I downloaded a free pedometer app to my smartphone. I also have audio books on my phone. The pedometer tracks my steps and plots them showing my progress. Today, I walked two miles or 6,089 steps according to the pedometer while finishing a book. My blood pressure went from 140 to 107 in that two mile walk.
From my driveway to my son's driveway is exactly 1 mile so I walked there and back. When I got home, I took my blood pressure. It read 105 over 75. I took it again. It was 108 over 75. I'm usually in the 140 range. I guess I'll be walking that mile for the rest of my life.
The first image is from my cell phone showing the app and my walk today. It tracks steps from day to day. The second image is a picture I took of my blood pressure reading after the walk. The blood pressure machine has always shown the wrong date. I can't remember how to change it. Next, I guess I'll work on my mind!
This page contains the following solutions.
Coconut oil has been in the nutrition buzz for quite a while now. It is awesome for the animals and I keep it on hand for them. But, I have hypertension.
I have high blood pressure and I love salt! This is a great way to use no salt.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Anyone have tips to reduce high blood pressure especially upon awakening in the morning? I have been on several different types of BP meds and they all have side effects. I am on an ace inhibitor now, but it does not keep the BP down. I have also tried several natural remedies with very little improvement. Any tips out there? Thanks.
By michele from TX
I use vinegar.1 teaspoon in cup of water twice a week for high blood. Take a mouth full several times on these days.
Possible Benefits from Apple Cider Vinegar:
*Support normal blood pressure
*Immune function
*Thyroid support
*Promote proper digestion
*Improve metabolism
*Supports gall bladder
*Control weight
*Support proper bone growth
*Maintain healthy skin
*Soothes sunburn, shingles and bites
*Topically helps prevent dandruff, baldness and itching scalp
Garlic will help high blood pressure.
Good luck.
Yes, they all have different side affects from feeling tired to a troublesome cough. I've been reading about breathing exercises in a quest myself. According to a recent study a person is able to lower their BP by using relaxation breathing methods like yoga.
Try beetroot juice. It is sold in wine-sized bottles over here and, apparently, very beneficial for many things, including lowering blood pressure.
See:news.bbc.co.uk/
Fish oil also helps to lower blood pressure and also other things such as lowering cholesterol, helps arthritis and is calming. Omega 3 fatty acid is what you'd want.
Walk, Walk, Walk. Heard that garlic can lower blood pressure; haven't tried it. My BP has been borderline a few times and when I walked and switched to decalf coffee it went down.
My husband has been eating porridge (oats) for breakfast a few times a week, and on the days that he does this his bp is down. Worth trying.
High blood pressure can actually be caused by a spinal misalignment in the C1 vertebre ( this is the top vertebre, right under the skull). Other symptoms of this can include headaches, insomnia, dizziness, migraines, memory loss, depression/anxiety, panic/anxiety attacks, and memory loss.
I am hypoglycemic and have high blood pressure. Choosing a diet for me is proving difficult, as will finding drugs I can use. Thyroid pills raise blood pressure, blood pressure pills lower thyroid expression. I'm caught between the two with no apparent direction to go in. I would like to know what others have done to resolve a situation like this.
By Cornelia
Well, fruits and vegetables fixed as simply as possible will
help with high blood pressure as they are high in potassium which lowers blood pressure in general. Fruit will give you a little boost to your low blood sugar problems. But if you just eat fruit, you'll soon be hungry, so I'd have it between meals [apple and few nuts, maybe].
I'd have a simple, old fashioned breakfast: 2 poached eggs, whole wheat toast or oatmeal. Fruit or not. Plums and prunes are high in potassium. Or orange juice, also high in
potassium.
Lunch: lean protein: fish, chicken, no lunch meats. Veggies and rice or boiled potatoes tossed with homemade salad dressing: oil, vinegar, bit of sugar, dry mustard powder, any herbs makes a nice Italian. Add a bit of ketchup and blend well, for a french type dressing. You can make a ranch type dressing with yogurt [plain not runny] dill powder, garlic/onion powder [a bit], lemon juice, pepper a bit. This makes a great dressing for a baked potato or small homemade potato salad [boiled potatoes, cut up with whatever else you'd like].
Lots of fiber helps with low blood sugar. Like beans, brown rice, whole wheat [the real thing, not caramel colored soft bread]. If they still make it Roman Meal hot cereal is good.
Brown rice if soaked in the water in which you will cook it
for up to an hour, produces an enzyme which is good for lowering blood sugar. I like both kinds or rices, but I try to think of them as two separate grains so I am not comparing them. Fiber helps keep one regular, which helps with blood pressure, so it all works together.
Basically, fairly plain old fashioned foods. Variety.
I do not understand something; do you have a thyroid problem as well? Fish, oysters, seawood [think sushi, which you can make without the raw seafood. Put a treat inside
a roll of rice, rolled in seaweed is the idea]. Black walnuts also contain iodine.
I don't know how much you know about cooking, its helpful to know what you like or will eat, and what you can't stand, what's available in your area, and these days, what's your budget.
One thing which regulates both blood pressure and blood sugar[hypoglycemia] though is an old fashioned, daily stroll. Not jogging, or running, just a nice walk, maybe
8 blocks out, 8 back.
No licorice. Bad for blood pressure.
What has your doctor prescribed, and are you comfortable with what you've been told, or are you trying to do it with diet first?
Nothing has to be eaten in large amounts.
You need to eat five to six small meals throughout the day, this keeps your blood sugar more balanced and helps you be less hungry, if you have thyroid problems a herbal thryoid supplement should not affect your blood pressure and can help reenergise your thyroid. The How To Herb Book has a good recipe. As to licorice being bad for your blood pressure yes and no. Genuine from the plant liquorice root will lower your blood pressure so you have to be careful about using it. The previous poster gave excellant advice, just try to make your meals about 6 small ones rather than 3 large ones, eat protein, and avoid all refined carbohydrated. I have dealt with hypoglycemia most of my life, as well as hypothryoidism. The key is to eat a very balanced diet that is nutrient rich.
If your insurance will pay for a consult with a dieticien, it is worth every penny. Even when I have had to pay for this service myself, it has been extremely useful. They have so much information to give youl I have been a vegetarian & now am diabetic & I often see someone to help me make sure I am eating correctly for my own health issues. Good luck.
Ask your Pharmacist. They are a wealth of knowledge and free for the asking. Check the salt content on all food products.
Purchase the product NoSalt as a substitute.
Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm not a great cook, so it's good to hear what others have found that works.
I am seeing a doctor, but other than a basic "healthy diet" I didn't get any specific instructions. I am on Amlodipine for the blood pressure, and am taking calcium for leg cramps. I went in for thyroid issues and from the blood tests they realized I had high blood pressure and kidney disease. so I'm being good and taking the bp pills 2 times a day (high bp causes kidney disease). I have to watch the potassium, but for now my points are good for that. I'm middle aged, so I'm in mostly good shape. a little underweight, and having the above mentioned issues, but otherwise still as healthy as I've always been.
I will start eating more. I used to eat 3 or 4 meals with an occasional snack (banana/avocado/"healthy" cookies (Voortman's makes sugar free cookies that are relatively good for you and are quite good tasting. my husband's diabetic but wants cookies now and then)) but will throw in more small meals. I've always felt woosy if I ate too much, so I need to balance not just what but how much I eat, and I will see what besides our usual salad I can manage. we do still eat beef, but I no longer eat the fat and he never did, and I am trying to feed us Mediterranean style food. but I don't have the drive to cook, so it isn't as easy as it should be.
Which foods are good for lowering your blood pressure?
By Celia from TX
Good eating habits, regular physical activity and weight management are important for controlling high blood pressure. Here are some fun strategies that make it easy.
Eat a rainbow.
Pile on the fruits and veggies. Colorful and delicious, eating a fruit-and-veggie rich diet is a great way to help lower your blood pressure.
Get moving.
It's not all about "formal" exercise. Take the stairs. Park further away. Getting a total of 30 minutes of movement on most days is good..
Remember, before beginning or modifying your diet or exercise program, talk to your doctor.good luck.
I am struggling with that myself. Yes, diet and exercise help. I've noticed when my weight increases my high blood pressure goes even higher. Trying to be healthier.
I have read that potassium (bananas, potatoes) can help reduce high blood pressure. Making sure you get enough minerals like magnesium (leafy greens/spinach).
That is all I have found so far.
Here is a link to the DASH eating plan published on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute website:
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
Just copy and paste it into your browser. I have found this to be rather helpful in my journey to lower blood pressure. And I definitely agree with kffrmw88. I noticed very quickly that a steady diet of exercise helped greatly! Good luck! :)
One more thing to keep in mind is reducing sodium intake. Too much sodium can shoot blood pressure through the roof. Read the sodium amounts on labels of all packaged foods and also reduce suggested salt amounts in recipes. Not just regular salt but also things like garlic salt by using garlic powder instead. But only use 1/2 the amount of powder because it's powerful. ;-) If you do some Googling you can also find out how much sodium is naturally in fresh foods.
Is it possible to ever wean off of blood pressure meds after 3yrs of use? I hate them, but feel forced to continue due to warnings I have read regarding the danger of stopping them.
Actually I know if it's possible, it would mean weaning off. Has anyone out there successfully done this?Yes. People have. Biofeedback techniques and learning calmness techniques can help you learn to control your blood pressure without medication.
Note I am not a doctor or health care professional, but in my opinion your health is your own and does not belong to the health care establishment. With this understanding in place, here are some links to check out.
www.lifeextension.com/
www.healthcentral.com/
www.youtube.com/
www.resperate.com/
It is possible, Suzy. I've not done it, but at my insistance a good friend has. The side-effects of this, like most prescribed medications, can be onerous. If your doctor is a drug pusher, you might want to find another, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to get your physician's help with the process. That said, with the availability of blood pressure testing devices in public places (such as Walmart) you can do it on your own.
Start by decreasing the amount you take. Every other day, for example, take half the prescribed dose. Do that for two weeks. At the same time, gradually change your food and exercise habits. Walk every day, for a bit longer each day until you're up to an hour every day. Don't stop. If you smoke, quit. If you eat a lot of salt, start cutting back on that and find substitues (in herbs or spice mixes) you enjoy. Keep a close eye on the amount of saturated fats you ingest. Aim to eat as many fresh vegetables and fruit as you can, don't fry anything, stay away from rich and creamy dressings and dips. In short, all the things which contribute to high blood pressure can be managed with self discipline. If you're motivated to be healthy and drug free, I trust you'll be motivated to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Start a food journal which includes the time you walked each day and your blood pressure as well as what you ate.
After two or three weeks with changes to your diet and exercise routine, decrease the amount of medication you take by half every day and continue that for another two or three weeks.
Keep testing your blood pressure as regularly as possible and be mindful that stress can be a contributing factor. Add meditation (or prayer or yoga) to help you learn to stay calm. Don't allow anger.
If your blood pressure readings don't change over these 4 - 6 weeks, despite the decrease in medication, you know you're on the right track. Decrease the amount you take by omitting it altogether every other day for, yes, 2 - 3 weeks. Get rid of any stressors in your life (seriously). Gradually cut back to 1/2 dose every three days, then every four .... you get where I'm going. It'll take a while and I'd be happier if you worked with a medical professional on this, but you can do it. Just be careful. And do your research! Find out all the causes of blood pressure and omit those from your life.
These are the steps taken by my friend who is now quite happily drug free.
You can also get off of them and have a stroke. Why take the chance. If your blood pressure was high and the pills brought it down, you have no worries. Why start something that might cause you to end up in a nursing home unable to speak.
