how do i lower my blood pressure

[mike8675309]

every time i get it tested it's like 140/90 or close to that

nurses who tested it say i better get it under control but i don't know how

maybe i need to start running and stop eating, or something

Eat less meat in general (saturated fat is not good for blood pressure) , eat more vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables (they help with nitrogen in your blood making your endothelium work better, giving your body control of the diameter of your arteries better)

Start doing cardio. Start with walking, work your way to biking or running. Stairmasters are good for this as well.
My blood pressure at it's highest was 120/90.
Last measured pressure was 109/64. (I'm 51 and recently had a colonoscopy screen, 2 different nurses asked me if my blood pressure is normally that low and if I was on blood pressure medication. yep, normally that low, nope, no blood pressure medication)

I run or do stairs 3-4 times a week for 30 to 45 minutes. I eat a predominately whole foods plant-based diet for the last 5 years. Most recently I've joined the November Project and participate in their free group workouts 2x a week. There is likely a group in your area.

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Start looking into mindfulness and adopt meditation. It can help with the stress and get your mind into a frame that will help you in changing your life around.

 

[Muse]

every time i get it tested it's like 140/90 or close to that

nurses who tested it say i better get it under control but i don't know how

maybe i need to start running and stop eating, or something

Running (or some other aerobic exercise) would help. I was a runner until my left foot was injured. First thing I would say is reduce the sodium in your diet. I'm no expert, but I've always heard to too much salt will raise your blood pressure, so decades ago I trained myself to be quite satisfied with less salty foods. It doesn't take much salt for me to feel fine with it. Typical saltiness in food I eat out very often seems like too much. I look at labels. If the sodium content is on the same level as calories, it's TOO MUCH. For instance, 130 calories and 125mg sodium is TOO MUCH SODIUM. You get used to reduced sodium. You don't miss it once you get used to eating less. Read the labels on stuff you buy and reduce the amount of processed foods you eat. My doctor told me I shouldn't eat anything out of cans

I'm getting quite a lot of cardio lately. Bicycle, skating, when the weather's good, golf (walking a very hilly course). When the rains come, I'm going to get back on the cardio machines at my gym. My BP is almost always measured at 120/80 or better, usually better. If it's higher it's because of something going on at the moment, i.e. an outlier. An hour later, it's going to be back to AOK.

 

[TheVrolok]

I know I'm stranger on the internet and they are hard to trust. I've mentioned eating plant-based and that's scary to some. It was to me. Here is is recent video of doctors talking about the results some of their patients have experienced from changing their diets.

There is a fair bit of reasonable quality (we're not talking RCTs here so temper expectations) regarding the health benefits of a plant based diet. It's not just "veggies are good" opinion.

This is coming from a guy who desperately wants to move to more plant based diet, but is struggling with the sustainable change.

 

[balloonshark]

There is a fair bit of reasonable quality (we're not talking RCTs here so temper expectations) regarding the health benefits of a plant based diet. It's not just "veggies are good" opinion.

This is coming from a guy who desperately wants to move to more plant based diet, but is struggling with the sustainable change.

I'm curious. What are you struggling with? I face some challenges myself but I guess that's true of any diet or lifestyle change. This is especially true when you've known only one way of eating for 46 years.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I take a pill, once a day. And its cheap $. Nuff said.

 

[brianmanahan]

I take a pill, once a day. And its cheap $. Nuff said.

any side effects? i have a feeling that i'll probably be told to do that if my exercise doesn't get it down to 120 in a few months

i have managed to get it consistently reading at 130/80 now so maybe there's hope of lowering it through natural means

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Mine routinely sits about 110/70 on the smallest dosage of some generic med. Beyond that, no. But that doesn't mean just because solution A works for me will work for you. If you are currently at 130/80 then there isn't anything to worry about. If you did have a problem and your doctor isn't sending you to a cardiologist for a checkup then I would be more worried about that.

 

[brianmanahan]

Mine routinely sits about 110/70 on the smallest dosage of some generic med. Beyond that, no. But that doesn't mean just because solution A works for me will work for you. If you are currently at 130/80 then there isn't anything to worry about. If you did have a problem and your doctor isn't sending you to a cardiologist for a checkup then I would be more worried about that.

well it was 130/80. but now all of a sudden this weekend it jumped to 145/90, then 160/100 today. seems to be going back down though.

i'm gonna have to call the doctor's office and see if they want me to do anything.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

BTW, wrist=style and cuff devices are not always that reliable. For me--but not the wife--the one's one might buy at the drug store, et al seem to give a high reading, but whenever I am in the doctor's office it reads normal, to slightly low. Now some people experience what they call 'white coat' increase in the BP when they are in the doctor's office, because they just get nervous--I was told this by a doctor. So the two would mean I just don't trust the at-home devices for measuring BP. Conversely, whenever I'm in some place that offer's a place to measure my BP I use it and it is ALWAYS normal. Wife just rolls her eyes but that's because it is in the nature of wives to always be on the look out for something wrong in their husband.

 

[brianmanahan]

BTW, wrist=style and cuff devices are not always that reliable. For me--but not the wife--the one's one might buy at the drug store, et al seem to give a high reading, but whenever I am in the doctor's office it reads normal, to slightly low. Now some people experience what they call 'white coat' increase in the BP when they are in the doctor's office, because they just get nervous--I was told this by a doctor. So the two would mean I just don't trust the at-home devices for measuring BP. Conversely, whenever I'm in some place that offer's a place to measure my BP I use it and it is ALWAYS normal. Wife just rolls her eyes but that's because it is in the nature of wives to always be on the look out for something wrong in their husband.

i actually went to the doctor right after taking my BP to compare and they were within 5/5, so pretty close

strangely, now my levels have come down to 120/70 and i have no idea why

i decided i'm done with caffeine, going full DASH diet and will see what that does

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I was at the cardiologist yesterday for my annual checkup and it read 112/85, but this was after the third person measured it. The first two had trouble even hearing my heart beating blood through my arms. I am also a shallow breather and prior at-home sleep test resulted in the equipment thinking I wasn't breathing. So yesterday's visit was more akin to them thinking I was a zombie or vampire than anything else. But at least they knew Oxygen was reaching my fingertip as it was 95%. Also, it is wise to know how to prepare to measure your BP at times.

Do not eat within an hour of measuring BP. Be stationary (sitting, feet planted flat on floor, loose clothing, no talking, etc.) for at least five minutes to get a good resting measurement. Some people (me) have hair-thin triggers and I can just think about a topic and cause the BP to jump. Alternatively, one can close their eyes and try to nap sitting up and get the BP to drop. BTW, got a thumbs up with the doc yesterday and said if I lost my belly then I would be med-free but otherwise I'm healthier than 99% of his patients.

 

[Kaido]

I was at the cardiologist yesterday for my annual checkup and it read 112/85, but this was after the third person measured it. The first two had trouble even hearing my heart beating blood through my arms. I am also a shallow breather and prior at-home sleep test resulted in the equipment thinking I wasn't breathing. So yesterday's visit was more akin to them thinking I was a zombie or vampire than anything else. But at least they knew Oxygen was reaching my fingertip as it was 95%. Also, it is wise to know how to prepare to measure your BP at times.

Do not eat within an hour of measuring BP. Be stationary (sitting, feet planted flat on floor, loose clothing, no talking, etc.) for at least five minutes to get a good resting measurement. Some people (me) have hair-thin triggers and I can just think about a topic and cause the BP to jump. Alternatively, one can close their eyes and try to nap sitting up and get the BP to drop. BTW, got a thumbs up with the doc yesterday and said if I lost my belly then I would be med-free but otherwise I'm healthier than 99% of his patients.

There's a trick to game the system. Same deal - sitting up, both feet on floor, stationary:

1. Breath in
2. Now breath in more (if your normal breath is 90%, then suck in that last 10%)
3. Exhale at measured pace
4. Do this for 5 minutes (this will feel like FOREVER)

Measure your BP before & after!

 

[balloonshark]

I recently watched an interesting ted talk on 3 types of breathing. It may be worth a watch since one method could help you relax.

 

[highland145]

Do not eat within an hour of measuring BP. Be stationary (sitting, feet planted flat on floor, loose clothing, no talking, etc.) for at least five minutes to get a good resting measurement.

There's a trick to game the system. Same deal - sitting up, both feet on floor, stationary:

1. Breath in
2. Now breath in more (if your normal breath is 90%, then suck in that last 10%)
3. Exhale at measured pace
4. Do this for 5 minutes (this will feel like FOREVER)

Measure your BP before & after!

Yeah but this isn't the normal world environment so that's not accurate for your "regular" pressure...imo.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

It is called 'resting' measurement. You can measure during anything else that you would like, but for comparison they do it this way to be able to keep it on a level playing field. It was never meant to measure during a real world activity. It is assumed that your BP will go up do anything, like digesting food, walking/running/arguing. I didn't invent the method, I just followed the method as described on the box and what the GP/cardiologist told me.

 

[highland145]

It is called 'resting' measurement. You can measure during anything else that you would like, but for comparison they do it this way to be able to keep it on a level playing field. It was never meant to measure during a real world activity. It is assumed that your BP will go up do anything, like digesting food, walking/running/arguing. I didn't invent the method, I just followed the method as described on the box and what the GP/cardiologist told me.

Don't disagree but I don't want my normal to be 150/100 either.

 

[mike8675309]

The purpose of tracking your blood pressure is because lower blood pressures have better long term health outcomes. If you cheat the measurement, you don't automatically gain the better long term health outcomes. It's like people who go through liposuction to be skinny dying from cardiovascular disease. If you don't change your diet and activity level to lose weight, you aren't doing anything to improve your health.

 

[brianmanahan]

so i tried limiting my salt to 2000mg a day

but my blood sodium level got so low the doctor made me get a saline IV when i went in for a checkup

 

[deadlyapp]

so i tried limiting my salt to 2000mg a day

but my blood sodium level got so low the doctor made me get a saline IV when i went in for a checkup

My BP has been showing high - didn't know it until recently when I got a general physical (last one was around 2.5 years ago) which had it somewhere in the low 140s. I hadn't been monitoring my salt intake and was definitely heavily seasoning my foods thinking I could get away with it with the amount I workout and sweat. Anyways, I've now cut all external salt from my foods and take in around 2400mg give or take a day and my BP yesterday (it's been probably a month now since my initial checks) was 126/84, and that was at the doctors office where I generally spike around 10-15 points.

Hard to find that sweet spot.

 

[Mai72]

My BP has been showing high - didn't know it until recently when I got a general physical (last one was around 2.5 years ago) which had it somewhere in the low 140s. I hadn't been monitoring my salt intake and was definitely heavily seasoning my foods thinking I could get away with it with the amount I workout and sweat. Anyways, I've now cut all external salt from my foods and take in around 2400mg give or take a day and my BP yesterday (it's been probably a month now since my initial checks) was 126/84, and that was at the doctors office where I generally spike around 10-15 points.

Hard to find that sweet spot.

I had my bp checked today. 120/80. Perfect. I think this is because I've mainly switched to an all plant diet. The only animal flesh I've been eating is Sardines, and that's only because of the Omega 3s which are difficult to obtain on plants. I could do Chia or Flax seeds, but they don't convert as well. For seasoning I've been using garlic cloves from McCormicks. I also use 1TBSP of hot sauce or low sodium soy sauce. I also drink a TON of water.

 

[balloonshark]

I had my bp checked today. 120/80. Perfect. I think this is because I've mainly switched to an all plant diet. The only animal flesh I've been eating is Sardines, and that's only because of the Omega 3s which are difficult to obtain on plants. I could do Chia or Flax seeds, but they don't convert as well. For seasoning I've been using garlic cloves from McCormicks. I also use 1TBSP of hot sauce or low sodium soy sauce. I also drink a TON of water.

I usually have 1Tbps of ground flax and 1 tsp of chia in my morning oatmeal. I try to eat about 5 walnuts with dinner for the omega 3 and the fat is also suppose to help me absorb nutrients from whatever I'm eating.

 

[deadlyapp]

I had my bp checked today. 120/80. Perfect. I think this is because I've mainly switched to an all plant diet. The only animal flesh I've been eating is Sardines, and that's only because of the Omega 3s which are difficult to obtain on plants. I could do Chia or Flax seeds, but they don't convert as well. For seasoning I've been using garlic cloves from McCormicks. I also use 1TBSP of hot sauce or low sodium soy sauce. I also drink a TON of water.

I've almost completely switched to a no salt seasoning I found at Costco as well as some hot sauce or salsa depending on what I'm eating. I still am eating a lot of animal proteins in good diversity and I don't plan on changing that.

My meals this week, fully tracked, add up to around 2000mg of sodium a day.

 

[Mai72]

I've almost completely switched to a no salt seasoning I found at Costco as well as some hot sauce or salsa depending on what I'm eating. I still am eating a lot of animal proteins in good diversity and I don't plan on changing that.

My meals this week, fully tracked, add up to around 2000mg of sodium a day.

What about drinking a ton of water? Does that help with sodium? Can you intake more sodium if you drink more water, or is that false? My goal everyday is to drink at least 1 gallon of fresh filtered water. I bought a jug on Amazon for $12 and I love it. It keeps me motivated. I've also been drinking green tea with a splash of lemon. About 3 green tea bags steeped for about 10m. I've gotten away from coffee preworkouts, and those energy drinks. Man, those energy drinks were making me so anxious. Even coffee. I just had enough of being nervous all day. Switching to green tea wasn't bad. I'm sure it's helped with my blood pressure.

 

[deadlyapp]

What about drinking a ton of water? Does that help with sodium? Can you intake more sodium if you drink more water, or is that false? My goal everyday is to drink at least 1 gallon of fresh filtered water. I bought a jug on Amazon for $12 and I love it. It keeps me motivated. I've also been drinking green tea with a splash of lemon. About 3 green tea bags steeped for about 10m. I've gotten away from coffee preworkouts, and those energy drinks. Man, those energy drinks were making me so anxious. Even coffee. I just had enough of being nervous all day. Switching to green tea wasn't bad. I'm sure it's helped with my blood pressure.

I don't think so. Drinking too much water can prevent uptake of minerals and things since you will urinate more often/faster than they can be utilized. My understanding is the more salt in your diet (no matter how much water you drink) the less kidney function you have and the worse your BP. The only reason why anyone should consume more salt than generally accepted is if you sweat a significant amount in your daily job or through extensive exercise.

 

[brianmanahan]

I don't think so. Drinking too much water can prevent uptake of minerals and things since you will urinate more often/faster than they can be utilized. My understanding is the more salt in your diet (no matter how much water you drink) the less kidney function you have and the worse your BP. The only reason why anyone should consume more salt than generally accepted is if you sweat a significant amount in your daily job or through extensive exercise.

or if you take some medicine that messes with sodium absorption

mine dropped to 125 after a few weeks of eating low sodium and the doctor kinda freaked out

i also drink a ton of water though so maybe i should cut that back

i dunno, they tell me when stuff is wrong but not how to fix it