High Blood Pressure Help

This is why for some people ( not all) when they eat healthier like fruit vegetables etc it goes better ( foods high in potassium).

But again its all about balance. This dont help everybody and your team of medical people should advice and help you with that. Nobody has inside in what other peoples medical issues are when you talk online. A good team will guide you with this.

I have/had HBP and was prescribed "DASH diet and lose weight". My BP wasn't "high" enough to be put on meds. From my own BP readings, it's the same as it was over 3 years ago - 135/89 averaged - and at my last appointment, it read 120/80 which is borderline high, but my GP said it was fine.

I still watch my sodium, but I'm not freaked out if it's over 2300 mg. You don't have to cook everything you eat from scratch just to have a low sodium diet. I found plenty of low/lower sodium foods from here - http://www.lowsaltfoods.com/default.htm.

When the anxiety gets bad, just look at this and be soothed.

High blood pressure runs on my dad's side of the family, too. So does sitting on the couch, watching bad tv, and eating cheez-its (we're not total sloths, but...). Personally, I've had high blood pressure due to reasons I cannot control (kidney failure from a rare genetic disease from my mom's side), and I've had high blood pressure from being at the high end of my healthy weight range. Losing the weight has helped every time I've yo-yo'd into high blood pressure territory.

But, you're right. Anxiety attacks have a huge effect. It's good that you have a tool from your doctor to help you in the meantime, but meditation would probably be a huge boon to your health. I would brush aside that advice whenever it came my way because, "gah! don't you understand I CAN'T meditate? My racing thoughts NEVER stop!" I had enough last spring, and I found myself worrying about things that didn't have to happen. I stopped and I thought, "Breathe" with every inhale and exhale. The thoughts went away after a dozen or so breaths. I was on the bus at the time. I've done it a trillion times ever since. I haven't even binged since April.

The same problem arises with every solution, though. You have to do it every day. You have to take your meds, choose the right food, exercise, and breathe every day. Hopefully, you'll reach a point where you can remove the meds from that list. Good luck!

Losing the excess weight will definitely be a positive for you in many ways, whether it effects your High Blood Pressure is another thing as there are a lot of genetic components as @wolfman 13 has pointed out and even with your best weight loss efforts you may still need medication.

I notice you have mentioned having anxiety issues...I would entreat you to look into the benefits of meditation and mindfulness either through audio down loads, courses or books. My preference is for guided meditations as I have not yet mastered the art of keeping out intrusive thoughts on my own. This can really help with high BP that tends to be labile over the day ie it gets abnormally high/er in response to stressful situations.

The other thing that we have found helpful in keeping an eye on our own albeit minor issues with HBP is invest in a home blood pressure metre. They aren't that expensive and easy to use.....It has been of great use for my Hubby as he was well on the way to being medicated due to excessive numbers whenever he went to the Docs.....but when he has a reading done at home the numbers are well within the normal range, the last one I took was this morning and it came out at 132/82 whereas 3 days ago it was 150/98 so it may be helpful to have readings away from the stress of the surgery.

All the best.

LilannB wrote: »

I was diagnosed with severe hypertension two years ago. I was also obese and eating fast food about 80% of my meals. Eventually I was on five blood pressure meds some at maximum dose and my blood pressure was still uncontrolled. Since then I have lost 60 pounds, I am off two of my blood pressure meds and have cut the dose in half of two others and my blood pressure is controlled. I think I'll be able to come off the rest of my blood pressure meds in another 40 or 50 pounds. I cook almost all of my meals at home and eat fast food only about once a week as it is high in sodium. I was shocked to find that a McDonald's sausage egg and cheese biscuit has over 1400 mg of sodium more then half of the 2300 mg recommended daily. That along with the high calories has been enough to get me to cut way down on fast food.

Well done you on getting off the tablets and taking control of your health

I'm 23 years old and was diagnosed with high blood pressure "offically" two years ago. When I say high blood pressure I mean a normal doctor's visit my blood pressure woiuld read 170+/120+ on average. My diet and weight is not great. I go up and down but have realized my blood pressure doesn't get that much better when I do loose weight. Both of my parent's have high blood pressure (neither are over weight). When my doctor put me on blood pressure meds at first I was very reluctant however I feel that they could be saving me from a stroke. I have went through periods of a month or two when I did not take them to see if I could fix my blood pressure on my own but the fact is everyone is different. I would say start by loosing weight and changing your diet for at least three to six months before you get on blood pressure meds. Also, I believe the pill your doctor wants to prescribe you is a water pill which I can't imagine would help for weight loss. I'm not a doctor just wanted to give my opinion. Good Luck

Exercise, weight loss, and reduction in sodium intake all reduce high blood pressure. YMMV