Salt restriction to reduce high blood pressure.

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CateAussie
CateAussie Posts: 21 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have managed to get my BP down from hypertension stage 2( >160/90) to "normal" (<120/<80 in only one month of salt restriction (<1600mg per day) on the advice of a Cardiologist. I have an enlarged Ascending Aorta (it's 3.9cm, instead of 2.4) He did not give me a figure for the sodium, but I decided that <1600mg per day would be a good aim. Salt is hidden in so many things, but the biggest shock was the high amount in my wheat-free oat bread, which does not taste at all salty! :( I don't think I realised how much sodium is hidden in foods that I was eating. I stopped adding salt to my plate immediately after seeing him. I have an appointment to see him again in about 10 days &, hopefully I can avoid surgery. I feel so much better! There's no point regretting the damage done already as it's too late for that, but salt & I are no longer best friends.

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  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 874 Member
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    Wonderful progress! Here's hoping for the best that you can avoid surgery.
  • CateAussie
    CateAussie Posts: 21 Member
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    Thank you. It is such a huge relief! I'm now looking forward to what the Cardiologist says at the end of the month. Since I saw him last I also had a CT scan. Fingers crossed!
  • Dragon67
    Dragon67 Posts: 123 Member
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    Hey, CateAussie, just read this post ...well done on the BP reduction. I am from the UK and have high BP, and have recently had a minor stroke (thankfully with barely no side effects), and am looking to reduce my salt intake. If youhave any iin depth tips it would be greatly appreciated. I am looking at packages and my goodness am I surprised.. I eat the small sliced wholemeal bread (400g) loaf, but saw that each SLICE was 5% of my daily salt intake....will definitely be looking around and eating less bread products. Thanks in advance for any info from youor anyone else..
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
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    I've cut my blood pressure meds in half since losing weight and reducing sodium to 1500 mg per day. I check everything I buy and rarely eat restaurant meals because they're all salt bombs, even the salads. It can be done by shopping wisely and checking for nutrition information at restaurants. When I do eat out, I bring food with me, or ask for a plain chicken breast (no salt), sliced tomatoes (plain), and a steamed veg (no salt added).
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
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    Congratulations!

    I am off all meds including the BP meds I was on for 20+ years. Reducing sodium was a big factor. I get around 1800 mg and am just grateful it's working. I was hospitalized three times because of the BP meds. I'm happy to watch what I eat to remove the garbage from my body.
  • rsleighty
    rsleighty Posts: 214 Member
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    I was shockex also at the amount of sodium I was eating. I try (and fail some days) to stay within the 1500 mg limit recommended by the American Heart Association. It is getting easier. The days I struggle/fail are the days I eat at work. Our head of food services is a good cook but he does love his salt.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I try to keep sodium below 1500 each day. That and the weight loss is bringing my high bp down nicely. The tortilla I have for breakfast and the whole wheat bread I have for dinner are the two biggest salt doses I get. They are only challenged by frozen chicken breast, which is 2 days worth in an 8 oz serving.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    I am in medical school and we are learning it's a proven fact now that reducing salt intake ALONE has absolutely NO correlation with reducing blood pressure. It was false studies that were set out to prove salt=HBP and it is just recently being taught differently.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited June 2016
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    I bought a blood pressure cuff from walmart and love it.
    At home, you get more reliable readings !
    Do them in am and pm.
    http://www.walmart.com/c/kp/wrist-blood-pressure-monitors
    Eat foods rich in potassium and magnesium for your heart.
    Skim milk and low sodium v8 are my go-to foods.
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
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    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    I am in medical school and we are learning it's a proven fact now that reducing salt intake ALONE has absolutely NO correlation with reducing blood pressure. It was false studies that were set out to prove salt=HBP and it is just recently being taught differently.

    Interesting! Can you add some links to these new studies @Noreenmari1234?
  • pdxwine
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
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    I am envious at those who have gone off BP meds. I had to go on them, in the past three weeks.

    Never one to salt things at the table, I eliminated sodium in the ingredients I was using. My BP came down, for awhile, and then went back up. Ugh! I am pretty sure it is stress.

    I have lost, to date, 96 pounds...7 more to go to goal (to be back where I used to be).

    I have an Omron BP monitor and check twice a day.

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