Lowering Blood Pressure

[Scarlett]

I think I have had high blood pressure for some time, but a visit from the paramedics yesterday confirmed it. I really don’t want to go onto drugs for life, so has anybody had any luck with lowering blood pressure through natural means?

[Bobbisox1]

Has your weight anything to do with your high BP ?

[Sqad]

I have nothing to offer this thread.

[Buenchico]

Lifestyle changes can help:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/prevention/

See also here:
https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/the-health-hub/conditions/heart-health/blood-pressure/5-ways-reduce-blood-pressure/

From a purely anecdotal standpoint, I check my blood pressure daily and I've found that drinking a few mugs of masala chai each day seems to lower my blood pressure but, if I drink more, the caffeine in chai tends to raise it.

[JimF]

If you smoke, stop immediately.

If you drink, halve the daily intake, and drink a pint of water every hour.

Walk a mile a day.

[ummmm]

I have really low blood pressure and have been advised to drink plenty of fluids to raise it.

[ummmm]

Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

[woofgang]

no one has mentioned stress?

[gness]

Have a look at drinking beetroot juice, Scarlett.

[Scarlett]

Interesting - thanks everyone. Sqad, is that because you think that the drugs are the best way to lower blood pressure?
Yes I do weigh too much and am working on it- have lost 4 stone since last year. No I don’t drink or smoke. Exercise is hard because I can’t walk/stand but I’m working on that too.

[jourdain2]

Mental state can have a lot to do with it. I am not particularly overweight (could do with losing about 10 lbs.), don't smoke and walk dog every day. Under stress my blood-pressure soars - and by stress I mean almost any unusual anxiety. I know because, following a recent op. and alarm about my pressures, I checked with my G.P., who wasn't concerned given my regular checks. Anyway I bought a wrist monitor and I can register as low as 110/52 and as high as 158/86 in the course of a normal day. Awaiting the op. I was somewhere about 198/98. Hope this helps.

[Mamyalynne]

By all means try other ways to reduce your BP Scarlett, but don't see taking medication as a failure.

[Vagus]

No, I’ve never tried to lower my blood pressure by natural means.
But I have been taking two small tablets everyday for the last 18 years, and will continue to do so, which keeps it very well controlled.
I’d rather that than suffer a stroke.

[Hopkirk]

I take a small blood pressure tablet every day (amlodipine).

It's no problem.

[Scarlett]

Jourdain- do the wrist monitors work? The arm ones don’t work on me, the home ones. I’ll get a wrist one if they’re reliable. Re. The drugs, my mum takes them and she has all sorts of aches and pains (I couldn’t deal with even more pain than EDS/spine)
But she also has to clear her throat CONSTANTLY. Like, every few words. It’s very irritating for her, as well as for anyone listening to her. As a teacher and singer I worry about that.

[Vagus]

The only side effect I’ve ever had was from Ramipril and it’s a very common one.
It was a dry cough which lasted for a few weeks when I first started taking it and then went away.
It came back when the dose was increased a couple of years later, and then went away again.
I don’t have any other side effect and never have done.

[hellywelly4]

I take three different tablets for high blood pressure and have no side effects whatsoever.

[elliemay1]

I also take 3 BP tablets every morning

[jourdain2]

Scarlett, they are generally very reliable. I will be able to test mine on Monday because there was a cancellation at the hospital and I was offered the 2nd cataract op. on Monday. I thought that I would take mine along and compare my readings with theirs. Readings do vary widely. I'll let you know if I find that the wrist monitor is not reliable (although pressure can vary by seconds, a general agreement should show up).

I am also a singer (not up to pro. standards, but decent small a-cappella group)and understand your concern - you don't want anything on the vocal chords. I would ask my G.P. and explain that if medication affects them, could he try something else and recommend natural measures.

[jno]

Vagus, my doctor says prils make you cough.

[choux]

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Question1752379.html

Side effects v your life. Sqad has given the definitive details here.

Why anyone would ignore such advice is beyond my comprehension. I have had dangerously high BP for years and am on medication for life. No big deal as the man would say.