High Blood Pressure Be Gone

Archive for the ‘blood pressure readings’ Category

Possibly the most misunderstood thing about BP is the readings. There’s a lot of mix up out there and … and the official medical establishment policy regarding hypertension isn’t helping.

Some years back the rule of thumb regarding BP was 100 plus your age for an acceptable systolic (higher number) reading. Now the standard approach is 120/80 for everyone whether they are 9 or 99.

Indeed, both methods are flawed.

The traditional ’100 plus your age’ failed to take in account that a good lifestyle can keep away the effects of aging and help us live longer and healthier lives.

The newly established technique of 120 over 80 for all comes short in the other way.
Using the identical BP ruler to measure a 20 year old and a 75 year old is absurd.

Sure we can remain healthier and live longer through conscious choices – but that’s not the same as believing we can maintain the peak of a 20 year old’s strength, fitness, and BP for keeps.

Both methods fail to strike a balance – but good health is all about maintaining a balance.

Another downside with the 120 systolic 80 diastolic approach is that it fails to take into account the  dynamic nature of blood pressure. Your BP is constantly changing.

It’s not a specific number we should worry over but the ranges that our BP moves in.

BP will naturally go up when you exert yourself, , and so on. BP is usually the lowest at
the end of a relaxed evening . And this is the best time to take your blood pressure – at home, relaxed. Not at the doctor’s office or after half a dozen cups of coffee.

If your bp comes down to acceptable range (say under 135/ 90) then there’s no need to run to the local GP’s seeking a high blood pressure medications. It’s when your BP  refuses to come below to 155 over 90, ever, that you should contemplate blood pressure reducing solutions.

Why 135/90? That’s my acceptable range. You see I have a genetic inclination for high BP. My parents suffered fro high BP. So if I can keep my BP under 135 over 90 I’m pleased.

You’ll have to decide for yourself what’s acceptable for your own situation.

In case you’re interested, my actual BP reading sometimes go below the 120/80 standard. That’s a result of lifestyle  changes I’ve taken on. But I’m not going to ‘freak out’ if I get a
reading of, say 133 over 89 or thereabouts.

When dealing with personal health issues, establishing your own goals runs against the grain for for many people. It’s easier to just listen to ‘the establishment’ and do what they say.

The standard approach for reading high blood pressure (on a visit to your GP) could result is a false diagnoses of high blood pressure and as a consequence be put on medications -  when in fact your BP in a more relaxed situation is OK.

If you contemplate all the bad side effects linked with hypertension medications, bringing down your BP via a healthy lifestyle changes may not seem that crazy after all.

Also don’t forget that BP changes. Approach BP readings in terms of ranges, not fixed numbers.

Bottom line: get you own blood pressure monitor. For good deals see: get your own blood pressure monitor

After five months of stopping medications and starting on alternative natural remedies to reduce blood pressure I started to get blood pressure reading below the 120/80 ideal!

For example, yesterday I came in from working on the roof of my house and decided just for interest to take a reading. I clocked in at 153/98 with a heart rate of 84. Had I lost all the ground I had been struggling to attain? Not at all. That night before bed I took a reading again and was back down to a respectable 128/87 with a heart rate of 68.

You see, blood pressure levels change – up, down, round-about, and back again – in the course a day depending on what your doing, thinking, or have eaten. This is why it can be a big mistake to conclude you a chronic sufferer of high blood pressure / hypertension from one reading or an occasional visit to the doctor’s office.

Add to this the fact that many people’s blood pressure level increases just stepping into a doctor’s office. It’s called white coat syndrome. I think I have it even though inwardly I feel reasonably calm at the doctor’s. But how else can I account that my highest blood pressure readings ever have been at the doctor’s?

How many people have been falsely diagnosed with one or two high blood pressure readings and put on medications for life when there was no need?

What this means is that if your worried about your blood pressure levels:

1. Get your own monitor and take readings at different times.
2. Judge your blood pressure level according to ranges.

Remember, blood pressure readings are not as accurate tire pressure gauges. If you take two readings one after the other they will very rarely be the same (though they should be close). Don’t get too obsessed by exact numbers when it comes to blood pressure. Look for ranges.

Which is why the current blood pressure industry mantra of 120/80, 120/80, 120/80 … is just plain silly.

It has been speculated that it is largely driven by international pharmaceutical industries who have a large stake in the hypertension medications field. This is not just another conspiracy theory. Rather it is the outcome of a “confluence of interests”.

Look for a healthy range of blood pressure readings. Where you draw the line between ‘OK’ and ‘not OK’ readings is really up to you.

A reasonable approach that works for me is this: When relaxed, blood pressure readings below 130/90 is good; readings below 140/105 is OK; readings over 140/105 is not OK – time for action.

Mind you I have discovered that high blood pressure ‘runs in the family’ for me which means I have to take extra diligence to keep me in a healthy range. Others, not genetically prone to higher blood pressure, may wish to lower their ‘OK’ ranges.

Blood pressure ranges are a bit like shoe sizes. It not natural that everyone has identical blood pressure readings – or should be medicated in an attempt achieve an ideal reading at all times.

Given the fact that undesirable side effects with many of these medications have been well documented, there’s every reason to look for alternatives if you suffer from high blood pressure.

That’s exactly the situation I found myself in back in April this year (2009). After two months of being prescribed an ACE inhibitor (Rampril) I had developed a persistant nagging cough that would wake me up often in the night. Meanwhile my blood pressure reading refused to budge from 190+ / 120+ readings.

After five months of following of exploring alternatives to medication I now enjoy blood pressure reading in an OK range – sometimes even below the ideal of 120/80.

I’ve tried a number of alternative blood pressure cures offered on the internet but the ones I’ve used the most and come back to is Kevin Riley’s guidebook Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure, and David O’Hara’s BreathEasy program.

I have a 15 minute BreathEasy session most every night before bed and my blood pressure regularly drops to the 120/80 range and my heart rate below 70. Even though I have completed Kevin Riley’s 12 week program to lower blood pressure I often re-read parts. It’s a wealth of information and an enjoyable read (which is more than you can say for most ‘health guides’ on the Internet).

So if you need to get handle on your blood pressure first off check out the new DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). I uploaded a copy to the server so you should be able to get a copy by right-clicking HERE and selecting ‘save link as’ or save target as’, depending on your operating system/browser. It’s a good overview of food to help lower blood pressure.

Mind you, it’s produced by a government department (U.S. Department of Health and Social Services) so don’t expect it to be a great read. Worth checking out though.

If you’re really serious about lowering your blood pressure without medication then you might want to consider what has worked for me so far:

• Get your own blood pressure monitor
• Download BreathEasy and take 15 minutes off a day to reduce hypertension
• download Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure and start the 12 week program

After 12 weeks of Get Natural! and BreathEasy you should be feeling a lot better and your blood pressure readings should be down quite a lot.

The last time I checked the BreathEasy program was offering Kevin Riley’s Get Natural! as a free bonus. Grab yourself a bargain while it lasts.

That’s what’s worked for me.

You can check out all my review of alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure without drugs here: Alternative Cures Review

Best wishes and let us know how you’re getting along with these or any other natural cures for high blood pressure.

Life, we’re all in it together.

Last week was a milestone for me. After five months of giving up medications and embarking on alternative natural cures to reduce blood pressure I started to get blood pressure reading below the 120/80 ideal. Made it!

Mind you, I usually only take readings at night before bed when I’m at the most relaxed. Blood pressure readings during a busy day are usually higher.

For example, yesterday I came in from working on the roof of my house and decided just for interest to take a reading. I clocked in at 160/101 with a heart rate of 84. Had I lost all the ground I had been struggling to attain? Not at all. That night before bed I took a reading again and was back down to a respectable 128/87 with a heart rate of 68.

You see, blood pressure changes – up, down, round-about, and back again – in the course a day depending on what your doing, thinking, or have eaten. This is why it can be a big mistake to conclude you a chronic sufferer of high blood pressure / hypertension from one reading or an occasional visit to the doctor’s office.

Add to this the fact that many people’s blood pressure increases just stepping into a doctor’s office. It’s called white coat syndrome. I think I have it even though inwardly I feel reasonably calm at the doctor’s. But how else can I account that my highest blood pressure readings ever have been at the doctor’s?

Which makes you wonder … how many people have been falsely diagnosed with one or two high blood pressure readings and put on medications for life when there was no need?

What this means is that if your worried about your blood pressure levels:

1. Get your own monitor and take readings at different times.
2. Judge your blood pressure level according to ranges.

Remember, blood pressure readings are not as accurate tire pressure gauges. If you take two readings one after the other they will very rarely be the same (though they should be close). Don’t get too obsessed by exact numbers when it comes to blood pressure. Look for ranges.

Which is why the current blood pressure industry mantra of 120/80, 120/80, 120/80 … is just plain silly.

It has been speculated that it is largely driven by international pharmaceutical industries  who have a large stake in the hypertension medications field. This is not just another conspiracy theory. Rather it is the outcome of a “confluence of interests”.

Look for a healthy range of blood pressure readings. Where you draw the line between ‘OK’ and ‘not OK’ readings is really up to you.

A reasonable approach that works for me is this: When relaxed, blood pressure readings below 130/90 is good; readings below 140/105 is OK; readings over 140/105 is not OK – time for action.

Mind you I have discovered that high blood pressure ‘runs in the family’ for me which means I have to take extra diligence to keep me in a healthy range. Others, not genetically prone to higher blood pressure, may wish to lower their ‘OK’ ranges.

Blood pressure ranges are a bit like shoe sizes. It not natural that everyone has identical blood pressure readings – or should be medicated in an attempt achieve an ideal reading at all times.

Given the fact that undesirable side effects with many of these medications have been well documented, there’s every reason to look for alternatives if you suffer from high blood pressure.

That’s exactly the situation I found myself in back in April this year (2009). After two months of being prescribed an ACE inhibitor (Rampril) I had developed a persistant nagging cough that would wake me up often in the night. Meanwhile my blood pressure reading refused to budge from  190+ / 120+ readings.

After five months of following of exploring alternatives to medication I now enjoy blood pressure reading in an OK range – sometimes even below the ideal of 120/80.

I’ve tried a number of alternative blood pressure cures offered on the internet but the ones I’ve used the most and come back to is Kevin Riley’s guidebook Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure, and David O’Hara’s BreathEasy program.

I have a 15 minute BreathEasy session most every night before bed and my blood pressure regularly drops to the 120/80 range and my heart rate below 70. Even though I have completed Kevin Riley’s 12 week program to lower blood pressure I often re-read parts. It’s a wealth of information and an enjoyable read (which is more than you can say for most ‘health guides’ on the Internet).

So if you need to get handle on your blood pressure first off check out the new DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). I uploaded a copy to the server so you should be able to get a copy by right-clicking HERE and selecting ‘save link as’ or save target as’, depending on your operating system/browser. It’s a good overview of food to help lower blood pressure.

Mind you, it’s produced by a government department (U.S. Department of Health and Social Services) so don’t expect it to be a great read. Worth checking out though.

If you’re really serious about lowering your blood pressure without medication then you might want to consider what has worked for me so far:

• Get your own blood pressure monitor
• Download the BreathEasy audio program and take 15 minutes off a day to reduce your hypertension
• download Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure and start the 12 week program

After 12 weeks of Get Natural! and BreathEasy you should be feeling a lot better and your blood pressure readings should be down quite a lot.

The last time I checked the BreathEasy program was offering Kevin Riley’s Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure as a free bonus. Grab yourself a bargain while it lasts.

That’s what’s worked for me.

You can check out all my reviews of alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure without drugs here: Alternative Cures Review

Best wishes and let us know how you’re getting along with these or any other natural cures for high blood pressure.

Life, we’re all in it together.

If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure at the doctor’s office then you should be concerned but don’t jump to the conclusion that you have life threatening hypertension. Having a high blood pressure reading on one occasion does not mean you suffer from high levels all the time.

Having extraordinarily high blood pressure readings at a doctor’s office is quite common. So common they even have a name for it – “White Coat Syndrome”. Simply being in the doctor’s office can raise our blood pressure above our normal range.

The funny thing is that White Coat Syndrome can affect you even if you don’t consciously feel tense at the doctor’s. I always felt calm at the doctor’s but blood pressure readings would routinely be some 20 points higher there than at home.

The only way to get a true picture of your blood pressure condition is to get your own monitor and take readings from time to time. There are a number of benefits of getting your own monitor.

First, you’ll get to know what your blood pressure is outside of the doctor’s office. That’s the blood pressure that counts. If it’s still way to high you need to start treating it.

Secondly, having your own blood pressure monitor allows you to tell what is working for you to bring your blood pressure down. It allows you to experiment, choose the best methods, and stick with it till your blood pressure is where you want it.

Perhaps most importantly, having your own blood pressure puts you back in the driver’s seat. This is where you want to be if your are serious about getting your blood pressure down and restore your health.

I purchased a blood pressure monitor online from Lloyds Pharmacy last winter for just under £15. Of course I could have spent a lot more but the BP II seemed the best price for a decent battery-operated monitor with arm cuff. It reads systolic, diastolic, and pulse rate. It has worked properly without complaint. It includes a memory so you can check back on the previous 60 readings. I’ve yet to change the 4 AA batteries.

I ordered online and it was delivered to my door the next day. Here’s a link to Lloyds:

LloydsPharmacy
or Boots if you prefer.

For a wider selection check out:

amazon.co.uk/blood-pressure-monitors for the UK, or
amazon.com/blood-pressure-monitors for the US

Getting your own blood pressure is a vital first step getting a handle on your blood pressure and herding it in to the safely coral.

(Emma, who works in a pharmacy and seems to be ‘in the know’, says “don’t buy a wrist monitor – they’re not that accurate”)

The acceptable range of blood pressure is debatable. The new regime of defining everything over 120/80 as hypertension (or pre-hypertension) is more a “confluence of interests” than scientific fact.

The former “rule of thumb” for acceptable blood pressure levels went like this:

- systolic 100 + your age

In other words, it was accepted that blood pressure would rise as one aged.

The new regime is must simpler. It says that 120/80 and below is OK. Up to 140/90 is “pre-hypertension”. And anything over 140/90 is hypertension.

The 120/80 is now the one-size-fits all model. “Pre-hypertension” is regularly treated with prescription medication to prevent it from turning into “the dreaded silent killer” hypertension.

The new regime has resulted in a multi-billion dollar boom to the pharmaceutical industry dealing in blood pressure regulating medications leading some to question this shift to regulating blood pressure at lower levels.

Is it more motivated by profit than health?

Doctor are caught between a rock and a hard thing regardless of their own professional judgment. They are bombarded almost daily by sales literature from powerful pharmaceutical companies that can and do sway the prevailing opinions of accepted medical practice. Doctors leave themselves open to malpractice litigation if they don’t follow the newly established measurements and procedures.

But a blood pressure measurement of 120/80 is not necessarily ‘normal’ – rather it’s an ideal.

If your BP is consistently near to 120/80 range then pat yourself on the back. It doesn’t get much better. The other  95% of us in our 40s and above require a range a little more flexible to remain in reality and avoid becoming a lifelong medication junkie.

The upper ‘safe’ range has been suggested to be 140/100 and below.

If you are on or below this range, and over the age of 40, you don’t have life-threatening high blood pressure. Now is the time to think about lifestyle changes to ensure it doesn’t get too much higher.

In other words, it’s normal to have slightly higher blood pressure levels as one ages. Welcome to the human race.

What isn’t normal is to have desperately high blood pressure levels. If you’re measuring in at over 150/110 It’s time to act.

That doesn’t necessarily mean running to your doctor to get a prescription.

High  blood pressure is an indication that your body is out of balance. You can get your body back in balance through exercise and diet. See my Natural Cures Review for more information.

I brought my blood pressure from close to 200/120 down to 130/90 range in four months through diet and exercise. Six months on it is now usually below 130/90. And I’ve never felt better.

Mind you I only embarked on alternative remedies for high blood pressure after two months of medication (ACE inhibitor).  That medication was a total failure for me.  It gave me a persistent dry cough and didn’t bring my BP down at all.

Had I stayed with the medication route I’m sure the doctor would have found some combination of chemicals that forced my BP to lower levels but that’s hardly a cure. And it would have turned me into a lifelong pill popper.

So, three things to remember:

1. If your BP reading are consistently under 140/100, relax, you’re OK.
2. If your readings are consistently over 140/105 then it’s time to take action.
3. There are better ways to reduce your blood pressure to acceptable levels than taking daily doses of blood pressure lowering drugs.

Best wishes,

Simon