High Blood Pressure Support Group

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition wherein the blood pressure is chronically elevated. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure. Doctors recommend weight loss and regular exercise as the first steps in treating mild to moderate...

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Heart, Blood & Circulation
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Food sensitivities and HBP

lizgirl
lizgirl
Especially if you are young and your health is good you might want to look into any kinds of foods making your blood pressure high. This happens with a food sensitivity. I developed high blood pressure when I had anxiety attacks. Later suffering from Chronic Fatigue I found many foods that increased my blood pressure. My brother-in-law had terrible readings and it was contributed to him eating fresh fruit. He was sensitive to fresh fruit but he could eat cooked fruit.

I joined this group because my husband is suffering from high blood pressure and will need medication. We have tried alternative therapies and they seemed to help a little. Now that he is 50 the supplements don't seem to make a difference. What puzzles me is that sometimes he get a very normal reading and then the next day the reading is high and won't come down much. I don't understand the swing, is this what happens?
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have had the ups and downs you speak of. Has long has iy is not to high it is normal to get different reading. If you go to a store or somewhere to check it just the stress can raise it. My last vist to the hospital my BP was high so they waited 10 mins and checked again usually it goes down but this time it didn't and it wasn't under control. I was on a medication I now take another one too plus a anxeity pill I am doing better not perfect. I am suposed to check it twice a week. I think drinking water helps so you don't get dehydrated. Good luck
deleted_user
deleted_user
well, everybody, even if they are considered healthy and normal, their blood pressure keep on changing everytime. It fluctuates within one day also.

What are the alternative therapies you have tried?
lizgirl
lizgirl
My husband reduced salt drastically in his diet with no change. During the summer his BP seemed better because of the fruit he was eating I think. Favorite strawberries. We tried to increase potassium foods recently and didn't see a change. He was taking some supplements some years ago hoping it would help control the BP. Garlic didn't do a thing. Hawthorne helped a little, but isn't helping now. I forget what else he tried. However I know one of his problems right now is his weight. He began a medication and getting better readings. But his left arm reading is still too much higher than his right arm reading. I think he is in store for a higher dose of medication. At his age he must drop the weight.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Maybe you can consider a combination of herbs, such as hawthorn + honeysuckle flower.

Banana is a good choice for increase potassium intake. Besides of salt, avoid food with sodium such as cheese, sausage will help.

Do you have more information about the exact blood pressure, and also the blood cholesterol level?

How much difference between the left arm and right arm reading?

And remember, psychological feelings will alter the blood pressure reading very much.
lizgirl
lizgirl
His cholesterol is normal, but here is an example of the blood pressure readings.
Left arm 152/80 Right arm 135/80
Left arm 157/94 Right arm 138/84
Doctor mentioned that the different readings between the two arms should be on 10 point difference. I am not sure what else this might indicate.
deleted_user
deleted_user
The difference of blood pressure between arms can caused by many reasons, for example, vascular surgery, injury, atherosclerosis...etc (these factors affect locally the elasticity of blood vessel, the diameter of the blood vessel thus makes the blood pressure difference)

for this problem, consult your doctor for the reason is a better.

by the way
is your husband's work stressful?
lizgirl
lizgirl
He has been stressing himself out lately needlessly. So I don't know if some of his problems is connected with anxiety or not. He was on vacation last week and still got high readings.
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