Western Zen: Trying to Reduce Blood Pressure w/o Meds

I have a friend who recently started the DASH diet at the recommendation of her dr because of her elevated bp. After 3 weeks her bp went from 150/110 to 120/92.

Here's a link:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf


She's still on meds, but hopes to be able to get off them eventually. Here's a typical day on DASH:

bfast: slice of extra fiber ww toast and a slice of cheese OR a 2-egg cheese omelet, with fruit

lowfat yogurt and fruit (save half for mid afternoon)

lunch: a ww tortilla spread with light cream cheese, low fat lunch meat and a slice of cheese, tomatoes or cukes or both, fruit

lowfat yogurt and fruit in the afternoon

dinner: protein and veggies.

I thought this might go well here too...
PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION - from Coping with Anxiety by E. Bourne, PhD.

The entire progressive muscle relaxation sequence should take twenty to thirty minute the first time. With practice you may decrease the time needed to fifteen to twenty minutes.

Sit in a comfortable chair or lay on a bed. Try to do this in the morning, not as you're about to go to sleep. It is best to do these exercises on an empty stomach.

Let your body be unencumbered. Make a decision not to worry about anything. Assume a passive, detached attitude.

Tense, don't strain each muscle group. Concentrate on what is happening by visualizing the particular muscle group being tensed. Let go, when releasing the tension do so abruptly, and then relax for at least 15 to 20 seconds before going on to the next group of muscles.

Try repeating a relaxing phrase, such as 'let it go' or 'just relax' during the relaxation period between successive muscle groups.

Maintain your focus on your muscles. When your attention wanders, bring it back to the particular muscle group you're working on.

1. To begin, take three deep abdominal breaths, exhaling slowly through your nose each time. As you exhale, imagine the tension throughout your body beginning to flow away.

2. Clench your fists. Hold for seven to ten seconds and then release for fifteen to twenty seconds. Use the same time intervals for all other muscle groups.

3. Tighten your biceps by drawing your forearms up toward your shoulders and making a muscle with both arms. Hold ... and then relax.

4. Tighten your triceps by extending your arms out straight and locking your elbows. Hold ... and then relax.

5. Tense the muscles in your forehead by raising your eyebrows as far as you can. Hold ... and then relax. Imagine your forehead muscles becoming smooth and limp as they relax.

6. Tense the muscles around your eyes by clenching your eyelids tightly shut. Hold ... and then relax. Imagine sensations of deep relaxation spreading all around the area of your eyes.

7. Tighten your jaw by opening your mouth so widely that you stretch the muscles around the hinges of your jaw. Hold ... and then relax. Let your lips part and allow your jaw to hang loose.

8. Tighten the muscles in the back of your neck by pulling your head way back,, as if you were going to touch your head to your back (be gentle with this muscle group to avoid injury). Focus only on the tensing the muscles in your neck. Hold ... and then relax. Since this area is often especially tight, it's good to do this tense-relax cycle twice.

9. Take a few deep breaths and tune in to the weight of your head sinking into whatever surface it is resting on.

10. Tighten your shoulders by raising them up as if you were going to touch your ears. Hold ... and then relax.

11. Tighten the muscles around your shoulder blades by pushing your shoulder blades back as if your were going to touch them together. Hold ... and then relax. Since this area is often especially tense, you might repeat this tense-relax cycle twice.

12. Tighten the muscles of your chest by taking in a deep breath. Hold for up to ten seconds ... and then release slowly. Imagine any excess tension in your chest flowing away with the exhalation.

13. Tighten your stomach muscles by sucking your stomach in. Hold ... and then release. Imagine a wave of relaxation spreading through your abdomen.

14. Tighten your lower back by arching it up. (You can omit this exercise if you have lower back pain.) Hold ... and then relax.

15. Tighten your buttocks by pulling them together. Hold ... and then relax. Imagine the muscles in your hips going loose and limp.

16. Squeeze the muscles in your thighs all the way down to your knees. You will probably have to tighten your hips along with your thighs, since the thigh muscles attach at the pelvis. Hold ... and then relax. Feel your thigh muscles smoothing out and relaxing completely.

17. Tighten your calf muscles by pulling your toes toward your (flex carefully to avoid cramps). Hold ... and then relax.

18. Tighten your feel by curling your toes downward. Hold ... and then relax.

19. Mentally scan your body for any residual tension. If a particular area remains tense, repeat one or tow tense-relax cycles for that group of muscles.

20. Now imagine a wave of relaxation slowly spreading throughout your body, starting at your head and gradually penetrating every muscle group all the way down to your toes.

Blood pressure... a mystery. I was first diagnosed with high blood pressure in my early 40's. It seems to be hereditary no matter what the weight or anything else as is shown in my family with both thin and heavyset having high blood pressure. We do not add salt to food and still we have it. The usual things for stress reduction do not seem to lower it for me but then again doing a lot doesn't raise it...I can run, walk fast, clean my home mow the lawn etc. and no change. After being diagnosed I got very nervous what with all the repercussions that come along with the increase and started eating like mad. I gained 30 pounds in 2 months but did not have a change in b.p. Then I lost the weight, still no change. I exercised. No change. I did relaxation, no change. Changed to no sodium, no change. Frustrating to say the least and it would seem I am one who will have to remain on the medication.

I believe in an eclectic approach to health and wellness. For instance, I recently have changed my diet, dropped some weight, and increased my exercise. I just got my blood test reports, and they are great. My homocysteine levels are in the "healthy" range, which means no increased risk for a coronary. My blood pressure and pulse are the best that they have been in years.

I still reach for my blood pressure pills, and will continue to do so until a time when I lose even more weight, and keep it off for awhile. Then, and only then, I will wean myself off the pills!

There seems to be a direct correlation between my weight and my bp. The intercept is at 176 lbs. Below this cutoff, my bp is normal. Above it, my bp seems to have a linear relationship to my weight. My parents were both on bp meds, my father starting at a much younger age than my mother. He also had circulatory problems due to his height which I inherited.

About 5 years ago my weight started skyrocketing. When it reached a lifetime high of 186, I went to my doctor who shrugged and said it was due to middle age. At the first visit another doctor asked how long I'd had high blood pressure. I was stunned and said I'd never had it. She said, "Well, you do now." It was 147/95. She didn't shrug and say it was middle age, have some meds. She did say she understood I wanted to lose the 15 lbs I'd gained over the previous 5 months and if I could then my bp would probably come back down too. She was right. She suggested I purchase a home monitor to keep tabs on my bp. She said if I could get below 139/89 she wouldn't prescribe meds (this was before the change in prehypertension guidelines). Finding out that I was facing bp meds gave me all the motivation I needed to stop the weight gain and lose 30 lbs - about 10 lbs too many, but I was on a mission.

My metabolism changes were probably due to changes associated with middle age but my choice to keep my weight in check in order to avoid a lifetime of bp meds has been a constant effort ever since. I'm currently at 173 lbs and unable to exercise for a while. I'm trying to make healthy food choices and maintain at this level until I can get back into my exercise routine. The ideal weight for my height/age is 168. If I can get there great, if I can't and I can stay below 176 then I'm fine with that. If I climb above 176 and my bp goes up with it as it has in the past then I jump back on a recovery mission.

I checked my bp this morning. It was 119/68.

bm....I'll be back!

well, i recently got diagnosed with high bp...ugh it was 170/110 and had been for about 3 years (don't know what i was waiting for). after losing about 10% of my body weight, it has gone down to 150/100. i started meds 4 weeks ago (sular 20mg) and went back to doc yesterday-nada. nothing happened. we switched meds, i can't remember teh name of the new one but it is a beta blocker.

sturgis, i am in your boat. even in college (i was a competitive swimmer at UTexas), my bp was astronomical (170/110) although, i only recall that from my sophomore year and hadn't paid much attention to it until again, 3 years ago. and i was in the shape of my life back in college. had my cholesterol tested...yeah 154, bad chol was 60, good was 75--they said it was phenomenally good. tested my renal arteries, they are great. no reason for it, other than genes-dad has it (but he also has high cholesterol so i guess we would be arguing no correlation there for our fam).

something's gotta give...gonna try the relaxation stuff. i do have a lot going on...huge exam coming up, ok well that's really it...but it is weighing heavily on me as i have already failed it once...

ok so last night i took my BP again...124/78, i guess the beta blocker they put me on on monday did the trick. wow that was fast...i was so excited. still, i would like to be sans medication so relaxation techniques, here i come!!!

Yesterday I had a nuclear stress test to rule out heart problems. The technician was a chatty fellow and he assured me that while my doctor would give me the official results, everything seemed just fine.

This morning my blood pressure was 118/74.

I had a friend come over to help me with my mulching project. Mr. Noddy appeared, announced that mulching was not his thing and then proceeded to dominate the conversation while we sweated. Many of his observations were domestic put-downs.

This domestic drama ended four hours ago. My blood pressure is still 150/81. Needless to say deep breathing didn't work this afternoon.

Tune in tomorrow.

Is it possible for your friend to bring a companion whose duty is to keep Mr Noddy company inside while the two of you work outside?

Keep breathing, Noddy.

In...

Out...

In...

Out...

J-B--

Thanks for the kind words.

Life is a bit easier today. A gentle discussion about yesterday's performance by Masterful Man put my blood pressure up 129/82--an improvement. Mr. Noddy accepts that he was out of line.

Long range attack plans--although I have a hunch that "attacking" high blood pressure is counterproductive.

Long range efforts:

Because of Mr. Noddy's health problems, I've been cooking low salt for years and I rarely eat processed food.

Lose another 10-15 pounds.

Learn to relax. In spite of the technician's assurances, I'm very aware of the heaviness in my chest--although I've noticed that the pressure increases after emotional trumoil rather than physical effort.

I'm going to try several pre-emptive sessions of deliberate relaxation through the day instead of trying to reduce post-crisis symptoms.

ok bp is down significantly now that i am taking beta blockers. down in the 115/75 range, but my pulse good god, it is down in the 50s almost all of the time. i wonder if it supressing my metabolism at all. hhmmm.

noddy i am with you...must lose another 25 lbs though...want to be less than 150.

Dragon

Ounce by ounce.

I've never thought that people with high blood pressure were thinner than other people. Check with your doctor, but my guess is that low blood pressure means you can be lean and fit--as opposed to fat and lazy.

Today my blood pressure has been under 120/80.

Of course, there have been no impassioned discussions.

I'd love to think the BP numbers were due to my powerful tranquility, but the credit is more likely due to spending 20-30 minutes on the exercycle.

Today my blood pressure has been under 120/80.

Of course, there have been no impassioned discussions.

I'd love to think the BP numbers were due to my powerful tranquility, but the credit is more likely due to spending 20-30 minutes on the exercycle.

All through the day, blood pressure fluctuates wildly. It is perfectly normal for your pressure to shoot up after you are stressed, have been involved in a heated discussion, or have been rushing around.

One blood pressure meaurement does not even begin to tell the entire story. A doctor needs to have a pattern of blood pressure over time in order to make a diagnosos of hypertension. I have always suspected that the reason most doctors make you sit in an exam room for awhile before they take your pressure is to have you quiet down from the driving to his office.

At one time my son was dabbling in Transendental Meditation. He has a tendency towards hypertension, and had been rushing around, before he went to the doctor. His pressure was quite high. The doctor was concerned. My son asked the doctor to let him sit in the exam room, and come back in ten minutes.

He proceeded to meditate. His pressure was, ten minutes later, within normal limits.

Phoenix--

My Internist was either just back from a professional meeting or had just read an article dealing with females' atypical heart attack symptoms.

Taking my blood pressure whenever the idea occurs to me has shown me that I do spike under stress (and when I'm brooding on insult and injury) and the way to reduce the spike is to exercise.

A Zen Mistress would meditate, but I'm better off scrubbing something or riding the exercycle.

Monday I should learn the results of my nuclear stress test. The technicians were yawning so I have no doubt but what I'm healthy.
(Besides, I'd been away from home, dealing solely with my own concerns for two hours and I'd crawled into a marvelous Swords and Sorcery escape fantasy.)

Bitchery is hazardous to your health.

Noddy- If you are under perpetual stress, a small amount of a blood pressure medication may be just the just be the thing to keep it under control. Once you have it under control, you can use the various techniques to enable you to eventually get off the meds. In the meantime, you don't need the possibility of causing damage to your body by the hypertension.

I'm talking to the doctor on Monday.

A small dose (5 mg) didn't seem to make any difference. Ten mg. made me very tired and weak and irritable--I tapered back to 5 mg and then quit.

I don't need to dose myself into a bad temper.