What is truly high blood pressure for a male age 46 in good health?
I am 46 years old, in good health, exercise regularly, and have a healthy diet. What is your opinion of a healthy blood pressure range for someone like me? The pharmaceutical industry and possibly other naughty interests have a lot of influence on health diagnostic levels, so I don't trust conventional medical information. Government/industry recommendations say that my blood pressure is high but alternative health sources blood pressure diagnostic ranges are significantly lower. Thanks for any replies.
"Healthy diet" is subjective, but I would make sure my mineral intake was sufficient before worrying much about what big pharma thinks.
Additionally, blood pressure isn't a check once and decide kinda deal. Many measurements over many weeks need to be made before rushing to any kind of conclusion.
__________________ "We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me." George Orwell
Apart from exercise and weight loss there is plenty that can be done to reduce BP without medications.
We tend to forget the human DNA evolved in East Africa nearer the Equator where anti-inflammatory Vitamin D producing sunlight is available 12hrs daily and anti-inflammatory Melatonin producing darkness for 12hrs nightly.
Getting anti-inflammatory Vitamin D3 25(OH)D levels to 125nmol/l or 50ng/ml will improve anti inflammatory status and over time reduce blood pressure.
Making sure you do everything possible to improve anti-inflammatory melatonin production at night (or use melatonin Time Release supplement) also improves nocturnal BP.
All the foods available to early humans were anti-inflammatory free range, organic or wild caught fish/meat/game so higher in omega 3 so increasing omega 3(oily fish) intake has similar impact as does correcting magnesium and potassium deficiency states. Potassium, your invisible friend Magnificent Magnesium - Weston A Price Foundation
My cardiologist says 110/70. That's ridiculous. I don't do what he says anyway. He is a drug pusher.
Unfortunately some doctors are obsessed with treating the numbers rather than working out why the numbers are high and correcting the cause of those higher numbers.
I'm in my thirties and I've had borderline what is classified as high for a long long time, which was about 135/85. My father has high blood pressure and does as many natural things as possible as well as medicine. Well I take my blood pressure daily if not a few times a day to see if some vitamin/herb is really helping me and what isn't helping me. I can tell you that hibicious tea helped me a lot, but I honestly stopped drinking it. The reason I stopped drinking it was because my blood pressure for months was consistently 117/63 give or take. I think for months I never saw anything higher than 119/69 and I couldn't figure out what I changed to help my blood pressure drop and stay dropped.
Well I make a shake every morning and I've been doing this for a long long time. I ran out of hemp protein power, so I started making eggs. My blood pressure went up day after day that week up to about 132/85. I don't know what is in my protein shake, but it's the only thing that I changed. My shake has hemp protein, bannanas, cocoa powder, chia seeds, yogurt or kefir milk and blueberries. I'm guessing it's the hemp protein that is making the difference, because when I was using whey protein my blood pressure was the same. I'm getting so much more fiber when I take my shakes, which if you google high fiber and blood pressure you'll see studies that high fiber has been shown to lower blood pressure. I think the yogurt/kefir and cocoa powder might help as well, but you would think it would be out of my system after a certain time? When I take my shake in the morning it doesn't matter what time I take my blood pressure it's low.
I agree with jfh that I try to keep my blood pressure around or lower than 120s/80s and anything higher I try to make changes so that it's lower. Any study or anything that comes out I'd try personally if it's natural. cq10 had a slight difference in my blood pressure, but hibiscus tea I think was the most impressive. I just didn't like drinking it that often as I already drink other green/oolong/rooibos and wine very often.
Good article Ted. That's a clear example of why most of us frequent natural health forums and try to glean what we can to help ourselves. It clearly shows the difference between naturopathic practice and allopathic practice. Allopathic doctors want to treat the symptoms as quickly as they can to earn their keep. Naturopathic doctors and practitioners want to treat the cause, but that takes longer in most cases. Patients want help quickly.
This is from Life Extension Foundation. They recommend an optimal blood pressure of 115/75. I kind of believe that recommendation because they have a very good crew.
How long do you try a supplement to see if it's effective before giving up on it, and how much difference in blood pressure should it make for you to know that it's helping?
You don't give enough information to be able to give a clear answer. What is your height and weight? How much exercise do you get? Are you taking any prescribed medication? What supplements have you tried? What is your blood pressure? Any family history of high blood pressure? Do you snore?
Most supplements will take up to a month or more to show benefits. For some people they may not work at all.
If your blood pressure is high, you should be working with your medical professionals to bring it down.