Blood pressure

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borichfan
borichfan Posts: 208 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My blood pressure has been registering high. I know i have caused it, because i have not been exercising in over 3 yrs. and i have been eating out alot, like 1 or 2 times a week, and i been eating alot of salt. I salt everything, been eating alot of red meat, ect. My blood pressure is sometime like 140 or 145 and sometimes its like 132 and sometimes its close to normal like 120-128. I want to bring my blood pressure back down. Will my blood pressure come down if i lose weight and exercise and cut out the sodium?

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  • tcam70455
    tcam70455 Posts: 128 Member
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    More than likely, it will come down if you exercise, lose weight, and cut out the sodium. All of that factors into your blood pressure. Most people do see it gradually come down.
  • billgiersberg
    billgiersberg Posts: 163
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    This website from the American Heart Association explains some of the things we know about blood pressure.

    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4650

    After joining MFP, I quickly learned that eating out anywhere but especially fast food joints and canned food products are loaded with salt. I appreciate MFP's tracking of sodium intake.
  • christopher_stockdale
    christopher_stockdale Posts: 27 Member
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    My BP was rather high (150/90ish). I went on a diuretic (triam), and asprin (81mg daily) prescribed by my doctor, and it's dropped to 120/70. Ultimately, exercise and dieting should fix it, but it's something you need to address now with meds, and fix later.
  • fxdl2k2
    fxdl2k2 Posts: 250 Member
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    My BP was rather high (150/90ish). I went on a diuretic (triam), and asprin (81mg daily) prescribed by my doctor, and it's dropped to 120/70. Ultimately, exercise and dieting should fix it, but it's something you need to address now with meds, and fix later.

    According to the JNC-7 Guidelines, a diagnosis of high blood pressure comes when you have had a minimum of 2 readings over 140/90 (either number high) during two separate visits to the doctor. You need to be monitoring your blood pressure under the guidance of your doctor, but if you make lifestyle changes now, you MAY be able to avoid medication. See your doctor for real medical advice. Best of luck. Before you go into the doctor, try to avoid smoking, drinking caffeine, and exercise for 30 - 60 minutes to get a more accurate reading. Also, do not talk during the reading and keep your feet on the floor.

    Good luck.
  • borichfan
    borichfan Posts: 208 Member
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    I am going to the women's clinic for my physical on Tuesday, i will see then what the doctor says, but in the meantime, i am keeping a record of my blood pressure, and cutting down on the salt and eating better & exercising some.
  • noneya2010
    noneya2010 Posts: 446 Member
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    I'm on b/p meds and have been for many years, long before I was overweight. It runs pretty rampant in my family. I have experimented and have definately found a correlation between salt and my b/p.

    But definately get it checked out. Sometimes all it takes for some to lower it is to lose weight, eat healthy and exercise. But if you have more hereditary type, it sometimes takes meds.
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    Hi there.....My blood pressure in Sept 2007 measured 170 / 100

    scarry scarry.........

    Ok, I didnt see the light when it came to health until Feb 1, 2010

    I decided on that day to start eating healthy, exercise , and mostly, to to find happiness that I didnt seem to have because I weighed 341 and I wanted to get off of my blood pressure medicine.......... I was ashamed of the way I looked and scared to go to the Drs office because I was at that time..............MORBIDLY OBESE............


    I was initially put on blood pressure medicine because of my weight and lack of exercise

    Now, 7 months later, after eating mostly raw vegetables and fruits, with some grilled chicken breast and pinto beans,

    I am


    88 lbs lighter, have gone from a 51 inch waist to a 39 inch waist

    110/65 is my average blood pressure

    103 is my Total Cholesterol

    90 are my Triglicirides

    I only need to lose about 30 lbs or so, not the 113 my Dr warned me to lose, or Id be in the morgue sooner that I truly wanted to be

    Lady, the ONLY way I got to where I am is to stay focused, dont beat myself up if I slipped up on my eating and try to stay ontrack

    You can do it You can do it.. YOU CAN DO IT..........

    Im getting off my blood pressure medicine in Dec of this year..........Last time I was at my dr office, he said it was excellent, that he wanted to wean me off of blood pressure meds, so I now am taking a much milder, type of blood press med That is the only med I take, and Im not close to Diabetes.......Thank goodness, my numbers are perfect, and I dont have to sweat Diabetes or anything else

    he said because I lost so much weight, I just added about 20 years on my life line and I really dont want to go soon, I have a family I love

    Also, I dont have the symptoms of exercise induced asthma that I had when I first tried to exercise.........Im on the tread mill now about one and a half hours with medium weight machine work outs........... Im trying to stay at the gym one and a half hours

    also,

    Eat blue berries, broccolli, zuchinni, yellow squash, lots of grape fruits, lots of berries, and 4 to 6 days of chicken breasts grilled or pinto beans with cilantro.......... 3 to 4 times a week I have Multi Grained Barrella Pasta...........yum yum..........Blue berries are your friend, esp when it comes to lowering Blood pressure...........

    I am 55 , Im no spring chicken, but Im there at the gym in the morning and Im telling you

    It can be done, it can...........JUST STAY FOCUSED AND DO IT FOR YOURSELF........

    Best of luck, Ill be rooting for you and your blood pressure.............Lloyd
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
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    Most definitely unless you are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure. When I went for my annual check up in May after losing 30+ pounds, my blood pressure had dropped remarkably as well as my cholesterol! It was a marvelous revelation for me. Watch that sodium!
  • borichfan
    borichfan Posts: 208 Member
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    I am 47 years old and Obese. I weigh 215 lbs. I have been having frequent heartburns, i think came from my stomach being so large, that i feel like any movement especially bending over caused me heartburn. I ate way too much salt, i salt everything, and took 2-3 doses of alka-seltzer a day for heartburn, i was hooked on alka-seltzer. This week i started not taking he alka-seltzer and not salting my foods, and i feel better, i am getting better blood pressure readings, but it still is not down to what they say are the normal numbers, mine been running lately like 126-130 over 74-87 something like that, occasionally i will get a reading of over 130, before i cut out my salt i was getting readings between 135-145.
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    Becky Becky...........salt is NOT your friend. , Blueberries are

    For me, and again, Im no expert of professional, but when it came to my diet...I did not eat any, repeat......ANY PROCESSED FOODS

    WHY

    ever read the label and see how much sodium is in the product. Mr Dr warned me about processed foods. I then went online and found that the best foods that help lower blood pressure are, all kinds of berries, esp blue berries and straw berries, legumes, Brocolli, mushrooms, gree tea, cucumbers, and if you can stomach it. Red Apple Cider Vinegar.

    I really go to town on the cucumbers, eat em till they come out of my ears. Also, by completly avoiding processed foods, my blood pressure is 110 / 65 and cholesterol is only 103.

    I know its the pitts to give up salt, maybe get the LIGHT SALT. I startred on that for about 2 weeks, then just stopped using salt

    SALT IS NOT OUR FRIEND, THINK ABOUT THIS...........THE EGYPTIANS USED IT TO EMBALM WITH MANY MANY YEARS AGO, AND THE RESULTS(Egyptinan mummies) OF THIS ACTION ARE STILL AROUND, 3000 YEARS LATER............

    see what Im saying, its bad. Again, if you just cut salt, try to back off on processed foods, and eat more fruits and vegs, your doctor is going to love you in about 4 months or so............Good luck. Lloyd

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