I went into Holland and Barrett's yesterday and came out with tablets to help lower bp: Hawthorn, Beetroot, Fish Oils, multivitamins and Garlic. I am now drinking more smoothies and eating slow cooker meals with lots of veggies. As soon as this horrible virus goes away I will start the walking and jogging. Lifestyle changes are difficult to implement but necessary. I will work less hours also, no more 70 hour weeks at my age Also bought a bp monitor to check at home. It is a two person one made by Braun, it was £99 but I will use it a lot now.
jogging. hmmm. dunno about that--can do more harm than good. i find a steady walk most days helps keep me fit. especially slightly uphill.
Blood test for me today. To check my blood sugar levels. They have been checking my weight and blood pressure at the same time. High blood pressure and diabetes are not mutually exclusive, you see. They are testing my blood sugar levels once a month right now to ensure the levels are under control. No medicines required, just restrictions on added sugar or foods charged with loads of sugar. My blood pressure will almost certainly be in the acceptable range as it has been so up till now.
I quite like beetroot. With salad. And a dash of vinegar. I try and eat a lot of salad. I dont just mean lettuce. But a blend of salad products. I gather that concentrated beetroot gives you a surprise when you tinkle.
Yes, that's one of the reasons the lady in the shop recommended the tablets. She said you'd have to eat so much beetroot and the tablets were concentrated. I haven't noticed any change of colour when having a pee using tablets.....yet
I was running 20 miles a week before I met my wife in 2008 and the fitness has gone downhill since then I will have to address this very soon but this virus is hitting me hard. Think it will be walking a lot first, bigmac, before more strenuous things.
Blood pressure 137/75 Lost 2 kilo over the last month. Thats 4 kilo since christmas. Blood sugar normal. The price for that is no cakes, chocs or biscuits or added sugar.
If you live near a branch of Lloyds Pharmacy they do a free blood pressure check service. https://www.lloydspharmacy.com/en/info/BPTService
I had high blood pressure for a few years but after experiencing some dizzy spells a few months ago, I stopped taking blood pressure medication but my BP has been normal ever since, despite putting on 5kg since Xmas and no exercise. I have been thinking the fall in BP is due to drinking 250ml tomato juice and 250ml pomegranate juice each day, but I don't really know. The other possible reason may be linked to the flood in December 2013. My neighbour was also flooded and he suffered dizzy spells just before I did and it was found he no longer needed BP medication. But in his case he was exercising a lot after the flood (but not before) whereas I was exercising before the flood but not after. Yet we both had falls in BP - enough to make us both dizzy! My aunt also had high BP for several years but then it returned to normal - again no real reason why. When I get home I will get out the sphygomanometer and see what my BP is after getting married and having no tomato juice or pomegranate juice for a month!
Thanks. It is hard to achieve normally, but if you see first hand evidence that what you eat is doing no good then it does help to focus the mind.
I find it easier to watch for the benefits of eating well and doing the right things. I have changed my diet, am taking tablets and exercising more and already am starting to lose weight. Of course, losing weight is just one aspect of what really matters and that is to get healthier!
