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High Blood Pressure, Folate, Fish Oil, Biofeedback, Autogenic Training
Question: I am 28 y/o. I'm in good health exercise 3-4 days a week. Played sports my whole life. Blood work is good, but I have high systolic BP. Dr. Put me on 10mg Lisinopril, did nothing. I'm currently on 20mg of lisinopril with very little effect. I check my BP at work, it reads 128-156/53-66. Most of the time it starts in the high 140's. The werid thing is I can take it again 10 seconds later, after doing some slow XXXXXXX breathing, and it will read 128-133/56-62. I don't understand, do I need BP meds or meds to make me relax??
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for your query,
The natural relaxation exercises will work in cases of hypertension with severity needing for medications also.
Since the systolic BP is not well maintained with the Lisnopril you are on, I would suggest you to get your medication revised and get you on a beta blocker class of drugs or combinations containing ACE inhibitors and Angiotenisin receptor blockers.
Well if you think you are stressed out and that may be the reason for the high systolic BP then relaxation exercises like Aerobics , mild brisk walk , yoga and meditation will surely help and can take you out of the medications.To determine this you may have to try the relaxation exercises for at least 3 months with observation on BP measurements.
Other natural remedies which do work in case of hypertension like you have are :
1)Fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure. Learn more about fish oil.
2)Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels.
3)Biofeedback, a technique in which people learn how to gain control over XXXXXXX body processes that normally occur involuntarily, such as blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and skin temperature.
4)Autogenic training, a technique used for stress reduction and relaxation. It involves a series of sessions in which people learn how to control breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.
Hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries I will be available to answer them.
Thanks for your query,
The natural relaxation exercises will work in cases of hypertension with severity needing for medications also.
Since the systolic BP is not well maintained with the Lisnopril you are on, I would suggest you to get your medication revised and get you on a beta blocker class of drugs or combinations containing ACE inhibitors and Angiotenisin receptor blockers.
Well if you think you are stressed out and that may be the reason for the high systolic BP then relaxation exercises like Aerobics , mild brisk walk , yoga and meditation will surely help and can take you out of the medications.To determine this you may have to try the relaxation exercises for at least 3 months with observation on BP measurements.
Other natural remedies which do work in case of hypertension like you have are :
1)Fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure. Learn more about fish oil.
2)Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels.
3)Biofeedback, a technique in which people learn how to gain control over XXXXXXX body processes that normally occur involuntarily, such as blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and skin temperature.
4)Autogenic training, a technique used for stress reduction and relaxation. It involves a series of sessions in which people learn how to control breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.
Hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries I will be available to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
With the simple fact that I can talk, breath my way into having lower BP, would that not indicate that it is just stress? I'm not questioning what you said, it was very helpful. I really just want this to be something I can do without medication. I just joined the Army and I have to go to basic training, will this be okay if I go there with my BP being the way it is? Also, my grandfather sees a cartiologist all the time, he has "heart Issues", he said that my BP really Isn't that bad, is that true? on Average I would say 146/54-66. Thank you for your time!
Hi again,
Thanks for following me up,
Yes , I do agree with you that stress could be the trigger here and relief from the same will solve the BP issue without interventions involving medications.
But here I see only systolic being raised here,in stress there would be a raise in both systolic and diastolic.The BP values are quite high which could be considered as touching the range margin.
I would advice you to continue on medication for another month or two along with relaxation exercises as mentioned above and observe the BP readings if you see a improvement then slowly get off the medications and continue the relaxation exercises.
Wish you Good health
Thanks for following me up,
Yes , I do agree with you that stress could be the trigger here and relief from the same will solve the BP issue without interventions involving medications.
But here I see only systolic being raised here,in stress there would be a raise in both systolic and diastolic.The BP values are quite high which could be considered as touching the range margin.
I would advice you to continue on medication for another month or two along with relaxation exercises as mentioned above and observe the BP readings if you see a improvement then slowly get off the medications and continue the relaxation exercises.
Wish you Good health
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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