High Blood Pressure: How to Lower it Through Lifestyle Changes

This blog post is on my personal experience with an important topic: high blood pressure - what is called the “silent killer,” because it often has no symptoms. Recommendations on managing it are given at the bottom of the blog post.

An Unexpected Discovery

Last week I was at the dentist’s office, and had a routine check of my blood pressure, which was about 144/90, which is stage 2 hypertension (normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80). I do not remember having high blood pressure issues, so a couple of days later, I had my dad check it again (I was staying at my parents’ house, and he had a blood pressure monitor). My blood pressure was at about the same level. My father explained to me that it could be due to dietary issues, especially high sodium, and that I also had a family history of high blood pressure issues. I decided to confront the issue head-on, by what I could control, in reviewing my diet for sodium intake. What I found surprised and worried me.

My Diet Review

The American Heart Association recommends a daily limit of 2,300 mg of sodium or less, toward an “ideal limit of less than 1500 mg.” I looked online at the restaurant meals that I had been having, and each one of them made up about over 2/3 of that amount, in just one meal. On top of that, I looked at the items in my refrigerator and pantry, with processed plant-based meats (I’m a vegetarian) averaging over 1/3, and other items, like healthy greek yogurts, beans, cottage cheese, and low-sodium V8, adding up to about 2/3 of the recommended limit.

My Solution

So over the past several days, I have cut my sodium intake to about the 1,500 mg, by limiting my diet to the healthy items like those listed above, as well as fruit smoothies, and purchased lower sodium processed plant-based meats. I have only been to a restaurant once, and had vegetable soup (though, that might have been high in sodium, as soups commonly are). I have also done a lot of walking, which, like other exercise, is helpful in lowering blood pressure.

Personal Results

As of the last couple of days, my blood pressure has lowered to “elevated”, about 120-130/ 77-80 ( I purchased a blood pressure monitor, and have checked it regularly), so I feel much better about it, though I still have progress to make.

Recommendations

Here are my recommendations, based on my experience (check the American Heart Association website, and other medical authority websites, first):

• Check with your doctor

If you check your blood pressure, and it is at a high level, make sure to check with your doctor as soon as possible. They may tell you to make similar changes, and they may also prescribe blood pressure medication for you to take. I communicated with my doctor, and have an appointment with him next week, to discuss this issue. If you have serious symptoms, with blood pressure over 180/120, call 911. (American Heart Association)

Discuss long-term lifestyle changes that you can make with your doctor, as managing your blood pressure is a lifetime exercise, and not a short-term trend, which is what this website promotes.

• Purchase a blood pressure monitor (my monitor cost only $40)

Check it regularly, especially if you have issues. Blood pressure can fluctuate, so try to take an average throughout the day, over time. Make sure to check it as soon as possible - I would never have known I had high blood pressure, possibly until I had serious symptoms, if I had not had it checked. If you cannot purchase a monitor, you can easily check it for free at your local CVS or Walgreen’s, where they usually have monitors located near the pharmacy.

• Be aware of high sodium content in restaurant foods

Even if they seem “healthy.” Make sure to ask for low-sodium options, such as limiting salt, seasonings, and sauces.

• Watch for high sodium content in processed meats and other processed foods

Look for those with lower sodium content, or other options.

• Even if foods are low fat, does not necessarily mean they are low sodium.

  I normally eat low fat foods, and assumed they were also low sodium, but, obviously, I was wrong.

• Exercise regularly

Try to be active, and walk, workout, and do other exercise on a daily basis. This can also help manage your blood pressure.

I sincerely apologize for not covering this better in my health topics, but, as you can tell, I was not very aware of it, myself. I hope that you can learn from my experience, and benefit from it, in helping you maintain a long-term healthy lifestyle.