I am 18 and athletic and I have increased blood pressure.I was told to cut out salt in my diet any ideas?.?

Question

I was told I will have to take tablets if i don't get it down in the next 5 months I will be forced to take tablets to keep it down otherwise a serious problem may develope.I am very worried as some of the side-affects from taking the tablets is impotence!.I am of an athletic build that's why it is so strange to me.I am not on any protein shakes or any substances like that.

I was told I will have to take tablets if i don't get it down in the next 5 months I will be forced to take tablets to keep it down otherwise a serious problem may develope.I am very worried as some of the side-affects from taking the tablets is impotence!.I am of an athletic build that's why it is so strange to me.I am not on any protein shakes or any substances like that.Another factor may be that I play rugby and that it is a high impact sport and it demands a fairly good fitness level but the thing is I'm fine to run around.

Answer 1

Making Multiple Lifestyle Changes is Beneficial, Achievable in Lowering High Blood Pressure (press release)
by NewsTarget

Men and women with elevated blood pressure who make healthy lifestyle changes and sustain them for up to a year and a half can substantially reduce their rates of high blood pressure and potentially decrease their heart disease risk. With behavioral counseling, increases in physical activity, and adoption of a healthy eating plan called DASH, rates of high blood pressure dropped from 37 to 22 percent among participants in a study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and the chief risk factor for stroke. About 65 million American adults, one in three, have high blood pressure. An additional 59 million adults have prehypertension, a level that is above normal, and increases risk of heart disease and stroke. Results of the study, called PREMIER, appear in the April 4, 2006 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

“This study underscores the value of lifestyle changes — namely improving diet and increasing physical activity — in reducing high blood pressure, an important public health problem,” said NHLBI Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D. “For the millions of Americans with prehypertension and hypertension, this shows that individuals can make healthy lifestyle changes to keep blood pressure under control without the use of medications.”

A total of 810 men and women ages 25 and older with either prehypertension (120-139mmHg/80-89mmHg) or stage 1 hypertension (140-159mmHg/90-95mmHg) but who were not taking medications to control blood pressure were randomly assigned to three groups. Participants in two of the groups attended 18 counseling sessions during the first six months — 14 group meetings and 4 individual sessions. During the last 12 months they attended 12 group meetings and 3 individual sessions. They were prescribed goals for weight loss, physical activity, and given sodium and alcohol intake limits. One of these groups also received guidance on implementing the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH), an eating plan rich in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and low in saturated, total fat and dietary cholesterol. DASH is used as an example of a healthy eating plan by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and has been shown to lower blood pressure in previous NHLBI studies.

A third group served as a control, receiving only two 30-minute sessions of advice to follow standard recommendations for blood pressure control; one at study enrollment and one 6 months later. A third session was offered at the end of the 18-month trial after measurements were completed.

The numbers of participants with high blood pressure declined in all three groups, but the reduction was greater in the intervention groups and most striking in the intervention group that included the DASH eating plan. While approximately 37 percent of participants in all three groups had high blood pressure at the study’s start, this was reduced to 22 percent in the group following DASH and 24 percent in the intervention group without DASH. By comparison, the rate of hypertension fell only to 32 percent in the control group.

“Participants in the two intervention groups made greater changes than those in the control group and saw the greatest benefit in blood pressure status,” said Eva Obarzanek, Ph.D., research nutritionist and study co-author. “This shows that people at risk for heart disease can successfully and simultaneously make multiple changes in lifestyle, for a substantial benefit.”

Goals for the intervention groups included a 15 lb weight loss (95 percent of participants were overweight or obese), 3 hours per week of moderate physical activity, daily sodium intakes of no more than 2300 milligrams (1 tsp salt), and limits of one alcoholic drink per day for women, and two per day for men. Those also following the DASH diet were asked to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables to 9-12 servings per day, consume 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy products, and keep total fat to no more than 25 percent of total daily calories. To keep track, participants kept food diaries, monitored calories and sodium intakes, and recorded minutes of physical activity.

More than one-third of participants had high blood pressure at the beginning of the study. Of these, 62 percent in the intervention group with DASH, and 60 percent in the intervention group without DASH successfully had their blood pressure under control after 18 months (that is, their blood pressure levels were no longer considered high). Comparatively, only 37 percent of the control group with hypertension at the study’s start had their blood pressure under control at the end of the study.

“These rates of hypertension control produced by the two interventions are even better than the 50 percent control rates typically found when single drug therapy is used to control high blood pressure,” said William M. Vollmer, Ph.D., a study investigator from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.

Compared with the control group, one or both intervention groups had:

- Greater weight loss: 5.9 lb in the DASH group and 4.8 lb in the group without DASH.

- Greater improvement in fitness: 2 beats per minute lower heart rate for the DASH group and 1 beat per minute lower heart rate for those without DASH. (The greater the reduction in heart rate, the greater the improvement in fitness.)

- Greater sodium reduction: 354 milligrams for those on the DASH eating plan and 384 milligrams without DASH (about 1/6 tsp less salt).

- Greater reductions in calorie intake: the intervention groups reduced their daily intake by 95 (DASH) and 130 calories (without DASH).

In addition, 25 percent of intervention group participants met the weight loss goal. The group following DASH also achieved increased fruit, vegetable, dairy, fiber and mineral intakes and decreased fat intake.

Answer 2

It is very simplistic and is easily explained in 'Janet and John' fashion, which is how we would explain it to school children.... And is basically the same for sugar and diabetes too. Too much salt or sugar basically thickens the blood and it becomes a compounded circle because the human body is a very efficient machine with no sympathies and simple logic to ensure its own survival..... Too much of either means that via the process of osmosis, which is the equalling out of liquid thicknesses through a connecting membrane, the body draws liquids from where ever it can in an effort to water down the salt/sugar so you can pee it out. Several things therefore happen. You become thirsty, and also can depending on how thick your blood becomes, commence headaches and a general feeling of being unwell. All of these are your bodies way of ringing the alarm bells. As your blood thickens, it becomes more difficult to pump, hence the high blood pressure and in an effort to survive the body will take any moisture it can get from within your body if you fail to drink enough. Liquid can and will be taken from your organs, and the last resort is from your eyes... hence the blindness that comes with diabetes and the lack of circulation which can lead to loss of limbs. Your body sees blindness as better than dying so will do what it needs to do to survive..... Hope that makes sense, any more info can be gleaned from Diabetes UK who cover sugar in great detail and its effects which mirror salt in your blood stream.....

Answer 3

3 years ago, I was diagnosed - hypertension with a reading of 160/100. I used to feel dizzy a lot, my legs had awful cramps, and levels were very low in my potassium, causing my fingers and toes to always cramp together. One day I started to feel really faint while I was driving with my daughter in the back seat and I passed out, hitting 3 cars and ending up in a ditch. That moment,I knew I had to do something because my meds weren't working. I heard about this diet from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The results have been remarkable. In just 21 days, I honestly can't remember feeling this good, my blood pressure went from 175/110 to 125/70.

Answer 4

elevated blood pressure is a serious issue, most especially for someone as young as yourself and in good physical condition.
you are way ahead if you cut out the salt in your diet as this can delay or even eliminate the need for antihypertensive meds.
Eat potassium rich foods, like kiwi, raisins, and cantaloupe, read labels of prepared foods as most have tons of salt in them. And never ever add salt to your meals.
Frankly, at your age, I'd want the doctor to find out why my blood pressure is elevated, not just threaten to treat it.

Answer 5

Eat nourishing food with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables being part of it. Chew each morsel at least 32 times. This will activate signal to the brain as soon as u have had enough. Besides this change in eating style, take regular light exercises and brisk walks every day. U will be able to gain/shed all extra weight gracefully and in a reasonable time span.

Answer 6

I would absolutely get a second opinion by a specialist.

I have had this problem for years but in all actuality my BP was not high. But it would read high because the cuff was too small. I have large upper arms and the smaller cuffs can give you a false positive. Have someone take your BP below your elbow and see if it is the same as above elbow.

When I have a Dr. appt I always request they use the X-large cuff.

Answer 7

Don't eat any salt. ANY salt whatsoever. This means you stop eating bacon, chips, you stop eating out, especially in fast foods, and you cook without salt. Start having a healthy diet, with many fruit and veg, exercise mildly and don't be stressed, if you can help it. Good luck.

Oh, and DON'T SMOKE

Answer 8

I have had high-blood pressure for quite awhile. It ruined my kidneys. You really need to take steps to try to do what you can for this problem.. You can eliminate pork, processed foods,and added salt at the table. Used unsalted food whenever possible. Make sure you check the sodium content of foods that you eat. I was told not to eat Mexican food because of the sodium. Good luck to you. I hope I've helped.

Answer 9

stop eating processed foods. If you must, read the packages. Anything over 30% sodium per package is bad for you. Don't eat it. Do more of your own cooking.

Too much sodium primarily comes from eating out and buying processed foods and not cooking. good luck

Drink lots of water too

Answer 10

start a compost pile in your yard

Answer 11

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