How may I lower my blood pressure?
I am 31 years old, five foot ten, and weigh about 280 pounds. I am a male (man). : )
However, I know for a fact that I am obese. I know I need to lose about 30-50 pounds to be healthy for my bone structure and body type/size. I am starting to exercise a little bit, little by little.
I ended up going to the hospital on Tuesday with EXTREMELY extremely high blood pressure readings. At one point, it got as high as apx. 230/190 or so. I was scared, stressed out, and nervous about the trip to the hospital, so it peaked. The nurse had taken it a few minutes earlier, and was alarmed...it was about 190/140 at that time.
Well, I am dead serious (absolutely no pun intended) about getting my HBP down. I want to be healthy, and I don't want to run the risk of getting a stroke.
Besides exercising, what may I do to seriously lower my blood pressure?
What foods can I eat that will help? What foods need I avoid?
Thank you in advance. : )
PS- I consume a lot of snack foods...
No, definitively exercising alone won't do the trick. You will have to change what you eat, but understand that you can't do it overnight. You have to proceed by steps.
First thing, try to get rid of unnecessary stress in your life: we all need some stress to move on, but enough is enough. Try to relax, take a vacation, go for a walk, stop worrying about what you can't change, try to sleep better, smile as often as you can, don't be afraid of being emotional, etc, etc.
Second thing, use less your car, if you have one. Walk more. This is exercise number one for you. I am not telling you to run. Simply walk. If you can walk in a wooded area, provided it is not dangerous, that would be fine. You may be in need of fresh air, too. Try to do this at least once every day.
Third thing, your diet must be changed. I don't know if you live with your family or alone. If the former, then you will need their support. If the latter, you will need discipline. Can you cook? Can you prepare your own foods? Can you do some shopping? Do you have to eat out? Learn to be selective.
Stick with a plan like this for a while and see if its works with you. I don't know what your ideal weight is, but let's put it at 90kg (I am using the metric system because it is easier for me). Try to eat three meals a day (not snacks!) - breakfast, lunch and supper - in such a way that the total weight you will be eating equals 1/100 of your ideal weight. If it's 90kg, you will be eating 900g a day. Let's say: 100g for breakfast, 350g for lunch and 450g for supper. You may need the scales to begin with, but after awhile just by looking at it, you will know rather accurately the food weight.
Your eating plan could be something like this:
breakfast: two boiled eggs or a few nuts + some bread or toast + one cup of black coffee or herbal tea. (If you have no problem with wholemeal bread, use it.)
lunch: cooked vegetables (carrots, spinach, peas) or some potatoes or some rice + some raw vegetables (lettuce, radishes) + grilled steak or chicken or fish (as you please) + a little dark chocolate or a very small slice of fruit (optional) + some mineral water
snack (around 5PM): some fresh fruit (one kind: apple or pear or cherries, etc) (optional) (avoid bananas or nuts)
dinner: just like lunch.
Avoid all dairy, soft drinks and junk food. Reduce salt and try to increase the use of raw garlic and natural herbs. Chew well and rest after each main meal, if possible.
Hope this helps.
|
Benecol Smart Chews, Caramel, 120-Count Soft Chews
$25.99
Enjoy the heart-healthy benefits of Benecol® Caramel Smart Chews. Benecol® Smart Chews are a delicious, convenient, and safe way to help lower cholesterol. Each soft chew contains just 20 calories, while also containing 0.7 grams of plant stanol esters, an ingredient proven to reduce cholesterol. Available in a delicious creamy caramel flavor, the chews are individually wrapped, and come in a...
|
|
Davidson's Tea Bulk, Herb Pure Org Hibiscus Flowers, 16-Ounce Bag
$12.96
Tart and full of Vitamin C, brewing a lovely red in the cup.Features include: -Net Wt. 16 oz (1 lb)-USDA Certified Organic-Caffeine-free-Enjoy drinking this loose leaf bulk tea with our best selling and convenient Ultimate Tea Infuser, also available on Amazon.com or Davidsonstea.com-Packed in a paper/kraft stand up pouch (SUP) with aluminum foil lining to maintain freshness...
|
|
500 Low Sodium Recipes: Lose the salt, not the flavor in meals the whole family will love
$8.31
Every recipe you need if you want to cut out salt!Sixty-five million Americans have high blood pressure and 5 million suffer from congestive heart failure. When their doctors advise them to watch their weight and lower their sodium intake, they imagine a lifetime of repeatedly bland and unappetizing meals. Their anxieties about their health are compounded by the notion that eating will no longer b...
|
