After having a great bloodwork report half a yr ago, I am now experiencing high blood pressure! I can feel it....like a surging....a tingling...and I measured it at a drug store and it was 149/91.....a number I haven't seen before! I need help! I do not have Dr. D's cardio book, but if there is a supplement I can go get, culd you guys let me know? I read something about cordyceps helping....and I bought niacinimide, which I am not sure helps high BP or not......

Celery?

interesting, Mark....

This isn't something you normally struggle with?  

Hmm..  How's your water intake?  Stress level.  Are you fighting anything?   Are you dehydrated (hot out lately).  And what about the thyroid?  

no, I have almost always had 120/80.......of course thats only once a yr....so this one threw me (took it at drugstore, so doc doesn't know yet.....) just looking for how people here bring it down.

Jayneeo,

I second JJR, has anything changed lately that could be contributing, i know it is warming up here!.  I would definitely see your doctor to see if it could be something else that's causing it.  I'm currently taking a diuretic for my HBP.  I just found out that one of depression meds could be causing it, but as my psychiatrist likes to point out it could be my weight to.  I told him that i've read that my depression meds. could cause weight gain and make it hard to lose weight, he seems to want to just dismiss what i say like i'm blaming the meds.!.  I'm not putting all the blame on the meds. but think they are a contributing factor to my weight and i know one causes HBP.  I think you would have to get a few consecutive HBP readings in a certain amount of time before you are considered to have HBP.  So it could just be a one time thing or something else may be contributing to it (like my meds. do for me).

I'll try to get back to you asap! with supplement recommendations.  In the meantime some that may help are fish oil and ceylon cinnamon supplements.

Mickey  

BTW,  I have the Cardio Book but am getting ready to go dog sit for the weekend so don't have time to look at it right now.  When i get a chance in the next couple of days i'll take a look at it and see what it say's about supplements.

Wow, thanks, Mickey! As a matter of fact I have been experiencing a high level of anxiety recently, for various personal reasons...(the usual, relationship, mother's cancer,etc.) and now I wonder which came first, but I definitely want to keep my bp normal if possible. I have been taking Ambien at night to sleep, an attempt get some sleep, and do intend to quit when I can get a grip!!

My bp is usually low.  But when I went to go get the cap on my tooth the other day, it was 155/110 while I was sitting in the chair.  Because 3 weeks earlier when I was there, I ended up in the ER from the drugs dropping my BP danger low.  But I didn't worry about the high bp in the chair.  When I got home and checked it, despite it being a stressful day for me, it was back down to normal 95/70.  If you are dealing with anxiety, your BP can go up.  Plus, when you took it, were you resting, sitting nice, thinking good thoughts?  Or were you rushing around with lots to do?  Did you just eat?  I think 149/91 isn't anything to get too excited about if you're stressed and what not.  It might make sense to get a home bp checker and see what it's like after you've relaxed and sat for a bit.  If you find it is continuing to be high, start looking at things that could cause it that may be different in your life (and maybe consulting a doctor is appropriate.  Although the only thing they'll know to do is put you on a drug, so if you don't like that plan, see if you can figure out what's triggering it.  Just my humble opinion.  Unless you're seeing a holistic MD or ND, or something like that).  

I would suspect any drug taken on a regular basis could change your BP.  But I don't know.  I don't have a lot of experience there.  I think even certain supplements or any kind of input, dietary or not, will have an effect.  But I also know that if you get dehydrated, your BP can go up.  So, if it's been hot, and you haven't been drinking as much water as you might should be, that could be something.  I'm sure you'll figure it out.  I do take a teaspoon of cod liver oil every day and I'm sure it doesn't hurt.  Among other things.

Thank you, JJR! A nice reality check to put it in perspective! I'd love to see a naturopath, but can't necessarily afford it.....

Jayneeo,

I finally got a change to look at my cardiovascular book.  The supplements it recommends for hypertension control for an "O" are: dandelion (taraxacum officinale) 150 mg, twice daily; coleus (coleus forskohlii) standardized extract, 125 mg, once daily; magnesium 500 mg, twice daily.

Hope this helps!  

Just wondering if a few or a few more constitutionals could help with the BP and the stress?

Hawthorn.

Stress and anxiety is a big factor with higher BP. Anything that would be like doing meditation would help, Deep slow breathing, walks in nature, and try to do whatever you pick daily.  And keep in mind BP does go up and down even in the same day.  I was like you always had low, and during an anxious period it went up. I've been doing mindfulness meditation and like activities and it helps a lot.

Micky, Lin, Andrea, Vegan Joe, thanks so much!
I appreciate you looking in the book, Mickey....I will take those.
And hawthorne, and walking, and meditation, which helps a lot, but at times is hard to do. (when anxious, but thats when needed...)

I was going to say ginger might help too.  It's anti inflammatory and thins your blood.  But you O's don't usually have a problem with thicker blood, so..  It might not be the best thing for you.

You probably just need a good rest.  

Jayneeo, high blood pressure is nothing to mess around with.  When left uncontrolled, it can cause serious, permanent heart issues and stroke.  I think you should go to your doctor and have them take it there.  Some doctors' offices have a free, once a week blood pressure check.  You need to get it checked and re-checked to see a pattern to see if you are developing HBP.  It is not unusual for this to happen as people age.

One of the things I have heard about is Hibiscus tea.  Here are a couple of links that you can read about the benefits of Hibiscus Tea for high blood pressure.  I was in the habit of drinking it and then went on vacation and forgot to start back up.  This is a good reminder for me to get back to the Hibiscus tea.  

http://www.bastyrcenter.org/content/view/489/

http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20081110/hibiscus-tea-may-cut-blood-pressure

I am 53 and am currently on a diuretic for my blood pressure.  It was high at my appointment in September 2010 and my doctor continued to monitor it.  Finally it hit 154/100   after about six months of monitoring and she said I needed to do something.  I monitor it fairly regularly.  The thing that has really helped to lower mine is exercise.  I am a tiny, thin person, so mine is not weight related.  It runs in my family.  Do you have a family history of high blood pressure?

Also, be sure that when you get your blood pressure taken that your arm is totally loose and let the nurse/doctor hold the entire weight of your arm.  In other words, don't stiffen your arm and try to hold the weight.  This can give a false high reading.

Thanks JJR and Patty!
HBP does run in my family.....and I could stand to lose some more weight, though I am 12 lbs down from recently. I could lose another 10-15.....
I just had bloodwork done this fall/winter and it was perfect, but....anything can change....
I'm going to doc today to get a reading.

Do you listen to black metal. When my son puts that stuff on, my blood pressure automatically rises. Not a word of a lie. It rips at my soul.

oh my....I couldn't listen to it...it could send me thru the ceiling, but I know how it is when you have kids...!

Princess Mia, Good point on background music.

Jayneeo,
I think if you can recognise anything at all that adds to your stress, could be watching the news, and to see what you can reduce or eliminate.

  I have learned through doing meditation that when I get anxious like all  humans i try to push it away, but if I can remember to just say/think in my head something like 'okay I'm feeling anxious but it is just a temporary state' and try to think of the anxiety as an object that will move on it really helps.
And most of all slow deep breaths and focus on your breath, as that will take you away from anxiety thoughts.....it helps me.
all the best, Lin
Lin

Thanks, Lin, deep, slow breaths help. well I had one high reading then yesterday back to an exellent one, so maybe these kinds of things are helping, as I have taken everyone's advise.

Yay!!!

Quoted from 10809

Do you listen to black metal. When my son puts that stuff on, my blood pressure automatically rises. Not a word of a lie. It rips at my soul.

I hope I do not hijack this thread.

My son was in a death metal band for his four years of high school.  Once you learn to understand the music and the rythyms, it is really good!  I don't love all metal, but I have learned that metal is a very complicated type of music.     I like metal.

It is important not to diminish a particular type of music until you understand what the artists are trying to convey.  For instance, my son was the base player for his band.  Did you know that metal music requires a five string base as opposed to a typical four string base?  This means that the base player is generally considered a second guitarist, but just playing on a lower note, and the base for metal is much more complicated than base for rock or other types of music.

While metal is not my favorite type of music, my son and his band practiced at our house for their four years of high school.  I got to know all the boys, knew where they were and what they were doing, so those four years helped me to develop an appreciation of metal through association with my son and his friends!  Now they are all in college and I miss the weekly rehearsals  

One size fits NONE!!!  

Patty, I have always believed that every type of music had its excellent examples. Without exeption.
I know nothing aobut death metal music, but i still believe it has its excellent exemplars. But when you don't understand a type of music at all, often it just jangles the mind.....I hate rap, but I know it can be fabulous when its done really well......I'm just too old to relate. Thanks for your contribution...and I welcome this topic on this thread.

Exercise???? When Dr. D says a Gatherers are exercise challenged... No matter how many times they read it is good for them in high doses, they just do not do it - even when being strict with food. I think there is a natural mental block against it that literally prevents them from even interpreting it when read  . Lifestyle, not just food.