Kevohere wrote:
Well I'm not that far behind your "use by date" DB and as it happens several years ago I was informed that my BP was on the high side by my then GP. When I advised him of my love of the 'bean' and my reluctance to cut back/stop and asked if "diet" can lower BP, he straight out smiled and said "no"! ??? It's way easier for GPs to prescribe a drug to lower BP because the alternate hundreds of (doctor's) time consuming tests and questions to discover the possible causes of this symptom are not viable. A symptom, not a disease. I changed my diet, observed my stress triggers whilst maintaining my coffee intake (3 to 4 shots a day) and my BP lowered to a level my GP was okay with. Any kind of stress and inflammation in the body will elevate BP. Some might think they're having too much salt. Too much salt increases BP. Or is it that they are not getting enough potassium? The kidney can handle 45gms of salt a day (that's a lot!) as long as it is getting enough potassium to assist it in the excretion of that salt. When I read articles such as the one posted, the type/style and method of coffee consumed is not made clear in their facts IMO. As I see it, 3 to 4 sugarless long or short blacks will have much less effect on your BP (and is overall far healthier) than 3 or 4 muguccinos or caramel lattes a day! In most cases, it's not the amount of coffee people drink a day, it's what they consume with those coffees! :stir I think you are on the right track in limiting yourself (a couple of espressos a day) but monitor your BP regularly (preferably not at the doctor's surgery) when you are resting at home or on a visit to a chemist that supplies this service. It's a well known fact that just sitting in the doctor's waiting room will raise blood pressure. Mate, even stressing about having to cut back on your pleasure-giving brew can put your BP through the roof! 😃
Afternoon Kevo, Recently had an age driving test, GP was not overly concerned about my BP, however I have known its on the high side for some years, events over the past 12 months have certainly done nothing to help. About 8 weeks back, like you decided to modify my diet, have stopped adding salt to food, cut right back on red meat and eating more fruit and veg, am also taking supplements, Lecithin, Magnesium and vitamin D. Something in what I have done has certainly had an affect, BP is now the lowest its been in 10 years, pretty pleased with the result. Potassium eh, will look into it. Thanks for your thoughts. 🙂
