, lift heavy weights, and am at a healthy weight and BF% and I still have to take my BP meds...I'm off everything else though.

Often times, hypertension is just genetic. I take lisinopril with a diuretic and a beta blocker...I haven't had any negative side effects and these keep my BP completely normal, which is the most important thing. My grandfather died young from never addressing his high blood pressure issues...blood vessel burst in his brain. My dad also neglected to do anything about his and was diagnosed with kidney disease due to his high BP when he was 50.

If you can't get it under control with diet and exercise, definitely take the meds and save your life.

FATJAKE5 · May 2013

My diary is open and is working for me. I have been taking BP meds for 23 years. Taking 12 pills/day my BP would not stay below 150/100. Three weeks after starting MFP and seeing how much sodium is in processed food I had to stop all but 3 of them because I got the salt out of my diet.. Fresh boiled or steamed vegetables = 4-6 cups of them/day with no salt make up the bulk of what I eat. One pinch of salt = 295mg sodium. I dont put salt on anything. I aim for 1,000- 1,200 mg of sodium/day after he saw I was averaging 414 mg/day and said that was too low. If you have any questions about my diet send me a msg.

High Blood Pressure members - HELP!

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