Vegetarian = Low Blood Pressure?

Question

Could someone point me towards some good research regarding whether going vegetarian will help lower blood pressure? Or could someone share their personal experience? My blood pressure is dangerously high, and since I am starting to like meat less and less anyway, I think it would be a good option for me to maybe go all veggie. Thanks!

By the way, I am exercising and have been for awhile, but it doesn't seem to be helping. My entire family has blood pressure issues, so I think I'm pretty much destined to have high BP as well.

Answer 1

I'm sorry I don't have research, all I have is an anecdote.

When I was an omni, I always had normal blood pressure--systole between 110 and 114, and diastole between 80 and 85. I've been veg since January of 2002 and vegan much of that time. The past few times I've been to the doctor, I've had a BP in the area of 90/62.

And I am overweight.

Watch your salt intake, exercise (even if it's just walking half an hour every day), eat your fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, and grains, and that might help. I also use Herbamare seasoning on my food.

If you've stopped liking meat (and I started losing my taste for it a few years before I went veg), you may as well give vegetarianism a try.

Answer 2

Done right, a vegan or vegetarian diet can be a healthy way to live but I'm not sure that alone will help with blood pressure.

Before becoming a strict vegetarian almost 12 years ago, I kept a very low sodium diet. This was by choice because I did not like the taste of salt when I was younger.

After several years of keeping the majority of salt out of my diet, my doctor became concerned that my blood pressure was teetering on the low side. She told me to increase the salt content in my food a bit and that should correct the problem.

I started to add sea salt to my food a bit at a time and my blood pressure has been normal ever since.

If you are looking to lower your blood pressure, try reducing the amount of sodium in your food. For example, you can use a small amount of high quality sea salt which has a "saltier" taste....so a bit goes a long way. Another idea is to adopt the Greek way of cooking. Many Greek dishes use fresh lemon juice in place of salt...plus eating Greek meals are just darn tasty!

I hope that helps.

Answer 3

To tell you the truth , my daughter has been a vegetarian for a number of years and she has very low blood pressure to the point where I was very concerned about her. Her Dr. however said that it was fine. Over the last couple of years when she became pregnant for my grandson she once again started eating meat her blood pressure came back within normal range. So I do believe that being a vegetarian contributed to her low b/p. Good Luck see a nutrients first.

Answer 4

Privit, Natasha

To lower blood pressure, its a good idea to lose extra weight. If you are over weight this is really a good idea. Also walking, helps, try walking or exercising 30 minutes each day. This will also help. Of course see your doctor, and take the medication that he gives you. This is very important.

Answer 5

Not pure vegan no but I would happily go mostly vegetarian. Unfortunately I am required to eat a certain amount of protein because I'm on a special medical diet. I can't have protein powders or vegetable source protein.

Answer 6

vegetarian blood pressure

Answer 7

High blood Presure is scaryyyyy.
Here is an article by Dr. John McDougall
http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_highbloodpressure.html
He has a free newsletter & the archives for health info is wonderful.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/index.html
Another super site is:
http://www.hacres.com/home/home.asp
There are some amazing Healing happening when a serious Diet change occurs. Be apart of it.
Slainté (to your health)