High Blood Pressure & Ways to Reduce It

[Big Smoothy]

My last BP reading at the Doctor's office was 150/100.

This is definite stroke scenario b/c of the lower number.

This high reading may be because of "white coat syndrom" and/or other factors.

I've been looking for a good quality home BP monitor, and am researching more ways to alter diet to avoid certain things and add certain things.

My age: 39.

Who is your blood pressure? What have you done to reduce it, if high?

 

[nkira]

Did the doc tell you to get a blood test done? For lipid profile.

I don't know your body stats but generally blood test is the first thing that doc's suggest.

But it's better if you talk to your doc.

 

[Chubby]

My last BP reading at the Doctor's office was 150/100.

Are you sure if that is your actual BP? I think it is hard to determine your actual BP from just one reading. Why don't you check it about a week or two to see if that is your BP reading. If possible, it is good idea to check it around the same time of the day.

I've been looking for a good quality home BP monitor, and am researching more ways to alter diet to avoid certain things and add certain things.

Most of the machine are not accurate. It is good idea to have someone check it manually. Why not buy a manual one and practice with your friends or family so that you can always get an accurate reading. It is so easy.

Who is your blood pressure? What have you done to reduce it, if high?

I used to have healthy BP reading 116/70. I think after taking NO2 from MRI continuesly for about four months, my BP went up to 138/80. That was about two years ago. I discontinued taking any form of NO product since then. I haven't check my current BP.

 

[Big Smoothy]

Did the doc tell you to get a blood test done? For lipid profile.

No, he didn't tell me to get a lipid profile but I should. I should get an entire blood tests for liver enzymes, lipids, cholesterol, etc.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Big Smoothy]

Are you sure if that is your actual BP? I think it is hard to determine your actual BP from just one reading. Why don't you check it about a week or two to see if that is your BP reading. If possible, it is good idea to check it around the same time of the day.

Yes, true.

I ought to check it at home 3 times per day, to get an accurate reading.

Most of the machine are not accurate. It is good idea to have someone check it manually. Why not buy a manual one and practice with your friends or family so that you can always get an accurate reading. It is so easy.

You mean by "manual," a pump? Like the one at the Docs office?

OK. I'll look into it. They are obviously cheaper.

 

[Triple Threat]

Mine's 112/80. Other than regular exercise, I don't do anything specific for it.

 

[fufu]

Even for being in a doctor's office I believe 150/100 is still significantly high.

Mine is usually around 125/80-85.

High BP runs in my family so I exercise and eat well. Although I do tend to let myself get stressed out to astronomical levels time to time.

 

[Rubes11]

thats pretty high might want to get that in check soon. im pretty lucky i guess last time i had mine checked it was 120/70

 

[Built]

How overweight are you, do you do any cardio at all, and have you considered potassium supplementation?

 

[ZECH]

Celery seed and Hawthorn berry is a good natural way to reduce it, but if it is that high all the time, the doctor should put you on medication. I'm surprised you are not having headaches from that.

 

[david100proof]

My arms are big so i have the doctor use a bigger cup to get a good reading different size cups do make a difference

 

[TCAP28]

I read a study way back that if you have 2 bananas a day, it will do wonders for your blood pressure.

 

[Alex19]

high blood pressure

hey
i dont know abt u and which kind of exercises u do. however, here i m trying to give best advice. if u take non-vage, plz avoid it. it is very harmful and u should take vegetable which make ur very good and also reduce pressure.

 

[Big Smoothy]

How overweight are you, do you do any cardio at all, and have you considered potassium supplementation?

I'm taking a break from training. Probably will start again in 6 weeks.

Right now I'm only walking (because I did HIIT cardio at the gym on an exercise bike because of foot and knee sensitivity to high impact.)

When I stop training, I gain weight. Not good.

Potassium supplementation: I've read up on it, and used to eat a banana once a day with my oats.

Potassium via a banana. Is there a "supplement" with potassium? A pill.

 

[Yanick]

Be weary of messing with electrolytes, potassium/sodium/calcium imbalances can be life threatening.

From here, you may need to sign up though to see the article:
Hyperkalemia: Overview - eMedicine Emergency Medicine

"Hyperkalemia is a potentially life-threatening illness that can be difficult to diagnose because of a paucity of distinctive signs and symptoms. The physician must be quick to consider hyperkalemia in patients who are at risk for this disease process. Because hyperkalemia can lead to sudden death from cardiac arrhythmias, any suggestion of hyperkalemia requires an immediate ECG to ascertain whether electrocardiographic signs of electrolyte imbalance are present.

Hyperkalemia results from the following:

Decreased or impaired potassium excretion - As observed with acute or chronic renal failure (most common), potassium-sparing diuretics, urinary obstruction, sickle cell disease, Addison disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Additions of potassium into extracellular space - As observed with potassium supplements (eg, PO/IV potassium, salt substitutes), rhabdomyolysis, and hemolysis (eg, venipuncture, blood transfusions, burns, tumor lysis)
Transmembrane shifts (ie, shifting potassium from the intracellular to extracellular space) - As observed with acidosis and medication effects (eg, acute digitalis toxicity, beta-blockers, succinylcholine)
Factitious or pseudohyperkalemia - As observed with improper blood collection (eg, ischemic blood draw from venipuncture technique), laboratory error, leukocytosis, and thrombocytosis"

Other than that, the first steps of treating hypertension are diet/lifestyle changes. I believe anywhere from 1-3 months will show whether or not this can be successful (most MD's bypass this step because it has a very low success rate and jump straight to meds). This includes low sodium diets (nothing canned, no added salt, limit frozen foods, nothing processed/preserved etc), exercise, stress management. You can check out the DASH diet, its what the medical authorities recommend.

The next step is meds, they are fairly benign. Low dose calcium channel blocker plus the above mentioned interventions may be all that you need. That is for you and your doc to decide though.

 

[nkira]

I read a study way back that if you have 2 bananas a day, it will do wonders for your blood pressure.

That's because it contains potassium. Potassium is know to reduce BP. Also magnesium helps.

 

[bandaidwoman]

Yanick is right, we physcians are now advocating the DASH diet, google it. A study funded by the national heart and lung institute. It's more than just lowering salt , it is rich in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods, and low in saturated and total fat, high potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and moderately high in protein. Regarding potassium, f your kidney function is normal it is very hard to over dose on potassium since the kidney physiology is very smart at excreting extra exogenous potassium. This changes if you take drugs that alter how the kidneys retain potassium, this includes ACE ans ARB inhibitors ( class of antihypertensives) and NSAIDs like advil and alleve. If your kidneys are impaired from years of uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension, all bets are off regarding safe potasssium ingestion. We do recommend weight loss and excercise but 99 % of the population pretty much comes up with a million excuses regarding it. In the meantime, we prescribe bp meds so they don't have a stroke before they can wise up and take care of themselves. I see a predominant number of athletes since I am one myself, and I can tell you the if there is a genetic potential for essential hypertension, sometimes it doesn't matter what the person does. I have triathletes with 5% body fat faithful to the DASH diet who are on 2-3 different bp medicines. Of couse we rule out things like fibromuscular dysplasia ( causing renal stenosis in women who have hypertension at a young age etc. )