BP victory

(Family, Honor, Freedom) #1

Today I’ve seen a major victory with my blood pressure.

My blood pressure has been high for years. Never taken any meds for it. In March, the day I started keto, my blood pressure was 165/104 - about normal for me.

If you’re not familiar with the BP scaling the whitecoats go by, this is not a good number. Here:
Normal < 120 and < 80
Elevated 120-129 and < 80
Hyper 1 130-139 or 80-89
Hyper 2 140+ or 90+
PANIC! 180+ or 120+

So I was thoroughly in the “Hypertension 2” range.

After just a few weeks on keto, I saw marked improvement. After 3 or 4 weeks it had dropped to around 142/91 - still hyper 2 but much closer to the border. There it stayed for another month - occasionally dipping into the hyper 1 range but mostly staying barely in 2. In mid-May, I did a 6 day fast and saw it drop into hyper 1, where it stayed, gradually trending downward but remaining in hyper 1.

I saw the first drop into “elevated” about 3 weeks ago - after really getting serious about exercise. I was stoked to see that! It went back up, just barely hyper 1 again, but I knew it would come down.

I kept up really well with workouts of all types - strength, hiit, and just moving a lot: walking. Today it’s 119/73. The “normal” range. I checked it twice.

I don’t expect it to stay there - it’ll go up again probably - but the barrier has been broken. I’ll keep up with keto, and with my exercise, and my BP will continue it’s lovely trend. :slight_smile:

BTW - the motivation for my exercise. I’m going snow skiing in December. First time in 25 years. I need to be prepared to conquer the mountain.

(Central Florida Bob ) #2

I just got taken off my BP meds, after tracking mine since about New Year’s. It can happen for you, too. I’ve tested mine before, and never gotten these kinds of readings. I don’t know if it’s the keto itself or the weight loss, but the two together get people off these meds.

Someone here (I’m pretty sure) said they had worked on a BP study and said how they measured it for a real study. Nobody is brought in, sat down, have a cuff wrapped around their arm and a single reading taken. They come in for measurement and sit relaxed for a full minute. Two readings are taken, at least a full minute apart, and they’re averaged. That’s what I did.

(Susan) #3

Congrats on your Blood Pressure being Normal again!

Have an awesome time skiing in December; that will be amazing.

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #4

I’ve had essential hyper tension since my late 20s. I’m 65 now. I’m on 3 meds. been strict keto for 14+ months. Lost 60+ lbs and 10+ inches around the waist. BP is coming down slowly and seems lately to be 115/70 is ±.

Cardiologist is confident that if I keep up weight loss I will be able to reduce meds or even get off one or more of them. I am patient because the meds don’t seem to bother me and my BP is in a safer range according to the SPRINT study: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/systolic-blood-pressure-intervention-trial-sprint-study

I usually rest 15 minutes before taking mine. I only take one reading. I think in the SPRINT study they took 3 reading. Don’t remember how long they rested.

Congratulations on getting your BP down.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #5

Congratulations! Normal blood pressure is a great thing to have.

I tend to get tense at the doctor’s office, but when I am relaxed, my BP is around 112/70, which is perfectly normal. For years it was around 140/95, so I am very glad to see it so low, these days.

(Scott) #6

I took a thirty three year break from skiing because dad quit paying for it. My family got me a ticket to TAOS for my 50th birthday and I have gone once or twice a year ever since. Stay healthy and keep skiing! Geat news on the BP.

(Family, Honor, Freedom) #7

Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone. As I predicted, BP is back up into the “elevated” range. I’m still keto and I’m keeping up with the workouts. I see no reason the downward trend won’t continue.