just diagnosed with high blood pressure... what now?

Question

i was just diagnosed with slightly high blood pressure and put on medicine for it. my doctor asked me to come back in a month, but due to some other complications I'm having, I kinda forgot about this diagnosis! Besides the medicine, what can I do to help lower my blood pressure? I am already on a rather "health-food" diet and I do light exercise about every other day.

thank you for that first answer, but i don't know what "dietary approaches to stop hypertension" means.... can you tell me what that is?

Answer 1

The "health food" diet is a good start when attempting to control Hypertension (HTN), or high blood pressure. If you have researched proper diets, then you know to avoid things such as salt, caffeine, fatty foods (saturated fats) and such. Increase your fiber intake to lower the presence of bad cholesterol on you system. Increasing your diet in foods rich in antioxidants (berries, dark green leafy veggies) can reduce the level of free radicals in your system. Some theories suggest that this leads to an increase in endothelial dysfunction (bad arteries) that contributes to increased blood pressure and heart disease.

However, the biggest change you can make to your current regimen at this time the type of exercise you perform. Light exercise may be beneficial if you are trying to just lose weight. This usually involves getting your heart rate up to about 60% of its maximum rate. Your maximum rate can be calculated by subtracting your age from 220. However, cardiac exercise is achieved at about 80% of your maximum rate. It is at this level that you should exercise to achieve maximum benefit with respect to your blood pressure. Most health clubs have exercise machines with computers that will calculate this for you after you input your age. If you don't belong to a gym, or can't afford to, practice checking your carotid pulse (by putting your index and middle finger on your neck just under the outside portion of you jaw near your windpipe) and count it for 15 seconds. Multiply by 4 and that's your pulse. Find an exercise you like and check your pulse every so often to see if you're at your goal of 80%. Continue with exercising every other day at this level. Start slow with this more strenuous activity and work your way up so as to avoid injury. If you have the means, a personal trainer can help you tremendously as well.

If you can, buy a home BP monitor (at walgreens, Rite Aid, etc...) and check your blood pressure twice a day at the same time. Record these numbers and see if you notice an improvement. Don't give up too soon as some individuals respond slower than others.

Other options to consider in addition to exercise include: meditation, increased sleep time, finding ways to decrease stress in your life, acupuncture...

Give this a try and see how it goes. Before you start, however, contact your doctor and let them know about your plans.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Light exercise is good - walking 30 mins perhaps even every day has lots of empirical evidence. (1)

The use of garlic supplements also has some evidence but should only be undertaken after being discussed with your GP as there might be interactions with your meds.

And of course reducing dietary sodium intake, below 3000mg/day (2)

I guess you aren't going to smoke or drink a lot of alcohol :)

Answer 3

If you would like to keep your blood pressure in the normal limits and prevent from possibly having more heath issues, I would suggest a natural product by the name of Bios Life. You can find out more information at www.bioslife.com/jessicareyes. It is a wonderful product that has helped me and my family as well as many others.

Answer 4

hypertension is a disease that MUST be moniterd or measured regularly, if ur blood pressure is still high then we must look for another medicine that would be more effective or use but as a trial only some natural herbs as HIBISCUS which is a powerful herb for lowering blood pressure u must care of ur blood pressure as it is a serious disease,God bless u.

Answer 5

Stick to your meds, if you leave them your blood pressure will rise.

Stick to your DIETARY APPROACHES TO STOP HYPERTENSION. This is sometimes known as DASH diet. Following it will avoid the blood pressure to increase. It includes low fat and low sodium. Here is an explanation on how to follow it.
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/Tips-for-following-the-Dietary-Approaches-to-Stop-Hypertension-DASH-diet

Keep your stress to the minimum, take your job with peace.

Do some relaxation exercises.

Answer 6

reduce salt---no joke, you need to pike food with lemon juice, and salt alternatives---after a while, you can immediately detect salt in foods. Also eat whole grain bread, cut out fats meaning chips crackers, hard cheese. walk and no sodas not esp diet soda. stay away from prepared food, cake mixes, pillbury rolls. Its well worth it to make changes---I finally did.

Answer 7

Maube try yoga? And try to walk fast for 20 minutes every day.

Answer 8

take 1/4 tsp of unrefined sea salt in water a day for a month. and it will be gone.

Answer 9

Don't drink too much coffee, and eat a lot of oatmeal\\

the kind you cook for five minutes.

Answer 10

just avoid salty food mostly, also know that stress is a bad thing