Hypertension despite all-out effort page

[SpearCarrier]

My partner suffers from hypertension and lately we have been tackling it head-on, we have got some beetroot extract, Niacin and raw garlic and she has been eating really well. The doctor gave her a blood pressure monitor and it's still really high despite these changes. She is fasting most of the day and then eating "nearly paleo" at night with just a bit of rice. She is also pretty active.

Her typical blood pressure is 138/110 which is not cool. It's been about a week and there is no change, she occasionally feels dizzy from it. All the doctor done was give her an ACE inhibitor and that doesn't seem to help (I am trying to get her off the medication by tackling it with diet and supps).

Any ideas? She is in the process of losing weight very very quickly because of this new diet and intermittent fasting. I was wondering if the very rapid (but safe) weight loss is causing her blood pressure to stay sky-high? I couldn't see anything about this link on google, but I am at a loss!

Please help, she means the world to me

[otzi]

I had high blood pressure for many years. I was on several different meds and the best they could get my bp was 140/80. I also had fatty liver disease and prone to gout. They say bp is controlled by the kidneys.

Anyway, I went from 250 to 220 with typical dieting that left me starved and feeling bad--no change in bp. I went from 220 to 165 with PB over a year, and within the first 4-6 months my bp had gone down and I was off the meds. Now 2 years later, it is typically in the 115/65 or so. I took no supplements or did anything to target lowering bp other than eat right and exercise.

[SpearCarrier]

I had high blood pressure for many years. I was on several different meds and the best they could get my bp was 140/80.

I thought 140/80 was average? and that your current 115/65 would be considered low?

Do you eat strictly paleo? I wondered what your dietary habits were during the 2 years with the improvement.

Thanks for the reply.

[RaeVynn]

I've gone from my high of 210/120 (a few years ago - spent a little time on meds, got off them, have tried all kinds of natural remedies) to now I'm running at 142/90, and I'm anticipating that it will continue to drop the longer I'm off grains/soy.

I have a ND that recommended celery seed extract and arganine (spelling?). Both of which are, apparently, natural diuretics.

[SpearCarrier]

Thanks for the reply, good to know that your BP is dropping. I think I will just persevere with the diet for her, but I don't think she will let go of rice, she hates potatoes/yams.

Will update on her progress soon.

[otzi]

I thought 140/80 was average? and that your current 115/65 would be considered low?

Do you eat strictly paleo? I wondered what your dietary habits were during the 2 years with the improvement.

Thanks for the reply.

When I was 140/80, that was when taking 2 meds! Untreated it was like 180/120.

According to Blood pressure - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia desired blood pressure is 90-119 over 60-79.

I think for me, the biggest factors were giving up alcohol, weight loss, and a general cleaning up of diet. I ate strictly low carb Primal Blueprint during that time, but have since added in plenty of carbs without adverse effect to weight or bp.

[emmie]

Weight loss should help, not hurt, her hypertension even if it's rapid loss.

My primary doctor told me (and I've since read about this) that the latest research indicates that for women with mild hypertension, the first Rx should be a diuretic. Women tend to retain water (which drives up BP), and this often happens because of hormonal issues. Many women can get a normal BP via diuretics--which are far less harmful to the body than BP meds.

[SpearCarrier]

Weight loss should help, not hurt, her hypertension even if it's rapid loss.

My primary doctor told me (and I've since read about this) that the latest research indicates that for women with mild hypertension, the first Rx should be a diuretic. Women tend to retain water (which drives up BP), and this often happens because of hormonal issues. Many women can get a normal BP via diuretics--which are far less harmful to the body than BP meds.

Never knew that, thank you.

Which diurectic would you recommend? She drinks a lot of green tea and also dandelion tea already but she still holds a lot of water sometimes so maybe something better?

[Dragonfly]

Is she supplementing Magnesium? Many folk find that it can help regulate fluid balance and blood pressure and lots of us are deficient.

Magnesium lowers blood pressure, study suggests