How to lower high blood pressure

[Klehman1]

Hello everyone. I need a little advice. A few months ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. This is partly due to family history. I am currently on the same medication as my mother. I do not want to stay on blood pressure medication for the rest of my life. I need a little advice. I stress eat. What kind of eating plan do you think would be good to go on? I have no idea where to start with healthier eating. I do workout regularly 5 times a week. Any advice anyone can give me would be a big help. Thanks. 

KEEP PUSHING PLAY: Kathryn 

[Dominique]

The DASH diet was designed to do precisely that. I’m tagging @MagsOnTheBeach, as I know she’s been following that approach (we touched on this recently in this other topic). Another approach that makes a lot of sense to me is the Mediterranean diet (maybe because I’m partly "Mediterranean" myself!), though I don’t like the term "diet" in it, since it’s more a general way of eating. Neither approach eliminates or demonizes any particular group of foods or macronutrient, which is good IMO.

[MagsOnTheBeach]

I follow DASH - specifically DASH for Weight Loss.  If you don't need to lose weight, you can follow the regular DASH diet - it is the diet proven to lower blood pressure.  Here is a link to the regular dash -https://odncouncil.org/dash/  This is the plan I follow: http://dashdiet.org/default.asp  I find it pretty easy to follow, I just make sure to eat out rarely, cook foods myself and not eat food from boxes.  I also made the switch to no diet products, shakes, bars, etc.  I need this to be a lifetime change.  Let me know if you have any specific questions.  Sadly, it will be almost impossible to lower blood pressure with exercise alone or to eat out often. My bp was about 140s over 90's not terribly high, but now I'm at 110/60. I got to that number after losing 30lbs.

[GershonSurge]

I recommend the Whole Food Plant Based diet as recommended by Dr. McDougall and others. Check out www.drmcdougall.com.  It's the only way of eating that has been scientifically proven to reverse even advanced heart disease.

Working out is good for you, but it will do little to lower blood pressure or improve other indicators of health like cholesterol. 

Except in rare cases, high blood pressure is not genetic except in the sense that people "inherit" their diet. High blood pressure, along with about 95% of non-contagious conditions, is caused by the food we eat. 

Doctors do not try to cure high blood pressure. All they attempt to do is slow the progression of heart disease. Do not go to doctors for dietary advice as they have no training in the field. If they can't give you a pill, they aren't interested in "helping."

[JwallaceRD]

The DASH diet is often recommended (I am a RDN). The increased intake of potassium is a big help to lowering BP, however, talk to your Dr because too much potassium can be dangerous for your heart (in all things, it's the dose that makes the poison). This is why many studies find that Vegetarians have lower blood pressure, on average (however not all Vegetarians eat well these days with so many processed foods available). 

I hope this helps!

--Julie Wallace, Dietitian Nutritionist

[brownoscar]

Why not try drinking more water? It is easy to do and will not hurt anything!

[Dominique]

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@brownoscar wrote:

Why not try drinking more water? It is easy to do and will not hurt anything!

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Drinking more water certainly won’t hurt, but it would be new to me that it would lower blood pressure. Out of the 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication listed by Mayo Clinic, the only one related to drinking is: "limit the amount of alcohol you drink".  And I would disagree with their statement that " alcohol can be both good and bad for your health": even in moderate amounts, alcohol will always have a negative net effect on health.

[Dominique]

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@GershonSurge wrote:

It's the only way of eating that has been scientifically proven to reverse even advanced heart disease.

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I’d be most surprised if it were possible at all to reverse advanced heart disease. If your arteries have been seriously damaged by atherosclerosis, you can’t reverse the process, just like you can’t undo damage caused to the liver of a heavy drinker or to the lungs of a heavy smoker: all you can do is stop or slow down the progression. Besides, arteries become stiffer even in perfectly healthy subjects anyway, as part of the aging process: your arteries or mine just aren’t as elastic as those of a healthy 20-something, no matter what plant-based diet you have been eating. 

I don’t think all doctors will always push medication as the only way to treat health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc. I’m quite sure many stress the importance of making life style changes. However, it’s a fact of life a good number of people won’t make those changes: for them, medication that lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels etc. will certainly be a better option than doing nothing.

[GershonSurge]

You can't say something is impossible when doctors are busy doing it. For some reason, you are actively choosing to ignore the facts. I never said a person could return to their 20's, but they can stay alive and healthy. I've given references in the past, but you won't read them, so I won't waste my time posting them here.

The DASH diet has been self-proclaimed as "the best," but it doesn't come close to the Mcdougall way of eating. 

[emili]

@Klehman1 hey there! I had high BP for years- I mean high. Two meds high. Losing weight and eating healthy has put me off medication for the last year. My BP is in the normal to low range now. Healthy eating as in staying within my calorie range for the day, not eating fatty foods, and relying heavily on fruits and veggies for most of my meals. I do eat a little worse on the weekends and I do drink. But I am active every day and the days I am not as good, I drink more water and I ensure that my activity produces sweat like a man.. my BP started dropping within a year of my life style change and a year ago, my doctor and I decided I don't need any meds any longer. I have been slim for the past four and a half years- it is incredible how different you feel.

[Dominique]

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@GershonSurge wrote:

The DASH diet has been self-proclaimed as "the best," but it doesn't come close to the Mcdougall way of eating. 

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Different causes can produce the same effects. What matter are the effects obtained, not the causes that produce them. We know quite well what results in lower blood pressure: if you’re overweight, drop some; if you are sedentary, be more active; if you’re drinking/smoking, stop or reduce that; if you’re stressed, reduce your stress level etc. Your "my diet is better than yours" is irrelevant in that respect: I eat neither a McDougall style diet nor the DASH diet, yet I have perfect blood pressure (because my way of eating has got me to a low enough weight). Dean Ornish (whom you’re likely a fan of) recommands yoga and meditation for stress management in his "Program for Reversing Heart Disease": I’ve never done yoga and meditation; not that I have anything against it (I know for sure it works for a lot of people), but I live a very stressless life as it is, so again, there isn’t a single best way to achieve a given outcome. Whatever floats your boat.

[RaeD]

Research, research, research to see what will work for you.

Start with small goals: Reduce/eliminate salt, cut soda, eat one piece of salmon per week, the tiny things will lead to bigger things.

It can be done, just track and journal. Eventually, your tastes and weight will change. Hopefully, that will lead to your numbers changing, too. I've been chiseling off a tiny bit of weight or maintaining each year just with small changes and a couple of major adjustments. I'm about to have a breakthrough, though, and I predict about seven pounds dropping before summer. 😉

Once you've done a couple of little steps, you will be ready for the bigger changes.

Disclaimer: I'm a librarian, not a healthcare professional.

[HippyDave]

almost forgot.  food is your best option for supplementing magnesium...if you can get enough from it.  magnesium superfoods are, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, cashew nuts....and a few more...but those are what i like.  I snack on those constantly, and i still take a supplement.  also, i'm 250 lb and taking 1000mg per day.  and i worked up to that amount gently over a few weeks (and months to 2000 for a while).  everyone is different, but if you weigh more or less, you generally need to supplement more or less.  it has been said that supplementation is somewhere around 5 to 10 times your weight = mg of supplement per day as a target goal over time.  Many things burn up magnesium, esp stress..but there's coffee, booze, all the fun stuff i guess too. So some folk burn it up faster than others. It needs to be replaced.  common sign of mag deficiency is restless / crampy legs at night....facial twitches esp eye.  when you first start to supplement....expect naps for a few days.  The older you are, the harder it is to absorb mag.  unabsorbed magnesium usually results in (non cramping) diarrhea.  So if that happens, take a few days break, and try again lower and slower.  Took me three weeks and three days before my body got the hang of absorbing it.  A good companion for magnesium supplement is Vit K2... they like each other, and k2 is all but gone from our western diet.  that's the short version. 🙂

[SmileMore]

To help lower blood pressure, I've found 3-4 stalks of celery per day to do the trick!  I got this from two different books, and I'm excited to see where I'm at next time I check mine.  Granted, eating better will help as well, so if you want to know more, I'd check with some expert advice during your research.  The two books I go to the most are, The Plant Paradox,  by Steven R. Gundry, MD and New Food For Healing, by Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention Health Books.  Following the tips in both books has been a wealth of help to myself, and my husband!  Neither of us need meds for blood pressure, and don't expect to need them as we continue on this adventure of eating "new to us" foods.  Both books tell you "why" you benefit from things you eat, as well as what you omit from your diet.  I hope this helps you immensely!  Wishing you the best, Donna  🙂   By the way, we both have parents that have (had) high blood pressure that required meds...earlier than our current ages of 57 & 60!  We plan to break the pattern.   🙂

[danielpatrik]

Avoid Salt. A diet high on sodium increases the blood pressure. Refrain from canned, processed and fast foods. Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables as these are rich sources of magnesium, potassium and fiber. Ask your doctor or dietitian to start you on a healthy diet. Hope this answers you!

[Klehman1]

My blood pressure is finally down to a healthy level.

[Dominique]

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@Klehman1wrote:

My blood pressure is finally down to a healthy level.

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It’s impressive you were able to bring it down in such a short time! What do you think was the main factor?

[Daves_Not_Here]

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@Dominiquewrote:

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@GershonSurge wrote:

It's the only way of eating that has been scientifically proven to reverse even advanced heart disease.

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I’d be most surprised if it were possible at all to reverse advanced heart disease...

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@Dominique - I don't have the detailed citations, but I believe some patients in Ornish's program do reverse their heart disease, including virtually eliminating the plaque in their arteries.  Alan Deutschman devotes an entire chapter of Change or Die to Ornish and his remarkable results.  I haven't however independently verified the claims.

By the way, I highly recommend this book to everyone, but be aware that the contents of the book are different from what the title may apply.  (the book is not health or diet related and references Ornish as a case study to illustrate how we humans adopt or resist change)

[ScottHsv]

@Klehman1 and @GershonSurge, Please take a few minutes to view the following short videos by my guru-of-choice Dr. Greger. Admittedly, I have not develved into every study referenced, but in general I have come to trust his advice. In summary there are three things mentioned that appear to be particularly helpful for hypertension: plant-based diets, flax, and Hibiscus tea. The exciting thing about this is that if you choose to go this direction, Hibiscus tea and flax can be immediately added to your diet with a simple trip to the grocery store. Getting on board with a plant based diet is obviously the best long-term solution, but may take some time to get going. 

Hibiscus Tea vs. Plant-Based Diets for Hypertension

Flax Seeds for Hypertension

How to Treat High Blood Pressure with Diet

[ScottHsv]

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@Daves_Not_Here wrote:

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@Dominiquewrote:

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@GershonSurge wrote:

It's the only way of eating that has been scientifically proven to reverse even advanced heart disease.

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I’d be most surprised if it were possible at all to reverse advanced heart disease...

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@Dominique - I don't have the detailed citations, but I believe some patients in Ornish's program do reverse their heart disease, including virtually eliminating the plaque in their arteries.  Alan Deutschman devotes an entire chapter of Change or Die to Ornish and his remarkable results.  I haven't however independently verified the claims.

By the way, I highly recommend this book to everyone, but be aware that the contents of the book are different from what the title may apply.  (the book is not health or diet related and references Ornish as a case study to illustrate how we humans adopt or resist change)

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@Dominique @Daves_Not_Here

I would also encourage you to look at Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn's book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease". If you are short on time, simply watch the documentary "Forks over Knives" that was still avaliable on Netflix last time I checked. But ultimately, yes, it is very possible to reverse even advanced heart disease through diet.