High Blood Pressure

[Orangesauce1]

Am only 25 and have just been told I have hypertension!! like there isn't enough troubles in the world!

Need to get it down, any relaxation/ destress technics that anyone can suggest.

[Ms.Hijinx]

stop worrying about the troubles in the world and go to a spa where you can relax all day in peace, treat yourself to loads of goodies and eat lots of chocolate and laugh at anything you can- all are supposed to be methods of relaxation good luck

[cherryelm]

relax and enjoy as ms hijinks suggests but perhaps the chocolate is not a good idea.

[jake-the-peg]

You probably already know this but alcohol is a major contributer to high blood pressure.

But cheer up Ms. Hijinx is right chocolate may reduce it!
http://www.chocolate.org/health/darkchocolate. html

Coffee looks OK but cola looks bad
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/cof fee_health.html

But being overweight and not getting enough exercise is often the biggie - could that be the case for you?

[Orangesauce1]

Hi they were great thanks. No am in the TA so high level of fitness and only a size 8 and very muscular!! thats why doc was so suprised am also having tests for a heart murmer they found... think its giving up on me :-)

[Hellion]

Try Yoga - I've been doing it for a year the yoga eases tension out of muscles and is always followed by a relaxation session which slows breathing and heart - very very good for hypertension.

[Amara]

You should avoid salt in your diet, up your intake of fruit and veg that are rich in potassium. Take a tablespoon of ground seeds per day. Vitamin C 1000mg per day (or even 2) Lots of oily fish or 1,200-2,400mg supplement. Vitamin E can help too, and you may have a magnesium deficiency - I don't know if your GP is going to test you for that? Yoga will definitely help too.

[redcrx]

Pineapple juice is good for hypertension.
Just a couple of things tho, my doctor was always saying i had high BP but i refused to believe because i am always nervous at the doctors. I had a 24 hour home test done and found that my BP is normal, i just suffer from White Coat Syndrome (fear of doctors)
My mum has just spent 3 months worrying about a heart murmur 2 doctors found and after and ECG etc has been told that her hearts fine and she has no murmur whatsoever.
So make sure you get everything checked out fully.
It wont hurt in the meantime to get a diet sheet from the nurse with all the things to avoid if you have hypertension.

[jake-the-peg]

Hmm OK I can see why that'd be worrying it's one thing to suffer from high blood pressure when you can do something about it, different if you're already young and fit.

Do you have a familly history of heart complaints?

One thing to bear in mind though, a single high blood pressure reading normally means nothing on its own. My GP was trying out an electronic "wear all day" monitor and someone hit his window with a stone. He said if he'd seen that reading in isolation on a patient he'd have sent them straight to hospital!

So presumably he's concerned because he thinks he can detect a heart murmur. He could easilly be wrong just like redcrx says that's why he's sending you to see a "grown up doctor" at the hospital.

I know it's easier said than done but try not to panic and lay off the booze.

Best of luck

[Orangesauce1]

Thank you all so much, thats really helped. I will just wait and see now. I should be lucky that they are checking out and being safe at least then I will know either way.

M

[Litchick]

Orangesauce, definitely try the yoga and if you like it, keep up with it. It was very helpful in bringing down my blood pressure.