How to Treat High Blood Pressure with Diet

The first-line treatment for hypertension is lifestyle modification, which often includes the DASH diet. What is it and how can it be improved?



The DASH diet is one of the best studied, and consistently ranks as US News & World Report’s #1 diet. It’s one of the few diets that medical students are taught about in medical school. I was so fascinated to learn of its origins as a compromise between practicality and efficacy.

I’ve talk about the patronizing attitude many doctors have that patients can’t handle the truth in:

For more on what plants can do for high blood pressure see:

Image Credit: Mikalai Maminau via 123rf. Images have been modified.

#bloodpressure #hownottodie #drgreger

[BlitzburghEDC]

My blood pressure was 145/95 and I followed Dr. Joel Fuhrmans Nutritarian diet (Vegan) for 4 months and my blood pressure was checked again and was 110/70. The nurse did it twice to be safe. Plant foods, nuts and seeds, flax and chia, fruits, no salt, no dairy, no meat and exercise changed my life. Great video.

[SeaMonkeyLad]

I am a strict vegetarian.  I use no added salt.  My staple is whole grain gruel, with a salad. Dressing is peaches, blueberries and balsamic vinegar blended with water.  No oil. 

My gruel is 1/2 cup each of dry quinoa, brown rice and lentils. Veggies are added as two carrots (blended) half a cabage (blended) three mushrooms (blended) and four stalks of celery (chopped) with 12 cups of water in a six quart crock pot.  To this is added nutritional yeast flake, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper and Italian seasoning for flavor.   This feeds me for two days. 

The only addition to this is 300 gm of plain baked potato, to which is added a tablespoon of oil every other day. (Olive or flaxseed)

I workout about an hour a day.  30 minutes walking, 12 minutes (pushup/step) intervals, 10 minutes sprint training, 18 minutes bodyweight squats. This is not done sequentually but during work breaks,  when I get up and when I get home from work. 

My blood pressure was 99/60 with a 57 bpm pulse just now. My total lipid count, trig. LDL, HDL...all in is under 150.  But I weight 260lbs at 5'6" and lose about a lb a week.  This has been going on for about 3 years.  (Yeah I was over 400 at the start.)   While I get all of the benefits of following a strict McDougal style diet...I am NOT losing 12 lbs per month.  My doctor says that my numbers don't match my body. 

I am losing weight too slow to be happy but have so much benefit I can't stop.  I am not asking for any tips or any of your time doc...I just needed to get that off of my chest.  :)

[fcab]

I am a nutritarian (aka vegan/DR. fuhrman) 9 years now and my blood pressure is 95/62.

[VitaminDfreunde]

Thanks for the info! Will buy flax seeds tomorrow. :-)

[dibakarbarman]

I started following this hypertension treatment, Nathan one eleven Life a few days ago and have already noticed a positive difference in my high blood pressure! It definitely is stabilizing!!! I have seen major progress within SOMETHING LIKE 20 days of making use of this plan. Five more days and nights passed and my pressure is at the normal stage at 120/55.

[TonyHammack]

I started drinking some high antioxidant fruit and vegetable smoothies with ground flax seed, usually one a day, sometimes 2. I've ceased eating all animal products and processed foods for only one month. Dr. Greger's videos have inspired me to eat vegan. July 4, 2016 blood pressure was 177/77. August 2, 2016 blood pressure was 93/70. I do about an hour a day of cardio at a fairly comfortable pace as well to just try and stay active. The vegan lifestyle is working for me. Thank you Dr. Gregor for your work compiling all the research.

[rajinsan-ow]

The guide in the Nathan one eleven Life is very easy to read and fully understand. I just needed 2 nights (few hours) of reading through the guideline to fully understand the guidebook. On keeping track of my blood pressure level, the actual outcome went from 148/98 on thanksgiving occasion to 116/78 within just Thirty day period.

[MamoniDutta-qg]

This alternative Nathan one eleven Life is very clear, succinct, and straightforward to read. I just needed Two nights (few hours) of looking through the manual to completely get good at the guide. On monitoring my blood pressure level, the final results gone from 148/98 on thanksgiving festivity to 116/78 in just Four weeks.

[andym]

I went vegan low fat low salt and reduced my inflammation and blood pressure. Its a slow process however.

[wsimms]

Adding watermelon to your diet does/will lower the blood pressure, significantly. It is hard to get year round. Thanks for the info.

[alittlegreenjean]

at the end of most of dr. greger's presentations, i am smiling. he usually ends with a little fillip of humor.

[Lavonne]

I love Cheezits. I knew they had health benefits.

[vitamin]

Props to kiwi company for publishing results as they are, even if not in their favor.

[mokhalid]

I began sticking with this hypertension method, Nathan one eleven Life recently and have already spotted a positive improvement in my blood pressure level! It definitely is stabilizing!!! In the short time of 20 days, my blood pressure level dropped. After 25 days and nights my pressure is normal (for me) 120/55.

[mjanavel]

I just saw a video with Marion Nestle, where she says the Chinese are consuming more dairy (despite being mostly lactose intolerant, and to the detriment of NZ), so it might be interesting to see the change in blood pressure per capita. They are already becoming more diabetic.

[Babesinthewood]

I’ve been wfpb plantbased for many years and my blood pressure was always perfect. Resting pulse around 48. A couple of years ago I started eating dairy and sugar ocassionally, and yet my blood pressure was good but not perfect. A few days ago my systolic pressure was Dangerously high. I now eat medication for it. Since that day Im once again wfpb. The past year I’ve been so busy I sit down all day long. I still walk, and walk the stairs often and I don’t drive, but it wasn’t enough. I’ve had lots of infection lately too. I never drink or smoke, don’t eat meat since 1995, and I very rarely eat added sugar. And still, my sys bp is 110. Can you imagine ?? It scares me. But I hope the wfpb will save me once again. Also, I used to run 7 days a week an average about 7 k per day. For years and years. Well not anymore. But Im walking and Will walk even more now.

[whatwouldhousedo]

My BP dropped from 160/95 to 122/78 in nine months since I went vegan, lost 40+ pounds, and spent 2-3 hours hiking and trail running every day. Expecting it to go lower as I continue my focus. Get off the poison and take care of yourself!

[rativa]

My best mate asked my lookup Nathan one eleven Life, the blood pressure level treatment. His hypertension was stroke level 158/120. The result of this system can be seen right away especially if you eat the right foodstuff. Right after Two weeks, he has noticed a progressive lessing of his high blood pressure to 128/84.

[asapstan]

Sea monkey lad.thats amazing! Don't worry about losing the weight fast.1 pound a week is normal and healthy. I have been loosing 1 pound a month for the past 5 years so don't feel bad.your an inspiration. Thanks for your post.its comments like yours that really help the rest of us.and thanks to Dr Gregor for his videos!

[IRosamelia]

I've been whole food plant based vegan since last semester. My staple is potato veggie legume & seeds soup, plus nuts, fruits and berries on the side. My secret ingredient is MSG. I highly recommend msg, makes any veggie soup so savory, Dr. Greger made a video saying it's safe. I posted this comment because people often say vegan diets aren't palatable (like is stated in the video by other supposed experts). That's not true in my case, I've never eaten so varied & delicious in my life before