Blood Pressure

[DenverGuy]

This is not an issue - it's a problem. I have lost 22 lbs. with the Starch Solution. I'm 68 (look much younger, 6', 185. I have cut out most salt and use potassium chloride. I take magnesium glycinate, B12, potassium, etc. supplements. I live on oatmeal with soymilk, bananas, Dave's Killer 21 Grain Bread with avocado. Then it's lentils, rice, bake tofu, and frozen mango. At night a baked potato with garlic and hot sauce and steamed broccoli. Frozen blueberries for desert.

I do HIIT training on a bike 3X per week. I walk 1.5 miles per day and ride the bike around 10 miles excluding HIIT. I do 300 pushups per week, bicycle exercise on the floor, and curls three times per week. I eat beans, leafy greens, and broccoli every day. I drink a little and do an iced coffee every day so. I drink moderately.

I went to the doctor today and my BP was like 160/100. 10 minutes later it was 186/114! At home is was 186 over 101 again, but when I rested it came down to 164/104 - still way too high.

I am really frustrated with my body and how this is happening. I am working hard at it. Tomorrow I go on medication. I hate that.

I found a local medical places that does thing Dr. McDougall's way and contacted them. Any other advice? This has me really worried. I could understand this if I was eating the SAD.

I forgot that the doctor is testing my thyroid function. I see that a malfunction with that could be causing this. I hope so!

Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Starflower]

I’m sorry you’re having this problem! May I suggest you post in Jeff’s forum to ask about possible effects of supplements? I’m no expert, but your potassium intake looks like it might be pretty high to me. Potassium can have cardiac effects, if I’m not mistaken. I hope you find the answers you need.

[DenverGuy]

Thanks, Starflower. I think I probably shouldn't move it to that forum, though, as he can't give personal advice.

[Mom+Me]

Hello DenverGuy,

I, too, am sorry to hear you're having this problem. I can only imagine how frustrating and scary it is.

Just some thoughts that have come to mind:

--Like Starflower suggested, it might not hurt to post this in Jeff's section. Is it possible to have it here and there? I don't know.

--I don't know how long you've been following the Starch Solution, but unfortunately, how we ate in our past can catch up with us. It may be that had you not been eating as you are, it would have been worse and sooner.

--I have seen it with a fairly prominent WFPB man in his mid-upper 60's where his b/p was soaring and he had to get down to the basics and eliminate (or drastically reduce) higher fat and processed vegan foods. Also, my 80 year old male relative, despite McDougalling for well over a decade, close to 2, is having higher b/p, despite limiting his daily added sodium intake to no more than 1,000 mg./day. Bread is often high in sodium, so we generally only eat Ezekiel's low sodium bread which only contains 5 mg./slice.

--I, too, am wondering if the supplements may have something to do with it. Dr. McDougall is not at all fond of supplementation other than B-12 and possibly D3 if absolutely necessary.

--Of course stress plays a role. We don't need to know, but are there any new things, even if seemingly small, that are causing you negative stress? Even lack of sleep is a stressor.

--Depending on how long you've had elevated b/p, Dr. McDougall only puts his patients on an older, proven, inexpensive diuretic medicine after several months at 160/100 or greater. There are articles on this website and YouTube videos with Dr. McDougall addressing this.

Wishing you the best! Please keep us updated.

[Mom+Me]

P.S.
Another thing to look out for is dehydration. It could be something as simple as adding a few (more) glasses of water could be a real help.

You could try tweaking by going a week without coffee or alcohol, see if that makes a difference, then go from there. You're doing really well! Don't throw in the towel; this will get solved, and I'm confident it's able to be solved naturally.

[DenverGuy]

Thank you, Mom + Me. I really appreciate all your advice!
I have been on the McDougall program for about five years, but sometimes cheat by drinking, chips and salsa once in a great while,
etc. Before that I was vegetarian, but with some dairy, processed foods, cheese, etc. Awful. I drink a lot of water, but I think I will up it. I was doing 2 hot coffees and an iced triple espresso almost every day. I will dial that way to only the iced espresso. No drinking this week.

The one thing about this is eliminating so many enjoyable vegan, low-fat foods that life is a lot less fun.

I might as well post on Jeff's page. He can always not respond or delete it.

I will pare down the supplements, but I heard that magnesium and D3 are good ones. So much conflicting advice, you know?

I recall now about what you said dr. McDougall's BP recommendations. It was 158/91 yesterday. I'll check it today when I have the courage.

Dr. Barnard was saying that in 30% of these cases, it's caused by too little thyroid hormone. I am waiting for the test results.

Thanks again!

P.S. Kidney function and thyroid was fine, but too much potassium. No more potassium supplements and salt substitute.

[VeggieSue]

I was doing 2 hot coffees and an iced triple espresso almost every day. I will dial that way to only the iced espresso.

I would start right HERE and eliminate ALL coffee and espresso.

I will pare down the supplements, but I heard that magnesium and D3 are good ones.

Not according to Dr McDougall. He's also against using the salt substitutes, too. He'd rather a sprinkle of real salt on top of the food - none in cooking - so your tastebuds get the hit from it directly.

So much conflicting advice, you know?

That's why you choose one nutritional guru to follow and not pick and choose from a bunch of them. On this site it's Dr McDougall's advice and guidelines only.

P.S. Kidney function and thyroid was fine, but too much potassium. No more potassium supplements and salt substitute.

Good.

[DenverGuy]

Thank you, Veggie Sue.

[DenverGuy]

Quick update: They have me on medication. I have stopped taking potassium, stopped drinking, and have maintained the WFPB diet. No oils. My BP was 136/80 this morning. Quite an improvement. Last night it was in the 150s, but I had done a HIIT workout on my stationary bike 2 hours before.