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Old 08-04-2009, 01:58 AM
 
1,121 posts, read 3,652,541 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by miokie View Post
For some folks, blood pressure is a lifestyle thing. For them, exercise, diet, supplements, meditation, breathing, etc, will bring it back to a healthy level.
For others, there are hereditary factors and ~all of the above~ won't make a big enough dent.

Some folks never or seldom exercise, eat everthing they please, and stress out about every little thing, yet their BP numbers are consistently 'healthy'.

Hubby's one of the latter, I'm one of the former. With lots and lots of work, I've managed - just- to avoid bp meds. Steadyand consistent exercise, healthy diet and supplements, and breathing/meditation have been my main tools.
I work but don't really have job stress (love my job!) whereas hubby is always under pressure.
Still, his bp is stellar, mine is at best borderline. It's not fair, but those are the breaks.

Right now I'm hanging in there, at best I usually come in at somewhere around 130/80, even with doing everything "just right". Eventually I'll probably have to take meds. So be it. I refuse tho to bow and cowtow to those who say it's all about the right lifestyle choices. I refuse to accept the blame and guilt card. My lifestyle choices are way way superior to hubby's. Genetics can be hard to overcome.
In a weird sort of way, it works for me that my genes fall short because as a result I have adopted all those healthy habits, and I know they'll pay off in many ways in spite of my stubborn bp numbers.
Your blood pressure is fine! What is it with us Americans that we think we have to be perfect and fit into some sort of cookie cutter like 120/80. Work on keeping that bottom number low and you will be great. If it creeps up to 96, start getting worried.
Also don't worry about taking medication if you need it.
I am one of those who cannot tolerate it, but I am a person who cannot tolerate a lot of things. For instance, if I wear a necklass, the pressure on the back of my neck causes me to get a horrible headache in about 20 minutes, when I had my ears pierced at 22, the holes refused to heal even with the help of a dermatologist and I had to give it up. After 32 years, I am still draining a cycst in one ear. I am allergic to almost everything I breath, and when I tried 4 different kinds of blood pressure meds, I suffered just about every side affect they were known to cause except the lowering of my blood pressure.
I am the weird one, so I have had to find alternative ways to help myself with weight loss, restricted diet and exercise. Most people do just fine when they find the proper meds for them and don't have to make so many sacrifices..

Last edited by yukiko11; 08-04-2009 at 02:16 AM..
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Old 08-07-2009, 08:19 PM
 
68 posts, read 454,713 times
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Might I recommend, Eat to Live, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Just do a google search!
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Old 08-09-2009, 07:38 AM
 
Location: Wilkes-Barre,Pa
272 posts, read 999,403 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minervah View Post
I'm going to go out on a limb here and mention something that some of you might think is a bit strange. About six years ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. The doctor prescribed BP pills. They made me very sick. So she prescribed another brand and another. All of them disagreed with me.

I posted my problem on a message board to which I used to belong and got a reply from a woman who worked for a natropath. She recommended something called Mukta Vati. It consists of a combination of herbs from India and can be gotten only over the Internet. She said it worked remarkably well and no one her natropath prescribed it for ever had adverse reactions to it.

Skpetic that I am, I immediately thought "snake-oil." But then figured it was worth a try. Diet wasn't helping and the prescriptions made me ill so I thought I would give it a try. I ordered some and within three or four days my BP went to normal. As time went by I was able to reduce the dosage.

One thing I discovered is that BP is not stagnant. If I begin to feel a bit dizzy it means my BP is too low. During times of stress it may rise too high. I have a small machine to monitor my BP and can adjust the number of tablets I take accordingly. I like having that control.

I've been doing this for about six years now and it works like a charm. Everytime I get my BP taken in a doctor's office, they comment on how good it is. When I tell them what I take for it, they just shake their heads but one can't argue with success.

If anyone is interested in Mukta Vati you can just Google the name and you will find websites that talk about it and sell it. Some look like they are selling snake oil but believe me this stuff works for me and to everyone I've recommended it. One word of caution though, the FDA is trying to ban it's importation because they haven't studied it. Like that ever made a difference on a lot of the stuff they have approved. But there you are.
I just started taking it yesterday,and my BP dropped within hours, it was 160/85 with the meds, I just check my BP this morning and it was normal, so I ony took one tablet,Im still taking my meds, they say not to stop taking the meds all at once, this stuff seems to work.
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Old 08-09-2009, 01:59 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,324,149 times
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Quote:
I just started taking it yesterday,and my BP dropped within hours, it was 160/85 with the meds, I just check my BP this morning and it was normal, so I only took one tablet, I'm still taking my meds, they say not to stop taking the meds all at once, this stuff seems to work.
I am so glad it is working for you! I am also down to only one tablet a day but I also take Red Rice Yeast to control my cholesterol which besides doing that also helps control my bp which is now 115/75. It will go up to 130/80 at its highest when I am under stress but that is well within the normal range as opposed to what it used to be.
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Old 08-09-2009, 04:03 PM
 
Location: Wilkes-Barre,Pa
272 posts, read 999,403 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minervah View Post
I am so glad it is working for you! I am also down to only one tablet a day but I also take Red Rice Yeast to control my cholesterol which besides doing that also helps control my bp which is now 115/75. It will go up to 130/80 at its highest when I am under stress but that is well within the normal range as opposed to what it used to be.
I know if I drink more then two cups of coffe, my BP goes up, I guess I should stop drinking coffe. I just checked it after eating dinner, and its 90/54, just like when I was 20 years old.
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Old 08-09-2009, 04:11 PM
 
Location: Wilkes-Barre,Pa
272 posts, read 999,403 times
Reputation: 136
Quote:
Originally Posted by TransAm View Post
I know if I drink more then two cups of coffe, my BP goes up, I guess I should stop drinking coffe. I just checked it after eating dinner, and its 90/54, just like when I was 20 years old.
I must say, I took one tablet in the morning, one at noon, and one at 3 pm.
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Old 08-09-2009, 04:16 PM
 
Location: NW Montana
6,259 posts, read 14,624,948 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TransAm View Post
I know if I drink more then two cups of coffe, my BP goes up, I guess I should stop drinking coffe. I just checked it after eating dinner, and its 90/54, just like when I was 20 years old.
this worked for me also! Bring on the Sanka!
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Old 08-09-2009, 11:24 PM
 
162 posts, read 631,368 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minervah View Post
If anyone is interested in Mukta Vati you can just Google the name and you will find websites that talk about it and sell it.
I googled and found tons of sites selling it and talking about it, like you said. But no information I could sink my teeth into. I then searched for it in fee-based medical (including alternative and herbal meds) databases, to which I have access to because of my profession. Got zero returns.

I believe the people who say it works for them. I tend to disregard the claims of the sites selling it, but at the same time I'm somewhat concerned that they say it "calms the nervous system" and has "no side effects" because it's a "natural substance". I'm skeptical that something that lowers blood pressure and also calms the nervous system would be devoid of risks and side effects.
Just because something's "natural" and effective doesn't mean it's safe. Normally, the more effective something is, the greater the risk of side effects and interactions with other drugs.

I'm reminded of kombucha tea, kava, sam-e, st. john's wort, all of which do indeed work, very effectively. But as more and more people tried them, the many risks became apparent. I used st. john's wort and sam-e at different times. They both "worked" but I had severe withdrawal symptoms when I discontinued them. The sam-e, especially, caused debilitating symptoms that lingered for months.

I'd like to know more about muktavati; there's just not enough information on it yet to reassure me that it's as safe as they sellers claim.

fwiw, I'm equally skeptical about any prescription meds my doctor suggests, including antibiotics.
I ask tons of questions, starting with "what's the best possible result I can hope for with this stuff" , "what's the worst it might do to me?", and "what alternatives can I try before taking it?". I don't always accept prescriptions. It took him years to get me to agree to take a statin, and I refuse to take more than 10mg a day.
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Old 08-10-2009, 11:01 AM
 
Location: Earth Wanderer, longing for the stars.
12,406 posts, read 18,908,330 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by miokie View Post
I googled and found tons of sites selling it and talking about it, like you said. But no information I could sink my teeth into. I then searched for it in fee-based medical (including alternative and herbal meds) databases, to which I have access to because of my profession. Got zero returns.

I believe the people who say it works for them. I tend to disregard the claims of the sites selling it, but at the same time I'm somewhat concerned that they say it "calms the nervous system" and has "no side effects" because it's a "natural substance". I'm skeptical that something that lowers blood pressure and also calms the nervous system would be devoid of risks and side effects.
Just because something's "natural" and effective doesn't mean it's safe. Normally, the more effective something is, the greater the risk of side effects and interactions with other drugs.

I'm reminded of kombucha tea, kava, sam-e, st. john's wort, all of which do indeed work, very effectively. But as more and more people tried them, the many risks became apparent. I used st. john's wort and sam-e at different times. They both "worked" but I had severe withdrawal symptoms when I discontinued them. The sam-e, especially, caused debilitating symptoms that lingered for months.

I'd like to know more about muktavati; there's just not enough information on it yet to reassure me that it's as safe as they sellers claim.

fwiw, I'm equally skeptical about any prescription meds my doctor suggests, including antibiotics.
I ask tons of questions, starting with "what's the best possible result I can hope for with this stuff" , "what's the worst it might do to me?", and "what alternatives can I try before taking it?". I don't always accept prescriptions. It took him years to get me to agree to take a statin, and I refuse to take more than 10mg a day.
My husband and I have been taking Sam-E for years with no side effects at all. It's a shame that you are having such a problem with alternate therapies.

I tried blood pressure meds and had to stop taking my 3 mile walks every other day because I had to urinate much more frequently and almost fainted while walking.

I can't see taking meds if they make you lock yourself in your house because you are so tired all of the time and not go anywhere unless there will be a bathroom nearby. I know they are not planning this, but it is as though they just want to keep you alive so you can keep buying their pills and the heck with your quality of life.
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Old 08-14-2009, 10:34 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,324,149 times
Reputation: 35862
Quote:
Originally Posted by miokie View Post
I googled and found tons of sites selling it and talking about it, like you said. But no information I could sink my teeth into. I then searched for it in fee-based medical (including alternative and herbal meds) databases, to which I have access to because of my profession. Got zero returns.

I believe the people who say it works for them. I tend to disregard the claims of the sites selling it, but at the same time I'm somewhat concerned that they say it "calms the nervous system" and has "no side effects" because it's a "natural substance". I'm skeptical that something that lowers blood pressure and also calms the nervous system would be devoid of risks and side effects.
Just because something's "natural" and effective doesn't mean it's safe. Normally, the more effective something is, the greater the risk of side effects and interactions with other drugs.

I'm reminded of kombucha tea, kava, sam-e, st. john's wort, all of which do indeed work, very effectively. But as more and more people tried them, the many risks became apparent. I used st. john's wort and sam-e at different times. They both "worked" but I had severe withdrawal symptoms when I discontinued them. The sam-e, especially, caused debilitating symptoms that lingered for months.

I'd like to know more about muktavati; there's just not enough information on it yet to reassure me that it's as safe as they sellers claim.

fwiw, I'm equally skeptical about any prescription meds my doctor suggests, including antibiotics.
I ask tons of questions, starting with "what's the best possible result I can hope for with this stuff" , "what's the worst it might do to me?", and "what alternatives can I try before taking it?". I don't always accept prescriptions. It took him years to get me to agree to take a statin, and I refuse to take more than 10mg a day.
I agree with you. The websites are ridiculous. It will not cure all your ills and it's silly to advertise it as such. But after taking it for 6 years now, I can say that for me it worked, no side effects and I was able to reduce the dosage and keep a normal BP. Unfortunately I haven't found any more information on the subject than you have. I don't think it's available. I can only go by the fact that it has worked for me and others I have told about it. I know that's not the scientific data you are looking for but that's all I have.

Cholesterol meds also made me ill. So a friend recommended Red Rice Yeast which taken with CoQ10 as one should with a synthetic statin it does the trick for lowering my numbers. And it keeps me one more step away from the drug companies and doctors.

I totally do not trust anything a doctor prescribes for me. I read the inserts and then go on the Internet to see what other people who have taken the meds have to say about it. I do this because I listened to a doctor and took Prednisone for a couple of years and it did more damage to my health than the illness for which I was taking it.

There are so many iratrogenic illnesses out there (physician caused illnesses by the treatment given for a condition) that I do not trust the medical profession at all. I will see a doctor for my chronic condition of Sarcoidosis but I no longer take everything they want to give me.

If alternative herbs, vitamins or whatever help I'm all about that. Even though you have to wade through the treacle of the adverts on the Web it's worth it. And after all, some of the drugs the doctors are pushing have pretty sappy ads on TV as well.

Remember, the FDA only tests to see if a drug will work for that which it was created. They do not test to see how many people will be killed or maimed. You can Google websites for a listing for all the FDA approved drugs that caused deaths.

Keep up your skepticism, we should all have a healthy interest in anything we swallow be it a pill or a sales pitch.

Last edited by Minervah; 08-14-2009 at 10:36 PM.. Reason: Clarity
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