Blood Pressure

Yes please Galen.

Cher. I have had high blood pressure since my twenties. I was told by a Spanish a and e consultant I was killing myself because of stress. It's all the adrenaline rushes. Not good for the body. He also said lifestyle only accounts for a small percentage of bad health. It's in the genes. My weight has mostly been average. Never smoked and hardly drink. I have always exercised. I hope this helps. X

Erm! Would you accept my qualifications if I commented? I'm MB.,Ch.B?

If you've been checking out my qualifications in detail you'll probably also have figured out that they equip me more than adequately to assess and critique scientific evidence. Although I'll grant you I was not using scientific terminology above.

Maybe you should more concerned about the qualifications of people who recommend quack remedies for medical conditions because they have read it somewhere on the Internet.

Or perhaps simply make it clear you are just expressing an opinion.

Who mentioned wonder food? Try to stick to what was actually said please.

You are not qualified to dictate to others as you habitually do. Some people might not know this.

Anya I'll pontificate if I like. Freedom of speech.
Of course you can damage your health by eating crap.
But once you have developed a disease there is no evidence that any wonder foods will make it go away (with some famous exceptions like scurvy).
Ask any NHS dietician they'll agree with me. Ask a naturopath or similar and they will disagree with me. But they have no decent scientific evidence to support their views.

Advice from the experts

I am sure it is, but as the current measurement, whatever it may be, has not caused my medical practice any concern, and they have expressed concern in the past when the figures were dodgy, why should I worry about it?

M0nica - it is the diastolic (lower) figure that is more important

With respect Jess that's .rubbish not true. What we put in our mouths can cause all sorts of problems health wise. If we stuff ourselves with sugars, alcohol, and so on our health suffers accordingly.

If, on the other hand, we chose a diet (in the widest sense of the word) which contains a high proportion of foods which are accepted as 'healthy' (again in the widest sense of the word) then our health can improve and certain conditions can disappear.

I do wish you'd stop pontificating as if you had some medical or other qualification which would qualify you to speak with any authority on the subject.

Charleygirl. My blood pressure is checked at the surgery every year and no medical professional has ever commented on it adversely, except the year it seemed to be creeping up around 140. I always ask what it is, and once I know it is still well clear of 140 I stop listening.

I trust my GP. The last time I took some mildly concerning symptoms to her I was subject to a battery of tests which discovered that I had several minor symptomless medical conditions that could not be treated, needed no medication and that I had probably had for decades. The tests shed no light on the original symptoms, they disappeared in the several months all the tests took. The only good thing to come out of it was that I get invited to the surgery once a year to see the nurse and have my blood pressure tested and blood and urine samples taken and if they show anything to worry about I am confident they will contact me.

I am in good health, why neurose about the fine detail of it?

dont forget 'white coat syndrome' so bp taken quietly at home 2 or three times in succession will give a more accurate reading. I once did a 24 home monitor at GPs request - he wanted to know why at 8.30am it had gone off the scale (I was bicycling up a very steep hill at the time!) I dread to think what he thought I had been doing. With medication I am 118/70 at the moment with 67bpm heart rate - tho at least 2 stone overweight. Dry January for me. PS 140/90 seems very high.

They keep moving the goalposts don't they? I read somewhere last week that the ideal is 140/90. If my bottom figure was 90 I would consider this far too high, but apparently it is now OK. I have been on medication for BP for about 15 years and so have my three sisters and my brother. I am a non-smoker and not overweight. When I was put on medication, my BP reading was through the roof (something like 210/108) and I lived to tell the tale. I monitor it at home now and it is usually OK.

People can dabble in beetroot and all sorts of home remedies for hypertension but I really must object to the claim that blueberries 'do help to reduce blood pressure'.

Where is the evidence for this?

Foods do not reduce blood pressure or cure any medical conditions. There's a major cottage industry that promotes this idea. But it's rubbish.
Lack of certain nutrients can contribute to ill health e.g. vitamin deficiencies. But believing that food is medicine is a bit like believing that putting more oil in the car will repair mechanical parts.
And if your doctor recommends taking pills for blood pressure, take their advice. And don't combine them with grapefruit - particularly the juice - as that can interact harmfully.

cher53, you don't have to go for further tests if you choose not to.

My blood pressure is borderline high too, or it was last time I was measuring it regularly so as to get an average reading for my GP (about a year ago, I think). GP talked about blood pressure medication and so on.

Then I said: I've never smoked; I've never been overweight; there is no family history of heart disease; I must be low risk. GP agreed.

So, I continued, reducing my already low risk of health complications caused by borderline high blood pressure by a little bit more to make it a very slightly lower low risk, is a bit pointless. Besides, as you know, I'm in pain all the time. Won't that push up my blood pressure?

GP hasn't said another word about it.

I'm not advising you, just telling a story. I think we overtreat risk. I'm all for treating actuall health problems and for vaccinations to prevent diseases, but reducing small risks to slightly smaller risks seems a bit daft to me.

Costly too.

MOnica I hate to tell you but you must keep a beady eye on the diastolic or lower number- 80+ would freak me out.

Sorry links should have been
1) www.resperate.co.uk/

2) www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094659/Resperate-The-7-headset-blood-pressure-low-help-thousands-patients.html

I was in a similar situation about 10 years ago. I looked around and found a device called a Resperator [www.resperate.co.uk/]. It uses a headset and a belt with a breathing regulator and a machine that helps you slow down your breathing. You use it for 15 minutes everyday to start with and then 3 or 4 days a week. It worked for me. My highest blood pressure measurement has never since exceeded 130 and is usually lower. I cannot remember the lower measuremnt, but I think it was 80 something.

A few years later I read that it had been approved for use in the NHS
[www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094659/Resperate-The-7-headset-blood-pressure-low-help-thousands-patients.html].

I am not overweight and am physically active and eat a sensible diet so all the other parameters were in my favour.

Apparently beetroot is a miracle cure.....if only I liked it!

My family history is not good with regards to heart disease/blood pressure - mother's first heart attack was as age 53, father had one at 69, both grandfathers had them as well as strokes.

As a non-smoker of low to normal weight with healthy eating habits I found my blood pressure creeping up when I was 50. As I have a very sedentary (desk-bound) job I started going for a brisk 30-minute walk every evening, religously, no excuses, and by brisk walk I mean the sort that makes you breathe hard and sweat. My blood pressure is now that of a 20-year-old and interestingly I notice it creeping up again on the rare occasions that I do not get the time to walk.

So I agree, it's lifestyle to a large extent. Use it or lose it, and I really enjoy my walk now. It clears the head at the end of the day.

I agree Alea and I've made avoiding the political thread my main New Years Resolution!!!
Seriously, high blood pressure does run in families. Unfortunately my granny, mother, and one maternal uncle died young as the result of this silent killer, but luckily for me, vigilance from the age of 40 picked up this problem when it first raised its ugly head, so for the past 20 years I've been on medication, and have been ok. Do take it seriously as it can be a killer if neglected. Sorry, don't want to appear bossy, but heart problems and stroke are just horrible.

I agree somebody mentioned blueberries they do help reduce blood pressure plus orange juice I am trying my best to not take medication and so far eating more fruit has helped saw a nurse last week and was so happy as my BP is normal plus I walk for half an hour every day which I think helps plus I don't add salt to cooking .....