Seriously..Just been to the Mds and

[busterbrown]

for all my life I have been very healthy (Knock Wood)..
Turning 72 next month..

On my last visit to Md.. was informed that my blood pressure is way up.. Unsafe numbers..

I wonder how much of this is a result of all the crap Trump and his Dumpsters are handing our Country?
i spend a lot of time following this stuff.....find myself very very pissed and agitated by whats happening.
Wonder if this has caused my B.P. to rise very significantly?

Also Wonder if I am alone on this?

[ProudLib72]

1. Speaking as someone who has had high BP since I was 18

I would say that it has to do with genetics, then age (changing health), then diet, then exercise. I was on a couple of meds for a decade. In the last four years, I've been taken off one of the meds and dropped the amount of the other one. Diet and exercise. Watching too much news is not doing you any good, but it begins with the other stuff.

[busterbrown]

3. I thought so...

I just turned 72 and my health has been excellent for those many years..

I have however in last 15 years have experienced a lot more anxiety..And the Trump thing has really gotten me crazy.. Never had any problems with blood pressure before this..went for my check-up 3 months ago..My insurance made me change my Md.. Went to visit him 2 weeks ago and my Blood Pressure went through the roof.. So I.m making changes.. I have a very good exercise program, but my diet is lousy because of working hrs.

I think you are probably spot on with your reply. oh By the way... I drink too much.. I'm sure that doesn't help about 4 shots a day.. Minatures... Have already cut it off.

again your reply was very helpful..

[ProudLib72]

9. At one point, before I went on meds, I actually felt it

I was sick for a few days until I went to the doctor to get checked out. My BP was something like 200/130. I mean, it was dangerous. And that was when I was in my mid 20s! The doctor put me on meds straight away and told me to sit still until my BP fell significantly.

Now the thing is, if I just sit around doing nothing for months and then take my BP, it will be slightly elevated, say 145/95. I try not to just sit around. I try to get out and ride my bike as much as possible. If I have been riding my bike frequently, then my BP will be normal, even slightly low. Most recently, it has been around 100/70.

If I were you, I would go the meds route for now and then change my diet and exercise habits. It could take a long time for your body to adjust to diet and exercise to lower your BP. I don't think this is something you can try to manage solely with diet and exercise at the outset.

[kimbutgar]

2. I just got diagnosed with high blood pressure before turning 63 this year

It didn’t surprise me as both my late parents and my living sister had or has high blood pressure. I escaped it for many years. And I think the orange anus in the White House adds a few points when I see or hear him on tv. I disliked bush but my disgust of the orange anus is a contributing factor also.

[busterbrown]

5. Any keys to the problem (our problem)

I exercise a lot.. So I thought I was safe.. Apparently not..

Thanks for responding

[malaise]

4. There are ways to reduce stress and high blood pressure

Exercise at least three days a week - walk, ride, run, swim, stretch, a combo or whatever.
Cut down on salt, processed food, sugar and carbs.
Some of us are lucky that we don't have blood pressure problems but one way or another something will be coming our way eventually.

The key is diet and exercise - and scream fuck the Con regularly - that helps.
Additionally laugh - even at yourself -take time off and watch Colbert or whatever tickles your fancy. Laughter is great therapy

[busterbrown]

6. Thanks Malaise..

I always enjoy your posts.. I do some standup so I do appreciate humor and good vibes..

[malaise]

8. You do standup comedy?

Love that

[TheBlackAdder]

12. You're spot on Malaise.

[VOX]

22. Health knowledge from...*malaise*?

Just made me laugh. It’s a great handle, one with relatable appeal.

Your advice here is excellent. Am doing most of it, including the M-F night Colbert therapy. Did have a setback in January, though, post-inner eat surgery (and on prednisone), I did nothing but eat/sleep/eat for two months, and gained 45 lbs. Lost 10 lbs. of that so far, but, damn, it sure doesn’t come off as easily as it goes on. Will be able to start swimming again this month, and that will be a huge help.

[malaise]

23. ROFL

My malaise is as result of the state of our planet - you'd laugh louder if I told you why I used it as my DU username. It's part of a title of a great book about the game of cricket by an American Socialist who migrated to England during the Vietnam War - Mike Marqusee.

[cilla4progress]

7. You are not

alone!

[TexasBlueDog]

10. There are some studies ongoing...

There have been a couple of articles about increased suicides, mental and physical illnesses 'in a certain time frame'. Typical scientific BS, saying something without saying anything. They give the impression politics may be a causative but won'r come right out and say Trump is killing people with his actions. Not even close.

These increases are of a broad enough nature that the phenomenon is actually being studied. So your thoughts are spot on and should be taken very seriously. Any changes in health should be dealt with appropriately,

[TheBlackAdder]

11. Check with your doctor about Resveratrol 500mg. It lowered both of my numbers 20 points each.

[busterbrown]

13. Thanks so much..

Nice of you to help and give med information.

[TheBlackAdder]

16. I made no other changes to diet or lifestyle for the weeks before and 3 weeks after starting it.

.

I wanted to see if what I was reading up on was true. In my case it was.

Afterwards, since I am over the guideline by 60lbs, I started a Keto diet, with 16g carb limit. I lost 30 lbs in 2 months. My goal is to drop 50 lbs. I stay mostly with proteins that are meat-based with some cheese. I've spoken to others and too much cheese can lead to kidney stone production, which seems to afflict my one sister.

The loss of weight gives me more energy, while also assisting in the lowering of blood pressure. Being dehydrated increases blood pressure too. So make sure you are hydrated so your heart doesn't have to struggle to pump blood. If you are dehydrated, when checking your BP, drink a large glass of water and in about an hour it will drop quite a bit.

Take note: Many of those wrist blood pressure monitors are complete crap. It gets you in the ballpark, but if you use it 5 times, you'll often get 5 different results. It's best to spring for a really good cuff one that attaches to your upper arm. They run about $100. If you shop at CVS, every once in a while you will get a 40% off one item coupon. You can use it for printer ink, electric razors and toothbrushes, and even blood pressure monitors. If you are lucky, every several weeks, they have a $10 off or Extra Bucks reward that you can stack with the 40% off coupon. I got my $90 Omron one for around $40.

.

[shanti]

31. Good advice

But you don't have to pay so much for a good bp cuff. I got mine at Costco for about $40 or so. I trust their products.

https://www.costco.com/A%2526D-Medical-Blood-Pressure-Monitor-with-AccuFit-Plus-Cuff.product.100329250.html

[Vinca]

14. I just had my dosage of BP meds increased on Friday and I definitely blame Trump.

[busterbrown]

15. Since I'm new to this..

What are your particular symptoms? That would be helpful.... I was just diagnosed and I can not tell if some of the small things which are bothering me..are related BP Thanks.

[Vinca]

20. I don't have any real symptoms. Guess that's why it's called the "silent killer,"

Don't get yourself too worked up over it or that will make things worse. I always dread going to a doctor's appointment and by the time I get there my BP is 10 points higher. If you take any supplements, you might want to investigate them. I discovered one thing I had been taking for over a year suppressed the body's ability to control blood pressure! My BP is still too high, even with the increased dose, so I'll probably end up taking a diuretic, too. Oh, well. I'm 70 and no one in my family has lived to 80 so I'm not going to worry about what might genetically already be baked in the cake. One thing I credit with fewer health problems is taking as few medications as possible. Decades ago I worked with elderly people in a psychiatric hospital and I've always been convinced a fair number of them were only there because they were overmedicated and it was making them totally daffy.

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. My BP goes up when I read/hear/think about where we are today with that moron in the WH

And I get insomnia. Life since 2016 has been stressful, with him squatting in the WH. and it can be a daily drop drip drip of going nutz over what he has done, worrying abut what he will do. etc.

Had to deliberately force myself to not read/hear any news during the day, until early pm, when I browse a few select sources, then turn it all off again.

My BP and health has been great up to 3 years ago, now I feel my age for the first time in my life, as I hit 70.

Having said that, BP can be influenced by all sorts of things, I see my doc once a year, and I bought a good BP cuff to check on it when I think I need to. It actually is very educational to get that feedback.

[GulfCoast66]

18. Chances are there is something going on as you age. Get a full check on it!

But if it is related to the current news, no offense intended, that is on you. Not Trump or anything else.

Well, you and social media including DU.

Do what is in your power. Vote, contribute and volunteer. Then just don’t think about it. I like DU because I can talk with people I agree with. But spending too much time here, or any other site might build up unproductive stress. It was happening to me.

Spend time on hobbies, family, cooking and travel plans. And by all means exercise and eat right.

I have limited my online time to an hour of so each night because it was starting to dominate my thinking. Which does nothing to help the situation and only harms me.

[malaise]

24. On Saturday afternoon we went to a friend's home to cook her birthday dinner

We had an absolute blast until close to midnight.
Still there was a discussion about the Con.

[UTUSN]

19. 72 here, so not alone, prolly (you) better off: 9 pills. bp, diabetes (plus).

When I was 50 I asked the then doctor, "Doctor, I never used to have (health) problems, now it's one little thing after another."

He was an arrogant a-hole with my chart in front of him with all my info, and he sneeringly asked, "How *OLD* are you?!"

I said, "50." And he said, "That's what *FIFTY* is like!1"

After I let it sink in (over weeks) that he was an intolerable a-hole, I requested my records and paid $75 and looked for another doctor.



When I've told that story at the VFW, others have said, "Wait till you're 70!1" So I'm there now and more. Oh, when I told my 90-something very intelligent aunt, she said, "Sweetie, he was very rude to you, but he TOLD YOU THE TRUTH!1"

[Joe941]

21. Another reason we need government run health care.

[leftyladyfrommo]

25. I got off meds after years. Plant based diet.

No processed food. Low salt and bad fats. Lots of fruit and veggies and nuts and seeds. I stay on Joel Fuhrman's nutrarian diet. Everything you eat is high nutrient. And high fiber. And exercise.

I got used to it pretty easily. Now I like it. And I feel a whole lot better.

Better for our environment. Too.

I am 70 and off.all meds.

[Codeine]

26. I really need to control my salt.

I’ve been a vegan for thirty years, drug and smoke-free, am still reasonably active, still slim, and probably the physically strongest I’ve ever been. My only bad habits are too much caffeine (Earl Grey tea all day every day) and too much salt.

Unfortunately I was raised by smokers who oversalted everything to compensate for their ruined taste buds and now lightly-salted food just tastes like crap to me.

[leftyladyfrommo]

29. Cut back slowly. Give yourself time to adjust.

I still put a little salt on my food. You don't have to cut it back completely. It would be better if I could.

Beets and beets juice are really good for lowering BP.

I also put just a little butter on some things to give better taste. And I use a little splash of milk on my oatmeal.

I do really good most of the day eating fruits and veggies and some seeds and nuts. I am getting used to eating that way. No processed food. No meat. That doesn't bother me at all. But it has taken time to get this far.

[lunasun]

28. +I have never had to take any meds but always get check ups and have followed a lot of Joel F advice

EATING LIKE A NUTRITARIAN film is a good start and only 70 mins long
He also addresses the biggest dietary myths we have been told in the film
I do not follow it all the time and all the way but seem to benefiting . I think every bit helps

I have tried to replace salt with cayenne pepper but salt is still my weakness but I do not have any BP issues....yet and as you said, I feel good and MD numbers match my assessment .. for now. Hope my healthy concerns keep bad health at bay

Be open minded to the film people but of course consult a doctor too if existing issues and taking meds may cause conflict

[blueinredohio]

27. You are not alone. I take two b.p. meds so some things I don't even watch

because I know it will raise my b.p.

[shanti]

30. Nope, you're not alone

Always had low blood pressure until Chump.