High Blood Pressure

TheDevastator
TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
edited July 2019 in Social Groups
Does anyone have advice on controlling high blood pressure without medications? I’m trying to take a lot of minerals and it seems to be helping. I take potassium chloride and real salt mixed in water every day. I take magnesium pills every day as well. I’m still on meds but want to get off of them.
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Replies

  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    edited July 2019
    I've taken a couple of different herbal supplements for blood pressure... Hawthorn, Gotu Kola, ashwagandha, and holy basil.

    I love gotu kola... It also seems to help brain, clears head, helps memory, decreases fatigue. Also said to help male hormones and help male stamina (I obviously cannot confirm those two).

    Ashwagandha and holy basil also work as relaxants...I love to take if my stress levels are through the roof, they tend to mellow me out with no side effects.

    I quit my meds years ago... And sometimes my blood pressure goes up, and I jump on my supplements.

    I take nattokinase and serapeptase on an empty stomach frequently for circulation too.



  • shelbydodgeguy
    shelbydodgeguy Posts: 194 Member
    I'm afraid I can't help. I have severe hypertension and even on medications it's barely controlled. I've had it since I was 19 - 20 years old. Right now it's at the best it's been in 20+ years, but my resting systolic will still be 130 - 140 and diastolic between 80 and 90. I've tried pretty much every med out there and all sorts of supplements and either have bad adverse reactions or they didn't help.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    What sucks...I have white coat syndrome. My blood pressure shoots through the roof at Drs office like 159/89... Go home, relax, pop a couple of chill supplements, it will read like 127/74...

    What can I say...I despise medical offices.
  • shelbydodgeguy
    shelbydodgeguy Posts: 194 Member
    I've had my systolic well over 200 more than once and felt perfectly fine but the doctors freaked the F out. No strokes or TIAs yet. *knocks on wood*
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    My grandmother always ran high blood pressure. I was told she didn't care, refused meds, and didn't want to check at home. Never stressed about it. Doctors were always freaking out. She just recently died at 95 years old, her last 30 yrs were spent traveling the world, vacations to Europe and Africa. Even a couple of months before dying she was in Europe.

    I just want to be like that! No stress, tell the doctors to shove their meds and live life to the fullest! Probably won't happen that way for me, lol, but still going to try.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    my husband used vit C and Lysine to control his for many years

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    You might find this thread interesting: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10257118/sodium-blood-pressure-and-the-russian-nephrologist/p1

    There are also several threads in the Launch Pad on sodium in general, and a handful on sodium as it relates to blood pressure.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Might be a good idea to get a blood pressure machine to do regular checking at home. Keep a journal of it and let your doctor use that data to help so that the white coat syndrome will play a smaller role in his decision making.
    Otherwise, very low carb diet helps to lower insulin which is responsible for high blood pressure, assuming it is not a genetic type.
    Maybe even consider a month trial of carnivore to see if you have any improvement.
  • mmultanen
    mmultanen Posts: 1,029 Member
    My blood pressure is consistently borderline high. After much experimentation I am one of those people that is impacted by salt, however I have found specific salts have a much lower impact on my blood pressure. I second the at home monitoring, there are lots of good relatively inexpensive options for home monitoring machines. I worked with my PCP and over time have figured out how to keep me right there on that borderline where she's not overly concerned and I'm not medicated. But it's taken a lot of at home tracking and identifying which salts etc seem to help/hinder. Good luck.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    edited August 2019
    I’ve been taking lots of nu-salt(potassium chloride) and Redmond real salt and today my blood pressure was 123/78 pulse 73 which is amazing for me. I always thought I was salt sensitive but I slowly added more and more salts to my water and felt better from it. I’m going to call the doctor and get off my meds.

    I’ll look into some of those herbs, Emma! Thanks for the recommendations.

    I’ll take the advice of the Russian Nephrologist and add tons of real salt to my water every day.

    I do have some white coat syndrome but I’m not that anxious like I was before the GAPS diet, low carb, and now so heavily meat based.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I personally feel best when using white real sea salt... The no additives kind.

    The pink salt about makes me sick (edema--swelling--BP through the roof)... And won't touch the regular table salts with added corn syrup.

    Good luck.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I'm all about the Redmond brand. Redmond Real salt, Redmond clay, and Redmond Earthpaste(Toothpaste) (cinnamon flavored) are all good. It's a mined sea salt from an ancient sea that I guess? was part of the great salt lake in Utah.
  • RAC56
    RAC56 Posts: 432 Member
    edited August 2019
    I agree with all the recommendations so far and will also add, FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth (DE) to the list. Make sure it is food grade. You can find it on Amazon. Hawthorn/Hibiscus tea also helps but you'd have to drink it daily for a while. Also check out grape seed extract. :)
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    RAC56 wrote: »
    I agree with all the recommendations so far and will also add, FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth (DE) to the list. Make sure it is food grade. You can find it on Amazon. Hawthorn/Hibiscus tea also helps but you'd have to drink it daily for a while. Also check out grape seed extract. :)

    I take grape seed extract sometimes also...

    It's another one I take more for brain fog and fatigue. I like it.

    I started taking hawthorn for blood pressure, but I don't remember why I quit taking it.
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    What sucks...I have white coat syndrome. My blood pressure shoots through the roof at Drs office like 159/89... Go home, relax, pop a couple of chill supplements, it will read like 127/74...

    What can I say...I despise medical offices.

    That happens to my husband, too! (He has CAD as well as high-ish blood pressure.) He's tried a bunch of BP meds and had troublesome side effects with all of them.
  • Jessimom2
    Jessimom2 Posts: 109 Member
    edited August 2019
    Try dark dark chocolate. Lily’s dark even with stevia. Though 80/90% doesn’t have a ton of sugar/carbs if you don’t want an artificial sweetener. Look up the articles on NCBI :) But I’d monitor it too. If it gets higher than your doctor recommends I’d go be seen again. Just to be safe.

    @Emmapatterson1729 my husband has the same thing happen. Everytime he goes in. And it only gets worse because he knows it is going to happen and they will say something. But if he randomly takes it at home he is fine. They do listen to him when he says it is just the office and outside it he is fine. Also. He asks them to take it a second time before he leaves if they are really worried. And usually he has calmed down or whatever he does to get it high by the end of the appointment and it is perfectly normal.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    edited August 2019
    @Jessimom2 @macchiatto

    I won't lie.... Going to see a doctor stresses me out!! Which is why my BP sky rockets!

    Been misdiagnosed more times than I can count!!! Even a couple of life threatening misdiagnosis.

    Just to name a few that are laughable now:

    Heart failure (anorexia)--diagnosis: stress from finally putting on weight was causing panic attacks.

    gallstones--diagnosis: stress from heart failure was causing chest pains.

    Diverticulitis--diagnosis: ovarian cysts (which developed later).

    Hiatal hernia: diagnosis: collapsed lung.

    Ciguatera fish toxin poisoning--diagnosis: stress migraines (although had 26 symptoms from toxin) spinal tap finally revealed.

    Lymphatic cystic disease: diagnosed and treated for syphilis, :(

    Going to see anyone with a MD, NP, or PA at the end of their name scares the **** out of me! LOL, LOL!!!

  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    Whew, I can see why! That's tough.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    macchiatto wrote: »
    Whew, I can see why! That's tough.

    Lol...I do have to give credit to the handful of doctors who took the time to investigate instead of shoving me out the door with a prescription of Xanax and Percocet.

    Like the doctor who was eavesdropping outside the door when I couldn't breathe.... She came running into my room screaming at the nurse and my doctor, "Get her to the ICU, she's having heart failure, call the cardiologist, tell him to meet us there." She wasn't even my Dr. But she was right!

    Always diagnosed correctly when they finally bring in specialists... after 6-10 visits to ER and/or PCP for same complaint...

    LOL... Now, I go straight to specialists... Never ER, and I try to avoid primary care physicians.
  • RAC56
    RAC56 Posts: 432 Member
    edited August 2019
    @Jessimom2 @macchiatto

    I won't lie.... Going to see a doctor stresses me out!! Which is why my BP sky rockets!

    Been misdiagnosed more times than I can count!!! Even a couple of life threatening misdiagnosis.

    Just to name a few that are laughable now:

    Heart failure (anorexia)--diagnosis: stress from finally putting on weight was causing panic attacks.

    gallstones--diagnosis: stress from heart failure was causing chest pains.

    Diverticulitis--diagnosis: ovarian cysts (which developed later).

    Hiatal hernia: diagnosis: collapsed lung.

    Ciguatera fish toxin poisoning--diagnosis: stress migraines (although had 26 symptoms from toxin) spinal tap finally revealed.

    Lymphatic cystic disease: diagnosed and treated for syphilis, :(

    Going to see anyone with a MD, NP, or PA at the end of their name scares the **** out of me! LOL, LOL!!!

    Did you post this or me? LOL!!!
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    edited August 2019
    RAC56 wrote: »
    @Jessimom2 @macchiatto

    I won't lie.... Going to see a doctor stresses me out!! Which is why my BP sky rockets!

    Been misdiagnosed more times than I can count!!! Even a couple of life threatening misdiagnosis.

    Just to name a few that are laughable now:

    Heart failure (anorexia)--diagnosis: stress from finally putting on weight was causing panic attacks.

    gallstones--diagnosis: stress from heart failure was causing chest pains.

    Diverticulitis--diagnosis: ovarian cysts (which developed later).

    Hiatal hernia: diagnosis: collapsed lung.

    Ciguatera fish toxin poisoning--diagnosis: stress migraines (although had 26 symptoms from toxin) spinal tap finally revealed.

    Lymphatic cystic disease: diagnosed and treated for syphilis, :(

    Going to see anyone with a MD, NP, or PA at the end of their name scares the **** out of me! LOL, LOL!!!

    Did you post this or me? LOL!!!

    @RAC56

    LOL, have you had similar medical experiences?

    Last time a doctor asked me what I wanted, I literally answered, "A doctor that didn't receive his medical degree as a prize out of a Cracker Jack Box."
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    edited August 2019
    wow those are some lousy experiences with doctors. I try to avoid them except I have to see them when I have to fill my high blood pressure meds which I may be able to get rid of soon. They really tried to get me to get a flu shot but I declined. If I get the flu, I will use high dose vitamin c.
  • RAC56
    RAC56 Posts: 432 Member
    edited August 2019

    @RAC56

    LOL, have you had similar medical experiences?

    Last time a doctor asked me what I wanted, I literally answered, "A doctor that didn't receive his medical degree as a prize out of a Cracker Jack Box."

    Exactly! I avoid them now like the plague. I know a lot of others who now do the same. There are still some great docs out there but apparently not near me or if they are I'm not aware of them.
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    RAC56 wrote: »

    @RAC56

    LOL, have you had similar medical experiences?

    Last time a doctor asked me what I wanted, I literally answered, "A doctor that didn't receive his medical degree as a prize out of a Cracker Jack Box."

    Exactly! I avoid them now like the plague. I know a lot of others who now do the same. There are still some great docs out there but apparently not near me or if they are I'm not aware of them.

    Same with hospitals, its so obvious to me that judging from how many people die in, or on the way to one of those places, its healthier to stay outa there!

  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,861 Member
    I personally feel best when using white real sea salt... The no additives kind.

    The pink salt about makes me sick (edema--swelling--BP through the roof)... And won't touch the regular table salts with added corn syrup.

    Good luck.

    What table salt are you using that has corn syrup? I've used multiple cheapo store band/basic iodized table salts and none had corn syrup in them.

    I keep lite salt, table salt, sea salt and coarse kosher salt in the house.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I personally feel best when using white real sea salt... The no additives kind.

    The pink salt about makes me sick (edema--swelling--BP through the roof)... And won't touch the regular table salts with added corn syrup.

    Good luck.

    What table salt are you using that has corn syrup? I've used multiple cheapo store band/basic iodized table salts and none had corn syrup in them.

    I keep lite salt, table salt, sea salt and coarse kosher salt in the house.

    It's listed as maltodextrin/maltodextrose... Dried modified corn syrup. It's in almost every plain white table salt sold in America.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I personally feel best when using white real sea salt... The no additives kind.

    The pink salt about makes me sick (edema--swelling--BP through the roof)... And won't touch the regular table salts with added corn syrup.

    Good luck.

    What table salt are you using that has corn syrup? I've used multiple cheapo store band/basic iodized table salts and none had corn syrup in them.

    I keep lite salt, table salt, sea salt and coarse kosher salt in the house.

    It's listed as maltodextrin/maltodextrose... Dried modified corn syrup. It's in almost every plain white table salt sold in America.

    Those *kitten*! I quit eating pepperoni and braunschweiger because they use dextrose in them. So much for processed meats.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I personally feel best when using white real sea salt... The no additives kind.

    The pink salt about makes me sick (edema--swelling--BP through the roof)... And won't touch the regular table salts with added corn syrup.

    Good luck.

    What table salt are you using that has corn syrup? I've used multiple cheapo store band/basic iodized table salts and none had corn syrup in them.

    I keep lite salt, table salt, sea salt and coarse kosher salt in the house.

    It's listed as maltodextrin/maltodextrose... Dried modified corn syrup. It's in almost every plain white table salt sold in America.

    Those *kitten*! I quit eating pepperoni and braunschweiger because they use dextrose in them. So much for processed meats.

    Yep.

    I try to avoid corn like the plague. My parents both grew up on farms, and as a kids we didn't eat corn. Because my parents said it was for animals not humans. That they only give to animals when they want to fatten them up for the slaughter.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I personally feel best when using white real sea salt... The no additives kind.

    The pink salt about makes me sick (edema--swelling--BP through the roof)... And won't touch the regular table salts with added corn syrup.

    Good luck.

    What table salt are you using that has corn syrup? I've used multiple cheapo store band/basic iodized table salts and none had corn syrup in them.

    I keep lite salt, table salt, sea salt and coarse kosher salt in the house.

    It's listed as maltodextrin/maltodextrose... Dried modified corn syrup. It's in almost every plain white table salt sold in America.

    Those *kitten*! I quit eating pepperoni and braunschweiger because they use dextrose in them. So much for processed meats.

    Yep.

    I try to avoid corn like the plague. My parents both grew up on farms, and as a kids we didn't eat corn. Because my parents said it was for animals not humans. That they only give to animals when they want to fatten them up for the slaughter.

    I had sweet corn this summer, which I loved in the past. I only ate 2 ears and almost a whole stick of butter. I didn't enjoy the corn that much, I was there for the butter. Now french bread, butter, and honey is a different story.