did you just change your diet and exercise? i have been doing this and taking garlic and co q l0. any suggestions. my bp is not high just borderline....

-- js (schlicker54@aol.com), February 14, 2002

Answers

I did a combination of several things js, first I lowered my total fat intake, eliminating hydrogenated fats entirely, and most all animal fats, but the key thing is lowering total fat intake, you must get your total cholesterol below 150 to reverse the hardening and thickening of the arteries that cause the HBP in the first place!!!; I started exersizing daily ( I thought that all the farm chores I did twice a day was enough, but NOT) at least 30 minutes worth of very brisk walking up and down our steep hillsides; lost 20 pounds of unneeded weight; take garlic, flazseed oil and evening primrose oil (these two to provide essential fatty acids, the omega 3's specifically, that are difficult to get if you don't eat much meat), and most importantly, hawthorn, twice a day.

Hawthorn is used extensively in England and Europe to treat all sorts of cardiovascular trouble, HBP as well as LBP, mostly I use it to help the heart arrythmias that I am prone to getting. But it can be very effective for HBP as well, I take two capsules of organic hawthorn twice a day, at first I took two capsules three times a day until my initial HBP came down to acceptable levels.

An excellent book explaining how to lower HBP without any drugs at all is, "The MacDougall Program, by John A. MacDougal M.D.", available at most libraries and from most all bookstores.

It is a lifestyle change needed, not just a "diet" or just taking certain herbs, but a total lifestyle change.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), February 15, 2002.