Oh i will try that, i know living here in town and working a desk job i don't get much exercise, the treadmill is a good coat rack lol, I guess i need to be more active, my DW does cook healthy for us and we don't go out and eat, i even take my lunch to work. Once we get to our homestead, around the 1st of march and start working it i may try to go off the meds and have her check my bp and see what it does, i don't know if its work stress or what and yes i sure can stand to lose several pounds too. I have noticed that the older i get it seems harder to lose weight, i will be 52 in april.
if it is a smaller case of high BP truly good chance losing weight will help that number pressure lower ALOT. Many lose weight and get off meds fast. Be sure not to add tons of stress with the new move
but others do have to be on meds regardless of what they do. My friend was 42 when she has a major stroke. High BP was in her family.
I took my BP 3 to 5 times a day, monitering my activities so I'd have something to compare it to. I did this for a week.
Then I started the vinegar and took my BP at the same time, trying to stay with the same activities as before. I noticed some results pretty fast. YMMV
I started with a bottle of Braggs, then used it to start my own vinegar. MUCH better! Then someone posted how to make Switchel, and that made it tons easier to get it swallowed!
Losing weight.....exercise...preferably something aerobic like walking. Foods would anything that is a natural diuretic...like cucumbers, celery, ..etc. Google for all of those. Just getting to the new place should help tremendously! We have no bills...well, loans, mortgages, etc....just the electric and internet,..and DH cell plans. Gas for vehicles and food. That has relieved so much stress for him. I have had no debt since 2002. Just the monthly utilities.
I know I am not much help..we are all getting older. I reach 50 in March. Where did the time go? I have developed my own health issues due to being a tad overweight...short,fat, white chick here. Peri-menopausal..and all the fun stuff. DH is 55....will be 56 in Sept.
Anyway...DH has to take the B/P meds himself. Hypertension is hereditary in his family. So, we deal with it anyway. I do know your pain though about taking meds. I have only ever took aspirin till I was 40. Then, my past 10 yrs have been making it necessary I take ibuprofen and aleve. Then, a week and a half ago, I get a kidney stone. Not good. I have trouble swallowing pills...and just about choke every time. I got 4 Rx with this ER trip. So, I am changing some things in my diet etc. Pushing fluid intake, taking 2 TB olive oil per day, not eating like DH...cutting way back on processed meats etc. I had tried to accomodate him, and eat like he does. He has severe allergies and can't eat certain things. Well, that came back and bit me in the but I think.
Anyhoo...hypertension seems to be just part of growing older. Makes it more of a challenge to lose weight etc. Depending on why you have it.....will determine if you can control it by yourself with lifestyle changes..or if you still have to take meds. You can try, is all I would say. And, run it by your Dr first. Your Dr should tell you why you are having hypertension......and if you can control it yourself.
Oh yeah...what marianne said. Monitor your B/P at home. Write it down and keep a log. Date/time/bp & P/weight. Keep it in your computer, and if you need to go to Dr, print it up and take to them.
As far as monitoring BP at home, make sure you're monitoring it at the exact same time each day. If you want to monitor it three times a day, that's great, however make sure it's at the same time. Say once as soon as you wake up (should be your lowest reading), After dinner and before bed or whatever works for you.
Exercise is a must. Age doesn't necessarily mean HTN, in fact, aging generally LOWERS the BP, unless there are issues causing hypertension. Diuretic foods may not be a great idea. It depends on what the cause of the HTN is to be honest. Diuretics may drop blood pressure, but may have other, way more serious ramifications. :/
Actually, sometimes high blood pressure can be a sign of dehydration. Very few people drink as much water as they really should (1/2 oz per pound of body weight). Thirst is NOT a reliable indicator of dehydration. If you aren't getting enough water, the blood literally gets thicker, which means the heart has to work harder to pump it.
Hybiscus tea.....recently read that in one of these farm magazines I get.
I have been doing a little self-directed studying on the subject of healing herbs lately. Actually I am reading the books as though they were my school textbooks and trying to learn whatever each chapter has to offer me.
Also thinking about going for a certification.
What some of the older, fathers of herbology have passed on is this basic idea: symptoms can be treated but there is still an underlying problem which is still causing the symptom. The best approach in treating a patient is that the person properly feeds themself, and takes certain beneficial herbs through their life, with no apparent changes in their life at all. In other words, a healthy person that remains healthy.
I want to know how to help different people, but I am feeling that if I go as close to the total holistic approach.....more work, less remote control, more water, less sugars, eat what I raise and keep as happy as possible....my health would improve also.