Blood Pressure

Thank you to everyone here. This has come right out of the blue. To my knowledge no one in my family has high blood pressure. I have never smoked, drink moderately and in fact have reduced my alcohol intake greatly for the last few years. I do not add salt to my food.

I am grateful for everyone who replied. Being honest with myself the weight needs to be lost. As for being more active, if the godawful weather would ease up I go for long walks, often with grandchild, at times alone. I take it weight and exercise are the biggest factors. I've been needing to address my weight for a long, long time. Perhaps this is the thing that will make me do it.

I told the nurse I had a few bouts of dizziness and headaches, the trouble is for ages this was all 'menopause'. The only reason the nurse took my blood pressure was when I got the flu jab, she noticed my blood pressure had not been taken for a while. When she took it my blood pressure was up. It 's not up by much - thank goodness. I really want to get it down though. Thank you for your replies, but if I am honest it is probably the weight which is going to be damn difficult as I have under-active thyroid trouble. Do these medical issues never end?

Blueberries are a mild diuretic, so help to lower blood pressure.

I don't smoke, drink once in a blue moon, have never used salt, practically lived on salads but still I have high BP. I also played badminton until I was 61.

At the end of the day (sorry to those whose blood pressure will rise just seeing this phrase)..

your genes are a massive element in BP- as well as life-style. OH comes from a lonf string of parents/grand-parents and sibblings with high BP- and I come from a long-string of the above who have low BP. For OH, taking medication is just a must despite a very healthy life-style- he has never smoked and never drank to excess and has always been very active- playing squash twice a week until recently, walking, skiing, etc.

Lifestyle and food and abstention from smoking and too much drinking can seriously help- but your genes cannot be denied.

I have too a recaltcitrant chair

I think avoiding the political threads on GN might qualify as a recommended course of action

Ive told my chair to take more exercise, but it just stays there and my bp stays the same

Cher53 with my advice you will be heading for a convent!

Seriously reducing your salt intake is high on the list. Also not everybody can go for a brisk walk but chair exercises are the next best thing.

Lots and lots of links on the internet if you google something like

foods to lower blood pressure

like this one:

www.joybauer.com/high-blood-pressure/best-foods-for-high-blood-pressure.aspx

I am overweight and am diabetic, but am very lucky to have genetically low BP and low cholesterol.

Cinnamon can help too I believe.

charleygirl has it exactly. I was told the equation but its something like for one pound of weight lost you reduce the B/P by so many points. Mine always drops nicely when I lose weight sadly never enough to come off the drugs but I have a long term condition.

So I'm doomed.

The best ways are to get rid of excess weight, quit smoking, reduce your sodium intake, be more active, reduce alcohol.

It can be a tall order but is achievable. Good luck.