Has anyone positively affected high blood pressure through diet/other non medication means?

[Bemyclementine]

Disclaimer- I am taking the meds and will continue to do so.

I'm interested to know if there's anything I can do, diet or otherwise, to have a positive impact on my high BP.

Reducing stress is my biggest hurdle. Stressful job that I can't change atm, divorce, house/mortgage difficulties.

Other than that, I'm reasonably active (13k -21k steps a day) could lose some weight, I'm trying. Don't smoke. Significantly reduced wine intake (see above re stress was using wine as a daily crutch)

Lol I did spinning three times a week and ran on other days. Made no difference whatsoever 🙄 I don't know why folk are so fixated about coming off meds. I wonder if it's related to the unsaid suggestion that hypertension is almost a self inflicted condition, caused by obesity and over indulgence when it often isn't.

I’ve reduced mine from between 133 -145 systolic to around 120 systolic by losing weight. It’s only really been around 5 kilos too (I am short though). I doubt I’m going to be as lucky to avoid cholesterol medication through diet alone though.

Sometimes you just can’t fight genetics.

My top London cardiologist said most high blood pressure is down to lack of salt!! He recommended two things only,
I read this book (the salt fix)
and Salt my food liberally
fixed my blood pressure!
he added it’s impossible to overdose and we just pee away any excess the body doesn’t need.
I was shocked, but it absolutely worked

www.amazon.co.uk/Salt-Fix-Experts-Wrong-Eating/dp/0349417385/ref=asc_df_0349417385_nodl?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310873579424&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8773468131368312203&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044865&hvtargid=pla-395537140077&psc=1&dplnkId=d053f2b3-ced1-4aae-8bcb-d0beff4cc5ce

Grapefruit is one of the things that is specifically not recommended when taking the anti-hypertensives that I am prescribed.

I have normal cholesterol though. Not everyone with high bp needs statins ..

My brother did this about 20 years ago when he was in his 30s. He cut out all processed food and became a real clean eater - even tinned tomatoes were banned as they had something in which raised his BP. He lives in Canada btw. He's now incredibly fit and healthy, does ultra marathons and no cholesterol or blood pressure issues at all.

My experience: I was 23 stone, 5'8 in height with PCOS so my blood pressure was sky high with high cholesterol as well.

I did Keto and lost 7 stone in the first year BUT more importantly, my blood pressure dropped and the cholesterol came down to a healthy level too.

It was life changing for me.

If you are looking to try a dietary approach, I would recommend looking into a dietary plan that cuts your sugar and unhealthy fats including possibly dairy to near nothing and ups your proteins, healthy fats and fibre.

Even now, when I cut dairy out, my cholesterol drops which I assume to be directly related to my body's tolerance for the inflammation dairy can cause.

@FartSock5000 do you still do keto? Did you carry on losing weight? I'm a simar height and 13st so not hugely overweight but could still lose sone.

I have a glass of hot water with the zest and juice of one lemon each morning before I eat anything. In the evening I have a snack of nuts and 100% chocolate . I also eat low glycaemic 6 days out of 7.

systolic was 158 at its highest, now 106 at last measurement.

I have also gone from size 16-18 to 8-10 by combining the above with a sustainable and intensive exercise regime.

The side effects of blood pressure drugs killed my brother which is why I was determined to avoid them.

Another one here with idiopathic/hereditary hypertension. Have never been overweight, teetotal, vegan but it's in the genes - both DM and DGM. I am more than happy to have medication available to control my BP. Hyperfension is not always lifestyle induced.

Covid left me with higher than normal BP although I’m on watch and wait rather than meds (it varies between 130/85 to 155/90). I was bog standard 110/70 or 120/80 before covid.

@DotBall my pre and post Covid readings are very similar to yours. My GP thought it best to put me on a low dose of meds just to be on the safe side. She said for a year initially but here I am... still on them. I do have long Covid though and am still not fully recovered two and a half years later.

@Norugratsatall me too. Sorry to hear that I'm not the only one.

Marking place to read later sorry!