Does anyone here have high blood pressure?

[Pessimist_cowboy]

eat less salt , lay off alcohol , and walk at least 45 minutes each day.

 

[iceberg]

I haven't watched the Cowboys in several years but I did listen on the radio to last Sunday's game against the Seahawks and I felt stressful so I checked my blood pressure and it was 236/140 with a pulse of 83 in the second half. I always remain calm during football games and don't yell or scream or otherwise get excited as I have taught myself not to care whether they win or lose as I don't consider it worth ruining my health over a football game that I am not playing in.

Does anyone else here have hypertension? If so, how do you deal with stressful situations that cause your bp to spike? I have not paid any attention to the Cowboys for years and It seems to me I may have to lose all interest in football again for my own safety. I have just spent too many hours sitting in front of my computer for years and not getting enough exercise. But may be time to step away from the desk and get outside.

And, no, garlic does not overcome sitting down extensively for long periods of time. It works great for many things but high blood pressure isn't one of them. I am changing my diet and exercise program

I did. then I didn't. then I did. I never treated it and only recently did I get a home check kit. now what made me get this bad boy? well, it's the last day of the year, the last quarter of it has been life changing and from what I was told, almost life ending. but over the course of several years, bob, you were my own inspiration for now to watch the cowboys without making it a lifes event. you always seemed calm, like life would go on, and your overall state of mind was just fine and amazing to me. the other day when I made a rash of postings (for me these days) I brought you up as a "mentor" in how I watch the cowboys today.

love it when they win. hate it when they lose but I've come to be in the middle more when neither one really changes my day. I suppose that can be considered good but it's almost as if you don't get the "high" of the winning if you don't suffer "pain" of the losses to get there. the more extreme you get one way I'd have to hope you get just as extreme the other.

and I don't know why I go to extremes... (sorry for the song outburst)

but high blood pressure. I was fine for the longest time (ooooh oh oh oh for the longest ... STOP IT JERRY) but when I started going to some doctors for ear aches and other places that took your blood pressure as a precaution, I was told mine was getting "you better watch it" high. I never bothered.

I won't go into all the details from all that has happened. I think bp knows if he's read many of my rantings / postings on facebook but for awhile there my heart rate was 180+ and had been for weeks. i couldn't breathe and any movement at all would take me to my knees. the next 6 weeks after ICU were interesting, to be sure. these days my blood pressure is fine and I had an EKG done last week as a prep for a chest shock but found out my heart rate was 56 and looking fine. no need to shock the poor dude. I couldn't say that October 16th as that was the day after everything happened to me that changed my own life forever.

probably.

but I can say now that my blood pressure had dropped and is in the normal range. so while football doesn't do this for me, bad drivers and idiots in traffic do. for that I just have to step back and remind myself they're just trying to get where they're going today also. take a deep breathe and remind myself that whatever they did in that car makes no real changes in my own life or the mood "I choose" to be in. while you can't always choose your mood, you can choose to let things go and put the same focus on things you can control and do make a difference.

what a difference you've made in my life....(sorry, I reached on that one).

anyway, I'm getting my exercise bike going again, I'm going to continue to change my eating habits (and drinking) and while I'm down 30 lbs in the last 2 months, I've still got a ways to go and there are just better things for me to put my "pain" into than the cowboys.

good luck, bob.

 

[morasp]

Pomegranate and olive leaf should get you back in shape. If they don't help you can always get a prescription that will have numerous side effects and only helps marginally. My wife wouldn't take the pomegranate but she took the olive leaf and it brought her blood pressure down quickly. Here are some links:

http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/item01824/Advanced-Olive-Leaf-Vascular-Support-with-Celery-Seed-Extract?q=olive leaf

http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/item00956/Pomegranate-Extract-Capsules?q=pomegranate

 

[Doc50]

I did. then I didn't. then I did. I never treated it and only recently did I get a home check kit. now what made me get this bad boy? well, it's the last day of the year, the last quarter of it has been life changing and from what I was told, almost life ending. but over the course of several years, bob, you were my own inspiration for now to watch the cowboys without making it a lifes event. you always seemed calm, like life would go on, and your overall state of mind was just fine and amazing to me. the other day when I made a rash of postings (for me these days) I brought you up as a "mentor" in how I watch the cowboys today.

love it when they win. hate it when they lose but I've come to be in the middle more when neither one really changes my day. I suppose that can be considered good but it's almost as if you don't get the "high" of the winning if you don't suffer "pain" of the losses to get there. the more extreme you get one way I'd have to hope you get just as extreme the other.

and I don't know why I go to extremes... (sorry for the song outburst)

but high blood pressure. I was fine for the longest time (ooooh oh oh oh for the longest ... STOP IT JERRY) but when I started going to some doctors for ear aches and other places that took your blood pressure as a precaution, I was told mine was getting "you better watch it" high. I never bothered.

I won't go into all the details from all that has happened. I think bp knows if he's read many of my rantings / postings on facebook but for awhile there my heart rate was 180+ and had been for weeks. i couldn't breathe and any movement at all would take me to my knees. the next 6 weeks after ICU were interesting, to be sure. these days my blood pressure is fine and I had an EKG done last week as a prep for a chest shock but found out my heart rate was 56 and looking fine. no need to shock the poor dude. I couldn't say that October 16th as that was the day after everything happened to me that changed my own life forever.

probably.

but I can say now that my blood pressure had dropped and is in the normal range. so while football doesn't do this for me, bad drivers and idiots in traffic do. for that I just have to step back and remind myself they're just trying to get where they're going today also. take a deep breathe and remind myself that whatever they did in that car makes no real changes in my own life or the mood "I choose" to be in. while you can't always choose your mood, you can choose to let things go and put the same focus on things you can control and do make a difference.

what a difference you've made in my life....(sorry, I reached on that one).

anyway, I'm getting my exercise bike going again, I'm going to continue to change my eating habits (and drinking) and while I'm down 30 lbs in the last 2 months, I've still got a ways to go and there are just better things for me to put my "pain" into than the cowboys.

good luck, bob.

Pomegranate and olive leaf should get you back in shape. If they don't help you can always get a prescription that will have numerous side effects and only helps marginally. My wife wouldn't take the pomegranate but she took the olive leaf and it brought her blood pressure down quickly. Here are some links:

http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/item01824/Advanced-Olive-Leaf-Vascular-Support-with-Celery-Seed-Extract?q=olive leaf

http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/item00956/Pomegranate-Extract-Capsules?q=pomegranate

That is total BS, and completely irresponsible.

I have no hidden agendas or conflicts of Interest.
I only have the responsibility and liability of managing patients' health, and with recommendations like yours, I would have dead patients and no license.

Do NOT suggest that others take the risks that you have. Anyone who tries to sell you something that has not been thoroughly tested in double blind placebo-controlled clinical trials involving multiple sites, thousands of subjects, and spanning several years has no idea of true efficacy and safety in both short and long term.
They are only concerned about taking your money.

 

[morasp]

I haven't watched the Cowboys in several years but I did listen on the radio to last Sunday's game against the Seahawks and I felt stressful so I checked my blood pressure and it was 236/140 with a pulse of 83 in the second half. I always remain calm during football games and don't yell or scream or otherwise get excited as I have taught myself not to care whether they win or lose as I don't consider it worth ruining my health over a football game that I am not playing in.

Does anyone else here have hypertension? If so, how do you deal with stressful situations that cause your bp to spike? I have not paid any attention to the Cowboys for years and It seems to me I may have to lose all interest in football again for my own safety. I have just spent too many hours sitting in front of my computer for years and not getting enough exercise. But may be time to step away from the desk and get outside.

And, no, garlic does not overcome sitting down extensively for long periods of time. It works great for many things but high blood pressure isn't one of them. I am changing my diet and exercise program

Here are some articles on the pomegranate and olive leaf:

Olive Leaf Safely Modulates Blood Pressure
By Michael Downey

High blood pressure is one of the most accurate predictors of cardiovascular disease,1 the number one killer of Americans.

Tragically, mainstream medicine’s definition of what constitutes high blood pressure remains dangerously high.

According to current medical standards, so-called “stage I hypertension”begins at readings of 140/90 mmHg or higher.2

Yet as Life Extension® has long warned, a review of the scientific literature suggests that for every 20/10 mmHg increase above 115/75 mmHg, your risk of cardiovascular disease doubles.2

Findings from a study published in late 20113 underscore the cost of this medical malfeasance in human lives. This retrospective, population-based analysis of 26 million people revealed a 200-400% higher mortality rate in hypertensive individuals between the ages of 20-49, compared to the general population without hypertension.

If the definition of “high blood pressure” were revised downward to reflect the significant threat of even moderate hypertension, millions of these lives could have been saved.

What this means is that maturing individuals need to take all necessary steps to bring blood pressure under control, regardless of their doctors’ evaluations.

The exciting news is that these alarming findings coincide with a newly identified technology that yields a highly refined form of antihypertensive nutrient.*In this article, you will learn about oleuropein, a bioactive compound found in standardized olive leaf extract.

When tested on hypertensive patients in a double-blind, controlled clinical trial, this highly stable form of oleuropein reduced systolic blood pressure by an average 11.5 points (mmHg), diastolic blood pressure by 4.8 points4 and provided other vascular health benefits.

http://www.lef.org/Magazine/2012/3/Olive-Leaf-Safely-Modulates-Blood-Pressure/Page-01

Pomegranate May Reverse Atherosclerosis
Human studies of pomegranate juice have demonstrated even more dramatic effects, showing that pomegranate may actually reverse atherosclerosis. Israeli scientists studied patients with narrowing of their carotid arteries as a result of atherosclerosis.7 The carotid arteries in the neck are responsible for more than 80% of blood flow to the brain, and narrowing of these major vessels is a major risk factor for stroke. Among patients given daily pomegranate juice supplements (providing 78 mg of punicalagins) for one year, atherosclerotic lesions in the common carotid artery decreased by 35% in size, while actually growing by 9% in a control group. Thus, pomegranate reversed existing atherosclerosis, which continued to worsen in those who did not consume pomegranate. Blood analysis showed that total antioxidant activity increased 130% in the pomegranate juice group, compared to before-treatment values. Finally, the participants’ systolic blood pressure fell by an impressive 21% after one year of pomegranate juice supplementation.

The same Israeli scientists showed that this blood pressure reduction from drinking as little as 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily (providing 78 mg of punicalagins) was due to decreased activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE).8 This is a tremendously important finding, since drugs that inhibit ACE activity are commonly used to treat hypertension. Further, the study raises the possibility that pomegranate juice may help patients avoid having to take such drugs.

A study from the California-based Preventive Medicine Research Institute examined the effects of pomegranate juice in human patients with established coronary heart disease.9 Forty-five patients with coronary heart disease and cardiac ischemia (insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle) were randomly assigned to drink 8 ounces of pomegranate juice or a placebo beverage daily. At the onset and conclusion of the three-month study, scientists measured the participants’ blood flow to the heart muscle, both at rest and during stress. Before administration of pomegranate juice, both groups showed the same amount of stress-induced ischemia. At the end of three months, however, the pomegranate group demonstrated a significant improvement in stress-related ischemia, indicating more optimal blood flow to the heart muscle. By contrast, stress-related ischemia worsened in the placebo group. Because these effects could not be attributed to changes in the patients’ weight, blood sugar, or cardiac medications, it appears that daily consumption of pomegranate juice alone improved stress-induced ischemia in these patients.

Its effects in supporting healthy blood pressure, ensuring optimal blood flow, and preventing and reversing atherosclerosis make pome-granate an essential nutrient in every heart health program.

http://www.lef.org/Magazine/2007/5/report_pomegranate/Page-01

 

[Doc50]

Some of the statements in these reviews are inaccurate, like the reported BP goals of the medical establishment. The attempt, therefore, is to discredit "the establishment", and develop belief in their own alternative system, for profit.

Notice that in the limited studies that were done (not even close to the testing for long-term efficacy and safety required by the FDA), the improvement was only approx 10 points systolic and 5 diastolic. For our OP's case of record, that level of improvement provides no significant benefit.

Again, anyone with significantly elevated BP should seek medical management immediately, and daily control is necessary to prevent progressive damage to heart, kidneys, and brain.

Our OP has unfortunately waited too long, and may need mgt by both cardiology and nephrology.

 

[KJJ]

A lot of health problems from high blood pressure, mental disorders, erectile dysfunction, frequent urinating and stomach problems can sometimes be attributed to being a hardcore football fan. Watching a lot of football leads to poor eating habits, anger issues and stress. Just look at the video of the dude destroying his house after a Cowboys loss. It's a wonder he didn't just piss all over the place and throw a match on it. Someone like that likely has all kinds of issues mentally and physically.

 

[notherbob]

Wow! Lotta replies. Thanks to all who posted. My personal crisis has abated somewhat as I am now getting readings in the 150 to 175 range on the systolic side (occasionally down into the 140s) while the diastolic side hovers between 70 and 84, so I am a happy camper.

I don't visit the Zone as often anymore so the posts were a pleasant surprise; thanks to all who posted. I have come to peace with my concept of the nature of God and existence so I do not fear death, only the pain, discomfort and inconvenience involved in dying. Somehow, football has lost its high place among my priorities. It is real good seeing the Cowboys doing so well.

My only real fear is not finishing my work and failing to leave behind what I have discovered about how to process and use garlic to fight diseases and infections and leaving people defenseless against common infections that were once killed by antibiotics but to which the bacteria have now become resistant. They cannot become resistant to the allicin in garlic because it kills in a more direct way than pharmaceutical antibiotics, which are rapidly becoming useless. This isn't precise modern medicine, it is folk remedies to be used by people with no access to modern medicine or in a remote emergency situation. It may be unsophisticated but I believe it may be better than dying in many cases.

Good luck to you all.

 

[Doc50]

Wow! Lotta replies. Thanks to all who posted. My personal crisis has abated somewhat as I am now getting readings in the 150 to 175 range on the systolic side (occasionally down into the 140s) while the diastolic side hovers between 70 and 84, so I am a happy camper.

I don't visit the Zone as often anymore so the posts were a pleasant surprise; thanks to all who posted. I have come to peace with my concept of the nature of God and existence so I do not fear death, only the pain, discomfort and inconvenience involved in dying. Somehow, football has lost its high place among my priorities. It is real good seeing the Cowboys doing so well.

My only real fear is not finishing my work and failing to leave behind what I have discovered about how to process and use garlic to fight diseases and infections and leaving people defenseless against common infections that were once killed by antibiotics but to which the bacteria have now become resistant. They cannot become resistant to the allicin in garlic because it kills in a more direct way than pharmaceutical antibiotics, which are rapidly becoming useless. This isn't precise modern medicine, it is folk remedies to be used by people with no access to modern medicine or in a remote emergency situation. It may be unsophisticated but I believe it may be better than dying in many cases.

Good luck to you all.

Gotta call BS on the garlic.

 

[Bonecrusher#31]

I had BP for a few years, decided to quit drinking and "poof" it went away.

No meds at all and I was already exercising nearly everyday.....

I'll never drink again...

 

[notherbob]

Gotta call BS on the garlic.

I understand why you need to call BS on the garlic but I also understand why people are doing garlic water baths and having their MRSA go away and not come back. Whether the FDA likes it or not, it really works. Even the most resistant bacteria cannot become resistant to allicin because allicin does not need to be able to bong with any receptor, it simply penetrates directly into a bacterium simply causing it to swell up and burst, killing it.

As I said, this is not modern medicine, it is folk lore but it really works when processed and used correctly. The pharmaceutical industry hates and fears garlic for very good reasons although they are now persuing hybridizing garlic so they can manufacture patentable lifeforms of garlic that they can control. Then garlic will become a valuable mode of treatment but only their patented garlic, which will work very similiar to natural garlic, which can be grown by anyone.

 

[Doc50]

I understand why you need to call BS on the garlic but I also understand why people are doing garlic water baths and having their MRSA go away and not come back. Whether the FDA likes it or not, it really works. Even the most resistant bacteria cannot become resistant to allicin because allicin does not need to be able to bong with any receptor, it simply penetrates directly into a bacterium simply causing it to swell up and burst, killing it.

As I said, this is not modern medicine, it is folk lore but it really works when processed and used correctly. The pharmaceutical industry hates and fears garlic for very good reasons although they are now persuing hybridizing garlic so they can manufacture patentable lifeforms of garlic that they can control. Then garlic will become a valuable mode of treatment but only their patented garlic, which will work very similiar to natural garlic, which can be grown by anyone.

Your depiction of an attitude by the FDA, pharmaceutical companies, or physicians as one of hate, fear, or need for control is totally false.
And the crusades of "naturalists" to save the public with plant-based substances is about 150 years late.

On the contrary, medical professionals have been carrying out detailed evaluations of any and all possible substances that were touted as home remedies or other curatives since the late1800's. After the Civil War, when more soldiers died of infections and disease then in actual battle, standardized studies began to emerge to define and characterize known diseases and infections. Poultices, tonics, minerals, and anything which was even rumored to be slightly effective was studied and modified and purified and altered in any way possible to assess its medicinal potential. When you have limited succes, you'll try anything.

Science evolved slowly through WWI and then the great influenza outbreak of 1918, which infected possibly 40% of the planet and killed nearly 100 million. Many of the deaths from this virus (H1N1, which is still pathological today) were from secondary bacterial infections, so the efforts to combat such a terrible scourge intensified with all available resources. The foundations of scientific research emerged, with large multi-site placebo-controlled double blind clinical studies which must be published and withstand the critique of all the academics.

So, this process of assuring safety and efficacy is methodical and transparent. The agency of respected scientists who guide that research and approve or reject such studies has tremendous responsibility and liability, and therefore maintain objectivity.

It would be best if all substances including supplements were required to undergo such testing, but that would be a massive unfunded undertaking. Government agencies such as the National Institute of Health manage selected studies which are chosen to assure the wisdom of commonly adopted health practices. Recent results include the finding of no cardiovascular improvement from omega-3 fatty acids, no benefit from supplemental vitamin E, and increase in breast cancer rates in women from 55 - 70 who have routinely taken multi-vitamins. These are not the results that we might have expected - hence the need for long term objective studies.

So, the point that I would emphasize is that remedies outside of mainstream medicine would not be wise to use. Specifically, attempting to treat a possibly deadly MSRA infection with a home remedy would be potentially disastrous, as would leaving severe hypertension untreated.

BTW, if everyone stops trusting vaccinations, then no one will have immunity, and we may expect another pandemic like the one in 1918.

 

[morasp]

I understand why you need to call BS on the garlic but I also understand why people are doing garlic water baths and having their MRSA go away and not come back. Whether the FDA likes it or not, it really works. Even the most resistant bacteria cannot become resistant to allicin because allicin does not need to be able to bong with any receptor, it simply penetrates directly into a bacterium simply causing it to swell up and burst, killing it.

As I said, this is not modern medicine, it is folk lore but it really works when processed and used correctly. The pharmaceutical industry hates and fears garlic for very good reasons although they are now persuing hybridizing garlic so they can manufacture patentable lifeforms of garlic that they can control. Then garlic will become a valuable mode of treatment but only their patented garlic, which will work very similiar to natural garlic, which can be grown by anyone.

Well said.

 

[Doc50]

Well said.

It doesn't work.

 

[Signals]

It doesn't work.

Garlic does work, and it's safe and has zero side effects and it's well researched and documented. It has worked for thousands of years before the dangerous, if not deadly pharmaceuticals you tout were even conceived in the mind of man.

Peace.

 

[Doc50]

Garlic does work, and it's safe and has zero side effects and it's well researched and documented. It has worked for thousands of years before the dangerous, if not deadly pharmaceuticals you tout were even conceived in the mind of man.

Peace.

Good luck with that.

I would caution you in recommending it to others, lest you be held responsible for their demise.

The case in point, methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus, can be deadly.

Be careful when dealing with other people's lives.

 

[notherbob]

Good luck with that.

I would caution you in recommending it to others, lest you be held responsible for their demise.

The case in point, methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus, can be deadly.

Be careful when dealing with other people's lives.

Doc 50 -

I appreciate your advice as I understand you are trying to help me stay out of trouble.

Actually, I do not give any advice to anyone; all I ever do is discuss the natural chemical and electrical properties of non-irradiated natural garlic when processed and used in different ways and let people and their doctors decide what, if anyrthing, to do. I always tell people to talk it over with their doctors and see what they think but most doctors know litttle or nothing about garlic as it was not included in their medical training and there is no FDA-approved protocol.

The things I discuss are actually first aid use of garlic when there is no doctor around but something has to be done or die.

My long range goal is to encourage the FDA to permit the use of garlic by physicians who understand it and have taken special courses on how to use it externally, transdermally, internally and in other ways. It actually works and there are actually sciences involved in it - Applied Electro-Chemistry.

That being said, I would like to see the so-called health care industry act on that information and use it in curing people of deadly bacterial infections; unfortunately, that conflicts with their financial goals so they presently refuse to use garlic because it is natural and they cannot patent it and use it competitor-free like they can with patents they own. That is happening right now as they are hard at work trying to develop special garlics that will genetically engineered patentable lifeforms. Then garlic will be good but they will still be saying bad things about natural garlic. Only their super expensive garlic will be good.

Actually, our garlics are really the same old garlics but with new ways of processing and using them. That's what makes the difference, not so much the product, though some create more allicin than others but how it is used that really matters.

 

[Doc50]

Garlic does work, and it's safe and has zero side effects and it's well researched and documented. It has worked for thousands of years before the dangerous, if not deadly pharmaceuticals you tout were even conceived in the mind of man.

Peace.

Doc 50 -

I appreciate your advice as I understand you are trying to help me stay out of trouble.

Actually, I do not give any advice to anyone; all I ever do is discuss the natural chemical and electrical properties of non-irradiated natural garlic when processed and used in different ways and let people and their doctors decide what, if anyrthing, to do. I always tell people to talk it over with their doctors and see what they think but most doctors know litttle or nothing about garlic as it was not included in their medical training and there is no FDA-approved protocol.

The things I discuss are actually first aid use of garlic when there is no doctor around but something has to be done or die.

My long range goal is to encourage the FDA to permit the use of garlic by physicians who understand it and have taken special courses on how to use it externally, transdermally, internally and in other ways. It actually works and there are actually sciences involved in it - Applied Electro-Chemistry.

That being said, I would like to see the so-called health care industry act on that information and use it in curing people of deadly bacterial infections; unfortunately, that conflicts with their financial goals so they presently refuse to use garlic because it is natural and they cannot patent it and use it competitor-free like they can with patents they own. That is happening right now as they are hard at work trying to develop special garlics that will genetically engineered patentable lifeforms. Then garlic will be good but they will still be saying bad things about natural garlic. Only their super expensive garlic will be good.

Actually, our garlics are really the same old garlics but with new ways of processing and using them. That's what makes the difference, not so much the product, though some create more allicin than others but how it is used that really matters.

Show me the studies.
And if you sell it, you have a conflict of interest and cannot be objective.