blood pressure question

[texasmama]

My husband's blood pressure tends to run a bit high. He just took it after sleeping all night, and it was 140/90. I took mine, which was 118/72 (typical for me), so the machine seems to be working fine. This is not uncommon for him. He is unconcerned. He is not overweight and runs on the treadmill a couple of times a week. Stress and genetics seem to contribute to this blood pressure. How bad is this? I don't think it is good and that he needs to talk to a doctor about it. I'm not sure he agrees.

[Parrothead]

This is borderline for hypertension. The doctor might or might not prescribe something.

 

One of my problems with the hyperthyroid is elevated blood pressure. Similar to your husband's numbers. My primary at the time didn't think it through and put me on bp meds. I was uninformed about my diagnosis and didn't think anything of it until I almost died. The meds dropped my bp so low that I truly believe the only thing keeping me alive was the excruciating pain in my head - it kept me conscious enough to get me to the ER.

 

So, just keep an eye on it if it worries you. If his bottom number starts creeping closer to 100 make an appointment for him.

[Laurie4b]

Most doctors would treat for those numbers if they are consistent--not necessarily meds, but to have him adjust his diet, etc. (Exercising and being a normal weight are both good, but eating tons of fruits and veges, whole grains, etc. can lower bp in a couple weeks. Google the DASH diet. ) If that didn't work, then a tiny amount of bp meds might be prescribed. You want to have him take his bp a few times a day and look at the trend over time. Those are not scary numbers but are not safe, either. (both numbers are the lowest number for stage 1 hypertension.) http://www.highbloodpressureinfo.org/normal-blood-pressure-range.html

 

 

Depending on how close to rising he took his bp, he might have gotten a higher reading due to early morning cortisol. (Your body has to produce cortisol to get you out of a sleep state and into an erect, waking state!) If the hormone was still high then, that could have elevated those numbers.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

He should see his doctor IMHO. High blood pressure that is left untreated can wreck havoc on the body.

[rwilliams]

Have him take it several times a day and keep a log. After a few weeks you will be able to see a pattern. Also, blood pressure will run different sometimes in each arm and will change with position from lying, sitting and standing. Vary how you take it and compare readings.

[Margo out of lurking]

Yours is good; his isn't, but it could be much worse.

 

Does he see a doctor regularly, even for annual checkups? The doctor should catch this, if your dh refuses to do anything about it in the meantime.

 

I'm not overweight by any stretch of the imagination; I have high blood pressure and began meds last year. Mine was much higher than your dh's, whatever small measure of comfort that may bring you. :) If it were my dh, I would definitely want him to see a dr. Why mess around and ignore something so simple?

[texasmama]

Thank you to all who responded. That was what I suspected. I will be asking him to keep a log and take it regularly. Wish me luck.:001_smile:

[Negin]

Lots of tips here. Sorry if it's overwhelming.

 

BLOOD PRESSURE

Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.

If it’s greater than 120/80, check it more often – check it 3 separate times at the same time of day.

 

Normal: Below 120/80

Pre-Hypertension: 120/80 to 139/89

Hypertension: 140/90

 

Although high blood pressure often shows no signs, the usual symptoms are:

• headaches

• dizziness

• noises or ringing in the ears

• hemorrhages in the eyes

• sweating

• rapid pulse

• shortness of breath

• vision disturbances

• heavy snoring

 

High blood pressure and diabetes are related. The two often appear together, especially in obese patients. If you have mild hypertension or are at risk, get tested for diabetes.

 

If your blood pressure is high and your doctor has put you on meds, you could be taking them for the rest of your life. They’re not only expensive, they can have side effects like fatigue, nausea, headaches, abdominal cramping, congestive heart failure, depression, and poor memory. Rx and OTC drugs should be reserved for situations after all else fails.

 

Read about the methods below. Discuss them your doctor, and give them a 3-month trial. Then have your doctor monitor you and tell you how to get off your meds safely.

 

Increase your physical activity

Lose excess weight

Limit salt

Stop smoking for good

[Negin]

WEIGHT LOSS

Even a 5-10% weight loss can greatly help reduce blood pressure.

It helps to have a positive, determined attitude (not so easy, but it really does help). A defeatist attitude won’t work.

Address your emotional and physiological cravings. Use emotional answers to emotional problems. Food is only a temporary fix.

Control your portions. Chew your food well. Reduce your portions and wait 15 minutes before taking seconds.

Change your diet. Eat more dense foods that turn to sugar more slowly – beans, fish, and chicken. Concentrate on eating some protein (including beans and tofu) with each meal. Eat lots of vegetables. Drink water throughout the day.

Exercise more

 

EAT MORE

Potassium balances your blood pressure

Potassium is found in bananas, avocados, prunes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beet greens, and yogurt – most fruits and vegetables contain potassium

Eat fresh vegetables twice a day and fruit at least once a day, to give you enough potassium with very little sodium.

Potassium will also establish a natural diuretic effect to help clear salt out of your body.

In an 8-week study, 70 per cent got a reduction from potassium.

Don’t just increase your intake of potassium-rich foods, You need sufficient magnesium before potassium can be raised. Fortunately, many foods that are high in potassium are also high in magnesium. They include nuts, green-leafy vegetables, and beans. Eat some of them every day.

Magnesium promotes dilation of the arteries, reduces resistance to blood flow and helps lower blood pressure

Low magnesium is a hidden risk for high blood pressure

A high magnesium intake is associated with lower blood pressure

Magnesium is also available in whole grain foods and soy products

Your diet and supplements should be high in magnesium.

 

Whole Foods – fresh fruits and vegetables

Nuts, seeds, soy, cold-pressed vegetable oils

[Negin]

When all else fails, try a temporary vegetarian diet. Plenty of whole grains, beans, vegetables, and some fruit – will give you plenty of nutrients needed to keep hypertension at bay

Try a vegetarian diet for at least 3 weeks, but preferably for 3 months, or if you really can’t – try eating like a vegetarian once a week. Choose a black bean burger over beef, for example, or stir-fry tofu instead of pork.

Vegetarians have one-third to one-half less hypertension than non-vegetarians

You can include fish – but make sure you get good-quality fish

 

Beet Juice

The nitrate content of beet juice helps lower blood pressure, research has shown.

Try to do a detox fast for 3-5 days each month. Juicing veggies as often as possible is very beneficial.

 

Tea is high in antioxidants and its flavonoids fight hypertension. Drinking 1-3 cups per day has been found to lower blood pressure.

Green, white, oolong, and/or black tea – are all good

Hibiscus tea is excellent also. Look for a standardized extract of hibiscus. Many herbal teas contain hibiscus. Look for herbal blends that list it near the top of the chart of ingredients.

 

Sesame seeds lower blood pressure and cholesterol even better than Rx drugs! Cook with sesame oil and eat sesame seeds every day.

Sesame seeds are a good source of minerals (calcium, magnesium, and potassium) that counteract the effects of too much sodium in the diet.

I love Seaweed Gomasio from amazon and use it instead of salt - loaded with minerals and sesame seeds.

 

Grapes have natural pressure-lowering compounds

 

Regularly eating 1 cup of yogurt (plain, Greek-style) daily can help get blood pressure under control.

 

Nutmeg lowers blood pressure. Try to get ½ to 1 teaspoon a day.

 

Lypocene lowers blood pressure. Eat more tomatoes – more beneficial when cooked in olive oil

 

Chicken Soup – The broth is rich in collagen proteins that can significantly lower blood pressure. Make your soup with chicken legs and feet – they contain the highest amounts of collagen protein.

 

½ ounce dark chocolate every other day or so – at least 70% cocoa – dark chocolate contains flavanols that make blood vessels more elastic.

Edited February 3, 2011 by Negin in Grenada

[Negin]

EAT LESS

Getting the salt out of your diet requires one basic strategy: Eat more natural foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, eggs, lean poultry and meats, unsalted nuts and seeds, and whole grains). Seafood, kelp and other sea vegetables contain sodium but add much-needed iodine as well. Iodine is necessary for the thyroid gland to function correctly.

Lowering your salt intake is not good enough. Eliminate ALL salt from your diet. Read all labels carefully and avoid those food products that have “soda,†“sodium,†or the symbol “Na†on the label.

Start with the “% Daily Value†of sodium, and never buy foods that contain more than 16 percent of the Daily Value or foods that have a sodium content of greater than 300 mg per serving.

Canned foods should be limited. Even things like ketchup, dips, relishes, mustard, and salad dressings are packed with /sodium.

Also peruse the ingredients label for sodium in all its various forms: baking powder or soda, disodium phosphate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sea seal, sodium alginate, sodium aluminum sulfate, sodium ascorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium bisulfite, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium caseinate, sodium erythorbate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium hydroxide, sodium nitrate and/or nitrite, sodium pectinate, sodium propionate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium saccharin, and sodium sulfite.

Understand as well, the meaning of “sodium-free†and similar claims. “Sodium-free†means that a food contains less than 5 mg of sodium per serving. “Very-low-sodium†means a food has less than 35 mg per serving. “Low-sodium†means a food contains 140 mg or less per serving.

You probably add 5 percent of your daily salt intake from your shaker or salt grinder. You can cut some by substituting sesame salt (or gomasio, a combination of sea salt and ground sesame seeds, popular in Asian and macrobiotic cooking).

Make your meals come alive with savory salt-free seasonings like cumin, curry, chili, and cayenne. The good news is that for most people, it’s easier to cut down on salt than to reduce fat or sugar.

Just don’t reduce sodium too quickly.

Be especially vigilant about processed foods – salad dressing, pasta sauce, instant hot cereal.

[Negin]

Reducing sodium lowers blood pressure in some people, but not everyone. One reason could be a sodium/potassium imbalance. You do need a lot of potassium.

In one study of people with high blood pressure, a diet low in sodium and high in potassium worked better than just lowering salt intake.

Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, which tend to be high in potassium

Learn to enjoy the taste of foods as they are—nibble on garden fresh greens and herbs

Avoid processed foods, especially bouillon and commercial soups, breads and crackers, cheeses, chips, cured meats (bacon, bologna, corned beef, ham, salami), pretzels, and salt-cured foods (olives and pickles). Pure maple syrup has almost no sodium while commercial pancake syrups do.

Read the sodium content on ingredient labels. Many so-called “natural†meats and poultry found in the supermarket have added sodium. A half-cup serving of Prego’s Heart Smart Traditional Italian Sauce has 430 mg of sodium even though it doesn’t taste salty.

Eat at home more often. Restaurant food—particularly fast food—is notoriously high in sodium. A Premium Caesar Salad at McDonald’s has a whopping 890 mg of sodium—without the dressing!

Always taste your food before you salt it. Try squeezing on a little lemon or lime juice first. Stimulate your sense of smell and increase flavor by adding more aromatic herbs to your meals.

Start your day off right. Bagels are not only high in carbs but also sodium (up to 440 mg per serving).

Cow’s milk and cheese are high in sodium – keep your dairy intake low

When you reduce your sodium intake to 2.5 grams a day (2500 mg) or less, you are reducing your risk for hypertension – especially if you’re over the age of 60.

Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that salt cravings are the body’s attempt to balance too much sugar or alcohol in the diet. Watching your intake of these substances can help you cut out salty processed foods—while contributing to healthy weight loss and lower blood pressure.

 

Simple carbohydrates – particularly white bread, potatoes, and pasta – can send blood pressure soaring.

[Negin]

SUPPLEMENTS

Don’t depend only on supplements. Diet is very important.

 

Vitamin C lessens overall inflammation and inhibits the production of C-reactive protein

Plays a role in keeping blood pressure down

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – 500-1000 mg daily - If you’re prone to heartburn or acid reflux, avoid ascorbic acid – and opt for Ester-C.

 

400- 1000 IU Vitamin E is very important.

Vitamin E improves heart function.

Take d-alpha, NOT dl-alpha.

 

2000 mg Potassium

Only take supplemental potassium if your health care practitioner advises it. It’s better to take a dietary approach.

Potassium tends to balance your blood pressure

Potassium will also establish a natural diuretic effect to help clear salt out of your body. In an 8-week study, 70 per cent got a reduction from potassium.

CAUTION: If you have kidney problems, check w/your doctor before significantly increasing your potassium or before taking potassium supplements.

 

200-1000 mg Magnesium daily

Magnesium influences how the heart and blood vessels contract and relax.

It promotes dilation of the arteries, reduces resistance to blood flow and helps lower blood pressure

Low magnesium is a hidden risk for high blood pressure

A high magnesium intake is associated with lower blood pressure

There’s no fixed amount of magnesium that each of us needs. It can vary from 200-1000 mg per day

Your body knows how much you can tolerate from bowel tolerance – take as much magnesium as your bowels can tolerate

Add 100 mg of magnesium to your nutritional supplements, and increase it by 100 mg every few days until your stools are soft, but not uncomfortably loose.

Calcium, magnesium, and many other minerals are best absorbed when they are bound to an acidic carrier such as citrate, aspartate, picolinate, or amino acid chelate. Minerals need an acidic base to break down and get used.

The most absorbable forms are magnesium citrate, glycinate taurate, or aspartate, although magnesium bound to Kreb cycle chelates (malate, succinate, fumarate) are also good.

Avoid magnesium carbonate, oxide, sulfate, and gluconate. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements).

Most minerals are best taken as a team with other minerals in a multi-mineral formula.

[Negin]

A good Fish Oil – such as Carlson’s

If you have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, or other signs of heart disease, 3-5 grams is helpful.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking medications to make sure there are no negative interactions. Fish oils thin the blood just like aspirin, gingko biloba, and garlic. You don’t want to thin your blood so much that it causes bleeding.

 

Niacin reduces high blood pressure

You can’t get enough niacin in your diet to achieve blood pressure benefits

To gain a cardiovascular benefit, you need at least 500 mg.

At this dosage, many commonly experience flushing, which subsides within an hour. So, it’s best to avoid taking it right before leaving the house or going to sleep. These symptoms can be minimized if the niacin is taken with aspirin or a meal.

In fact, flushing is a positive sign that blood vessels are dilating in response to the niacin, and patients who flush ultimately raise their HDLs and lower their triglycerides more than those who don’t flush.

Niacin is more effective than niacinamide.

CAUTION:

Do not take more than 2000 mg daily. Very high doses can damage the liver. One capsule of 500 mg per day is the usual recommendation.

Be careful if you have prediabetes or diabetes. Niacin can raise levels of blood glucose. This effect is generally mild, though, and doesn’t outweigh its heart-protecting benefits. But it’s good to consult with your doctor before taking it.

Also use caution if pregnant, have glaucoma, gout, liver disease, or peptic ulcers.

 

Resveratrol

A powerful antioxidant

Helps with heart health – may prevent angina attacks, heart attacks, and stroke

Reduces blood pressure

Prevents blood clots

Take at least 100 mg of trans-reseveratrol daily

Resveratrol is nontoxic and there is essentially no known toxic dose – in other words, it’s not easy to overdose on it

But for general prevention, stick to the recommended dosage on the label

There are two forms of reseveratrol available: cis- and trans-.

Trans is much better absorbed than cis, which is less expensive also.

 

CoQ10

Supports heart - The largest concentration of this nutrient is in your heart. Therefore, it’s essential for heart health. The more severe a person’s heart disease is, the higher their deficiency of CoQ10.

Lowers blood pressure

When your antioxidant levels drop – most dramatically after age 30 – CoQ10 is the first to plummet, causing the little engines in your cells to become less adept at repairing themselves.

Consider taking CoQ10 if you are over 35

The recommendation is 100-200 mg per day of the best absorbed hydrosoluble softgel available.

This nutrient is particularly essential if someone is on statin drugs like Lipitor

Foods include: almonds, broccoli, potatoes, eggs, rice, spinach, and wheat.

CoQ10 may cause insomnia (may be better to take this in the morning) and can reduce the efficacy of Rx blood thinners.

 

Lypocene lowers blood pressure

[Negin]

Hawthorn Berries/Hawthorn Standard Extract

Regulate blood pressure and break down cholesterol

900 mg capsules of hawthorn berries

 

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that is found mostly in plant-based oils.

GLA can be gotten from several plant-based oils including evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant seed oil. Most of these oils also contain some linoleic acid.

GLA may help reduce high blood pressure, either alone or in combination with the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish oil. In one study, men with borderline high blood pressure who took 6g of blackcurrant oil had a reduction in diastolic blood pressure compared to those who took placebo.

Another study examined people with intermittent claudication, pain in the legs while walking that is caused by blockages in the blood vessels. Those who took GLA combined with EPA had a reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to those who took placebo.

[Negin]

REGULAR EXERCISE

30 minutes of mild to moderate aerobic exercise done for 3-6 days a week can lower your blood pressure.

If you think you have no time, ask yourself if you have time to recover from heart disease, or if you have time to spend sitting in doctors’ offices

With high blood pressure, the priority is relaxation. Intense, unpleasant exercise can actually increase stress levels and even blood pressure in the long term. It’s far better to exercise at an easier pace but for a longer time.

Build up your exercise levels gradually and slowly if you’re just starting out.

 

A brisk walk is enough. Walking is very beneficial in reducing systolic blood pressure.

 

Gentle Rebounding (see lymphasizing tip below)

 

Many yoga poses and the regular practice of yoga help relieve symptoms of high blood pressure. Yoga is fabulous for high blood pressure.

 

Do housework. Doing roughly 50 minutes of housework daily can lower blood pressure. Housework is great exercise, plus living in a clean, organized home can help reduce stress.

 

Breathe deeply. Slow breathing and practices such as yoga or tai chi decrease stress hormones, which elevate rennin, a kidney enzyme that raises blood pressure. Try 5 minutes of deep breathing every morning and night. Inhale deeply and expand your belly. Exhale and release all of your tension.

[Negin]

LIFESTYLE AND ANY OTHER TIPS

Any form of stress can increase the blood pressure, but obviously chronic stress is the most harmful, because it’s not a temporary condition.

You need to set aside time to use some form of daily stress reduction like deep breathing, meditation, or prayer. Not dashing off a quick note to God to ask for calmness, but rather taking 10-30 minutes a day to do some form of active stress reduction.

Do something on a regular basis to lower your stress.

Laughter – funny movies, books, and looking at the humorous side of things, even in the midst of tragedy

Take a night out – movies, concerts, plays, artistic events, and even sporting events – these have been found in a major study to have a strong influence on longevity

Togetherness – just being with friends and loved ones

Positive, Proactive Approach – If necessary, get professional help to overcome excessive negativity or fatalism

 

Hypertension is a common symptom of a congested lymphatic system. Things that help to clear up the lymphatic system and that should be done very regularly:

Rebounding

• Deep Breathing – few minutes morning and evening

• Dry Body Brushing

• Massage and/or Reflexology

• Swinging

 

Only small, frequent meals should be eaten

 

The way you sleep may also be important in helping control high blood pressure. Try sleeping with the head end of your bed elevated 8 to 12 inches above the foot end (use concrete building blocks). On rising, sit up slowly and dangle your feet over the edge of the bed for a few moments before standing.

Those who get 5 or fewer hours of sleep a night are twice as likely to develop hypertension compared to those who get 7 hours.

 

Don’t lift anything heavy

 

Try talking less. Virtually any communication can raise blood pressure. Speaking can cause blood pressure to increase by 10 to 50 percent.

[Negin]

Classical Music – If you listen to 12 minutes of classical music just 3 times a week, in 4 months your systolic (upper) blood pressure may be 7 to 9 mmHg lower.

 

Sit up straight and improve your posture.

 

Your blood pressure can drop by up to 40% as a result of acupuncture!

 

Don’t smoke – obviously

 

Drink hard water, not soft water. Soft water leaches heavy metals like lead out of pipes and faucets. Calcium and magnesium make water hard. Your body needs both of them. Why put toxic metals into your body when you could put essential minerals in it instead? Drinking hard water is associated with lower blood pressure, possibly because of its magnesium content. The toxins in soft water can contribute to high blood pressure. If you have a water softener, buy bottled water for cooking and drinking.

 

BOOK

The High Blood Pressure Solution by Dr. Richard Moore

[KidsHappen]

Without medication my BP is consistantly as high as your hubby's and tends to spike when I am in pain (which is frequently). I am on medication. I turned it down for years because I didn't really think I needed it until my mother died of a heart attack at the age of 60. Two of her brothers and her father all died of heart attacks at age 54. My father has also had at least one heart attack and my next younger brother has had several already. Let's just say genetics are not in my favor.

 

My hubby's is usually lower than that but is occassionally that high. My hubby is overweight and has Metabolic Syndrome X but he is not on BP medication. Both of his parents are still alive and the dr. feels that if he stays on his Metformin and loses weight, his BP will come down.

 

So it really depends. He should definitely have a complete physical and family history taken and then the dr. can help decide if he needs to take medicine or other steps.

[i.love.lucy]

Wow, Negin! Thanks for all that! I'm going to reread and absorb and see what changes I need to make. I have the dietary stuff down pretty well now, on the weight loss path, but I know my BP is high. I also have a dh with soaring triglycerides and poor cholesterol so I want to work on a lot of this stuff. Thanks!

[Negin]

Wow, Negin! Thanks for all that! I'm going to reread and absorb and see what changes I need to make. I have the dietary stuff down pretty well now, on the weight loss path, but I know my BP is high. I also have a dh with soaring triglycerides and poor cholesterol so I want to work on a lot of this stuff. Thanks!

You're most welcome.

Just do what you can :grouphug:. It's a long-term approach.

If you need tips on triglycerides and cholesterol, I can share them here, or, better yet, perhaps you can start another thread. I have posted on them before, quite recently, I think. You could do a search. Others here have fabulous advice. I just love these boards :D.

[texasmama]

Thank you for the information, Negin. Not overwhelming at all. :001_smile: My husband is somewhat resistant to dietary changes, but I will pas on what I thik he will adhere to. He is currently just starting the P90X exercise routine so I hope the exercise will help, as well.

[Negin]

Thank you for the information, Negin. Not overwhelming at all. :001_smile: My husband is somewhat resistant to dietary changes, but I will pas on what I thik he will adhere to. He is currently just starting the P90X exercise routine so I hope the exercise will help, as well.

You're most welcome.

I hear you and totally understand about your dh not being open to dietary changes. It's hard. :grouphug:

Exercise helps a lot. The only thing I have to say is that if his blood pressure is VERY high, he needs to be cautious about more strenuous stuff like running, and possibly P90X. Just maybe he should check with his physician. For very high blood pressure, they generally recommend exercise, but more mild exercise.