How I Decreased My Blood Pressure from 139/90 to 120/80

Are you struggling with your blood pressure or concerned about it going up as you age? If so, I wanted to share my journey on how I am managing my Blood Pressure. Before I dive in I want to be very transparent. I am not selling or endorsing any product. I am not an MD or other medical professional. This is just MY journey and I am not making any recommendations or prescribing a course of treatment for you. If you are under the care of a physician or on medication for your blood pressure, please do not alter any of your actions without checking with your doctor first.

Blood Pressure Basics

Source: Centers For Disease Control: CDC

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. Your blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers: The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats. If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, “120 over 80”.

A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (or hypertension). The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as glaucoma, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Blood Pressure Chart

Blood-Pressure-Chart

Blood Pressure History

  • I am 66 years old
  • BP Age 20 -40: My Blood Pressure was ALWAYS under 120/80. Nurses often had to ask me to walk for a minute to get it above that!
  • BP Age 40 – 60: 120/80
  • BP Age 60 – 64: Slowly crept up to 139/90

My Journey

Heart Disease runs in my family and I have been diagnosed with Atherosclerosis. When my blood pressure began to rise about 6 years ago I got very concerned because it was the first time I had an outward sign of my health deteriorating and my blood pressure of 139/90 placed me in Pre-hypertension. In 2021, My PCP asked if I wanted to go on medication but gave me the option of not taking it as I was still in the Pre-Hypertension Phase. Being somewhat determined and stubborn I opted not to take them, with the caveat that if it went up I would begin taking it.

Common Causes of Hypertension

  1. Not getting enough exercise
  2. A poor diet
  3. Stress
  4. Other conditions such as diabetes, obesity (Pregnant women may also experience high blood pressure)
  5. Some genetic predisposition
  6. Atherosclerosis (plaque in your arteries)
  7. Inflammation

What I Did

  1. Increased my Workouts to the CDC recommended 150 minutes of physical activity each week
    • HIIT/Tabata focusing on cardio and strength training
    • Typical session: See some of my workouts here.
  2. Ate a well balanced diet
  3. Reduced Stress: As a Naval Officer, Senior Program Manager and Senior Project Manager, I have ALWAYS had very stressful jobs. While working here is what I did to reduce stress:
    • Ensure I keep things in perspective by focusing on the now. I love to read and have read books on Ikigai, Stoicism, Buddhism, Christian Daily readings.
    • Use a foam roller to relax muscles
    • Stretch Daily
    • Drink plenty of water
    • Work Life Balance – If you’re working over 45 hours a week – consistently – you should reevaluate your priorities
  4. Addressed Inflammation: There is a growing evidence that inflammation plays a significant role in many diseases, including heart disease, dementia, arthritis and more (Follow this link). I noticed that my hands were beginning to swell when I got up in the morning and was concerned that I had the beginnings of inflammation. To fight inflammation, I began to consistently do the following:
    • Triple Strength Fish Oil – 3 pills a day
    • Turmeric Tablet – Daily
    • Drank Ginger Turmeric Tea in the evenings (hot or iced, 2-3 times per week)
    • Added Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamon and Turmeric to my Coffee. It tastes like a Turkish Coffee
    • Reduced (not eliminated!) Fatty Meats
    • Carefully watched my alcohol intake – I am sorry to say that if you are drinking a glass of wine a day, you may be doing more harm than good. There was “some” evidence 25 – 30 years ago that a glass (or two!) of wine was good for you. More recent research has shown that this may actually be detrimental to your health for a number of reasons. Follow this link for more information. Bottom line – you need to reduce your alcohol intake if you are drinking a glass a day.

Results

I measure my blood pressure about once a month on a portable monitor (I would not recommend getting a monitor that goes over your wrist as I have found that when I did, the results were not consistent) and recommend that you do the same.  For the first 6 months I did not notice any difference. Then one month I hooked up the monitor and it read 120/80 and I couldn’t believe it! I tested it again the next day and it was still 120/80! It has consistently been in that range for almost a year now! The swelling in my hands have gone down quite a bit and I am still not taking any blood pressure medication.

THE Warning

I have clients who have high blood pressure and many of them are told by their physician that their blood pressure is “under control” when they are taking their medication. However, this is a dangerous place to be. If the underlying cause is not dealt with, your body will only become more damaged as you get older, causing more complications. Even if you are taking medication and your blood pressure is “under control”, you should alter your lifestyle NOW to try and reverse the damage or prevent it from getting worse. I don’t know what your experience will be if you did what I did, but I can tell you that if you don’t do anything, by the time you hit 70 you will wish you had tried.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!

All the best!

John

 

 

 

 

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