Blood pressure

[Doll]

I am 25 and suffering from high blood pressure. I have been taking tablets for 3 wks which were prescribed by my doctor but when I went for my latest checkup my blood pressure was still high so he's told me to keep taking tablets. Does anyone know if there is anything else that could help to bring my blood pressure down?

[netibiza]

No salt, no fried food  and cut down on the portions.You usually have to be on the tablets (are they beta blockers?) for life.  I know - I am also a patient.

[Doll]

My tablets are called 'Felendil' or another name for them is 'Felodipine'. Have had blood tests to see if they will show anything.

[Alixw]

Excercise!! If that's not for you, then just try walking a bit more than usual.

[Doll]

I was doing exercise twice a week but my instructor told me not to exercise until my blood pressure goes down.

[Scarlett]

Yoga is supposed to help. But also stop your salt and fatty/processed foods.

[netibiza]

Doll  walking half an hour a day would be very good for you.

[morg_monster]

i'm surprised your doctor didn't give you dietary advice. Though there are different reasons people can have high blood pressure. One of the good things about felodopine is that it is especially effective in people who find it hard to reduce sodium in their diet.
felodopine is a 'calcium channel' blocker rather than a beta-blocker
i guess you know this, but you aren't supposed to take them with food as that can interfere with absorption, which would mean little effect. also not with grapefruit juice!

(i read up on this when my grandmother was put on it a few months ago... not a medical geek (much))

[Doll]

Thankyou morg_monster as i didn't know any of this and wasn't told by my doctor. I did read the leaflet but maybe i didn't take it in properly.

[Litchick]

I just saw on the news the other night that two cloves of garlic a day will lower bp.  Also, doll, do you have a pet?  I have heard that having a pet (stroking, loving and caring for) will dramatically bring down blood pressure.

[blanx]

Don't know how true it is, but read an article that says use sesame oil in your cooking and for salad dressings etc.  Apparently in a trial EVERYONE with high b/p had their b/p lowered to some degree because of it.  Might be rubbish, but got to be worth a try.

Netibiza already mentioned salt.  Watch out for the hidden salt in foods.  Apart from the foods that are obviously salty (crisps etc.) most canned soups, some cereals (e.g. cornflakes) have more salt than seawater.

[netibiza]

I was told not to cook in oil or fat - to dry fry - and only to add oil after cooking and onto salads - Olive oil I was told is the best

[Grunty]

As others have said, your doctor is the peson to ask.  For another source, try the British Heart Foundation www.bhf.org.uk    They will send a pile of booklets which contain some things that your doctor might forget to mention.

[Marvin84]

Doll, my mum had high bp and found a naturapath who was also a GP (very hard to find) - there is something that they can give you which is classed as a poison, but you only take it once a week (its a brown liquid and you mix it with water)..... Sorry I can't give you more details, but I do know that her bp came down and stayed down for quite some time......

Hope that this helps a bit!! :-)