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How To Keep Blood Pressure Under Control?

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Posted on Tue, 21 Oct 2014
Question: Hi. What are some ways to manage blood pressure, its not at dangerous levels, just higher than I'm comfortable with. I dont think I need medication at this stage, but would like some lifestyle,and diet advice, and herbal supplements, that might be beneficial.
Thank you. I'm not overweight, I dont eat red meat, only fish. I have a little dairy, and soy, I use olive oil, coconut, flax and sometimes sesame, and I take fish oil. I eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, and a small amount of tea, coffee and red wine each day.
I do exercise, weights, and some cardio and metabolic, daily

Hope you can help. I am 57, female. XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
You're doing great!

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX

It seems that you're already doing the best you could do for your health. Daily exercise is great. Eating fish, fruits, olive oil, fish oil, vegetables is great. If you were in my office I would have asked you also whether you smoke or not (I'm sure you don't!) and if you have diabetes.

You haven't mentioned your blood pressure and other significant parameters like your total and high-density cholesterol. These are important parameters for a doctor to calculate your risk score for cardiovascular events. If these parameters are good then even you have a blood pressure as high as 160/100mmHg you can give a try for a while to non-drug approaches.

I'll summarize my usual recommendations to my hypertensive patients.
- salt restriction: you shouldn't make salty food and you should not add extra salt after cooking. Avoid snacks that have too much hidden salt (always read the ingredients list). Since you eat dairy, you should be careful with the cheese because it contains a lot of salt too. Eating out means getting a lot of salt.
- regular exercise: either daily (best) or every other day. Aerobic is the best but resistance exercise with light weights is also helpful.
- Red meat: every 7-10 days.
- Poultry: 2-3 meals a week
- Fish: eat as many times as you like!
- Olive oil: this is the best you could use! Just don't fry it! It's healthier if you add it after the middle of your cooking session, so it's not getting overcooked.
- Eat a lot of fiber. Every meal should include a salad.
- Wine: a glass of wine is OK. It has pros and cons. One glass seems to have more pros than cons.

The rest that you do is just fine. One particular note about your weight. You mentioned you're not overweight. This is great. Weight gain brings along high cholesterol levels, less physical activity etc which all contribute to higher blood pressures. So you've got to keep your weight at a healthy range.

I do not recommend supplements to my patients (and to you) unless there is a reason for that. Some people may need supplements because they have medical conditions that impair nutrient absorption or because they take drugs. Since you have no apparent reason, I don't believe you should take any.

I hope I've given you some insight, although you seem to lead a healthy life already!

If you need further clarifications, I'll be glad to provide them for you.
Kind Regards!
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3814 Questions

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How To Keep Blood Pressure Under Control?

Brief Answer: You're doing great! Detailed Answer: Hello XXXXXXX It seems that you're already doing the best you could do for your health. Daily exercise is great. Eating fish, fruits, olive oil, fish oil, vegetables is great. If you were in my office I would have asked you also whether you smoke or not (I'm sure you don't!) and if you have diabetes. You haven't mentioned your blood pressure and other significant parameters like your total and high-density cholesterol. These are important parameters for a doctor to calculate your risk score for cardiovascular events. If these parameters are good then even you have a blood pressure as high as 160/100mmHg you can give a try for a while to non-drug approaches. I'll summarize my usual recommendations to my hypertensive patients. - salt restriction: you shouldn't make salty food and you should not add extra salt after cooking. Avoid snacks that have too much hidden salt (always read the ingredients list). Since you eat dairy, you should be careful with the cheese because it contains a lot of salt too. Eating out means getting a lot of salt. - regular exercise: either daily (best) or every other day. Aerobic is the best but resistance exercise with light weights is also helpful. - Red meat: every 7-10 days. - Poultry: 2-3 meals a week - Fish: eat as many times as you like! - Olive oil: this is the best you could use! Just don't fry it! It's healthier if you add it after the middle of your cooking session, so it's not getting overcooked. - Eat a lot of fiber. Every meal should include a salad. - Wine: a glass of wine is OK. It has pros and cons. One glass seems to have more pros than cons. The rest that you do is just fine. One particular note about your weight. You mentioned you're not overweight. This is great. Weight gain brings along high cholesterol levels, less physical activity etc which all contribute to higher blood pressures. So you've got to keep your weight at a healthy range. I do not recommend supplements to my patients (and to you) unless there is a reason for that. Some people may need supplements because they have medical conditions that impair nutrient absorption or because they take drugs. Since you have no apparent reason, I don't believe you should take any. I hope I've given you some insight, although you seem to lead a healthy life already! If you need further clarifications, I'll be glad to provide them for you. Kind Regards!