Ways to lower blood pressure

sean23
sean23 Posts: 34 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I am a 35 year old firefighter. I am very active. I work out a lot and I am on the go basically until I go to bed at night. I have a wife and two kids so I keep busy. I don't drink or smoke and get plenty of sleep. The last few years at our work physicals I have noticed my blood pressure going up. I don't know if it is job related even though I dont feel stressed or just because I am getting older and always on the go. I went to the doctor to ask if I should be concerned and they say I am not really high enough to worry about yet. My blood pressure is anywhere from 130/80 and sometimes even low 140/82 or so. I have heard the bottom number is most important but what can I do to help lower this. I have been told to watch my sodium. I do eat out about 5 times a week I know I have higher sodium but because Im so active I burn off what I eat to maintain my weight. I only drink about 20 ounces of pop a day and drink average amount of water. I am open to any suggestions on what to do, if sodium is the only answer what are some good low sodium foods?

Replies

  • sean23
    sean23 Posts: 34 Member
    Hi. I am a 35 year old firefighter. I am very active. I work out a lot and I am on the go basically until I go to bed at night. I have a wife and two kids so I keep busy. I don't drink or smoke and get plenty of sleep. The last few years at our work physicals I have noticed my blood pressure going up. I don't know if it is job related even though I dont feel stressed or just because I am getting older and always on the go. I went to the doctor to ask if I should be concerned and they say I am not really high enough to worry about yet. My blood pressure is anywhere from 130/80 and sometimes even low 140/82 or so. I have heard the bottom number is most important but what can I do to help lower this. I have been told to watch my sodium. I do eat out about 5 times a week I know I have higher sodium but because Im so active I burn off what I eat to maintain my weight. I only drink about 20 ounces of pop a day and drink average amount of water. I am open to any suggestions on what to do, if sodium is the only answer what are some good low sodium foods?
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
    You say you work out a lot - what are you doing?

    Weights/strength training is super, but I don't think it does much for BP.

    The recommendation for cardio health is cardio exercise. 20 minutes plus of fairly vigorous exercise at your target heart rate every day (or pretty close). Something that you can do continuously - jogging/running/swimming/biking, something like that. As long as it gets you breathing hard and keeps you at it for an extended period of time it's good.

    I've been doing 1/2 hour a day of serious work on an elliptical and I have definitely seen heart health improve. My BP was 140/80-ish (I cut out the salt & sodium rich stuff years ago) and my resting pulse was 76-80.

    Now my BP is 110/65 and my resting pulse is 55. When I sit quietly and meditate I can get it down into the 40's :smile: .

    Cardiopulmonary exercise and a good low sodium diet - It works,,, try it.
  • 9726172000
    9726172000 Posts: 428
    Well to be honest with you, the eatting out is what can hurt you. I know a firefighters life is not easy but this is what my hubby has done and it had lowered his BP. Everything you eat from deli meat to can goods to basically everything that you see in the grocery store has sodium, even alot of your spices. Get fresh or frozen vege's, fresh or frozen fruit, eat fish (the one's that has the omega 3's)stay with in your cals. get atleast 30 minutes of cardio a day. Believe it or not but also family history does have alot to do if you are predisposed to getting High BP. If you are really seriuos about getting it under control then you will need to get serious about looking at labels ect. What you are taking about High BP ti get it down where you want it then this needs to be a lifestyle change for the rest of your life and the changes you make you should be able to live with for the rest of your life.
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
    My father's cardiologist say you have to increase your potassium intake as well as lower your sodium also if you want to see results.
  • TCASMEY
    TCASMEY Posts: 1,405 Member
    List of Potassium Rich Foods
    # Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Brazil Nuts, Brown Rice, Cantaloupe, Figs, Honeydew, Kiwi, Legumes, Lima beans, Milk, Oranges, Orange Juice, Peaches, Potatoes, Prunes, Rasins, Roasted Peanuts with skin, Spinach, Squash, Vegetable Juices, Wheat Bread, White Rice, Winter Squash, Yogurt

    # Tomatoes, milk products, avocados, meats, potato, celery

    # Carrots, broccoli, rasins, prunes, watermelon,

    # Fish: Cod, flounder, sardines, salmon, poultry: chicken, turkey are high potassium foods.

    # Hamburger, grains such as bran and wheat.

    # Artichoke, Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Corn, Dates, Green Beans, Green Peppers, Iceburg

    # Letttuce, Kidney Beans, Onions, Papayas, Parsley, Pumpkin, Peas, Romaine Lettuce, Strawberries, Sweet Potato, Tomato. Note that potassium is found in the skin of many vegetables.
  • sean23
    sean23 Posts: 34 Member
    Thank you for the responses. Its tough to maintain the 3500 calories I need to maintain my weight. I have entered in MFP my normal meals to track the sodium. I am going to find ways at least 2-3 days I can replace the bad meals with better ones. Also, I am going to try more of the potassium rich foods you mentioned. Wow. Sodium is everywhere. I was amazed at how much sodium is in everything I eat. I don't put salt extra on anything either. Thanks for the ideas. Oh, does drinking more water help with blood pressure?
  • TCASMEY
    TCASMEY Posts: 1,405 Member
    It sure helps to clean out all the excess sodium in foods.
  • LeanLioness
    LeanLioness Posts: 1,091 Member
    Sodium is not the "bad guy" as much as being dehydrated.

    Elevated Blood Pressure is caused from the body being in a chronic state of dehydration. Water is so important for the body.

    Please reads these articles, they will provide some insite for my above statements.

    http://www.healthy-water-best-filters.com/dehydration-blood-pressure.html

    http://www.naturalnews.com/007977.html

    http://www.whale.to/a/water_cure.html

    http://www.watercure.com/
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