Some know the ongoing quest of bringing my bp down w/out meds. When I last water fasted for almost a week, it spiked and I have since been trying to bring it down again....I found that my bp has come down to a nice level
during the day but as evening proceeds (like 9pm and after) its starts going too high again....goes from for ex, 116/80 to 140/93. What I eat during the day is salmon or other fresh fish prepared in olive oil, low carb veggies and walnuts. Thats usually it. What do you think? Just a matter of needing an earlier bedtime? It seems like when I do lay down and get some rest (just before really falling asleep) my bp also comes down pretty quickly. So all you scientists, whats the story? terry

Did you say you thought maybe the salt water flushes might be responsible? Maybe you're very sensitive to sodium? Can you try using potassium salts and see if that helps?

I don't do salt water flushes anymore Nancy because I am sensitive to sodium so thats not presently effecting my bp. I never heard of using potassium in this way....not sure how to so I guess I'll do a search.
But I think in my reading I've read that getting the wrong balance of potassium/sodium/magnesium and calcium can cause bp spikes too can't it?
In which case if ingesting postassium in this way, one might also see a fluctuation in bp? I dislike putting anything but real food in my body and so I've tended to be inconsistent in taking calciumD/mag supplements. My dr suggested using calcium yrs ago post hysterectomy to avoid osteoporosis. So many varying theories out there on how best to balance magnesium and calcium that its hard to know what is really best for bones and heart related/bp related issues. t

Potassium will bring it down if you're lacking it. I use potassium salts on my food when I think of it. Are you using canned salmon? I wonder if it is high in sodium?

Do you eat eggs and meat... and animal FAT? It sounds like you are lacking there. You should cut your salt intake to as close to zero as possible, eat some red meat and FAT! Try this for a few days and see what happens.

Nancy, Nope I don't use canned anything because of the sodium content. Paleo D I used to eat more of a variety and amount of meats besides fish and poultry (not delimeats or frankenfoods) but have found lately that my bp tends to rise when I eat beef, lamb, etc and responded most favorably to plain fish and poultry cooked in olive oil w/plenty of garlic and lc veggies and raw walnuts....

I've been sticking to salmon and other fresh fish (I found from reading labels that not only canned fish have added sodium, but the pre packaged frozen fillets such as tilapia, salmon, etc...all of them that I've read really, must also have sodium added because the label indicates a higher sodium content than fresh does. I'm just now wondering if thats also the case for the ones that the local grocery meat depts freeze themselves (such as Tops and Giant Eagle in my part of the US) ... I'll have to call their meat dept and ask if they spray them with any kind of preserving liquid or sodium stuff. I wonder if rinsing off the frozen fillets would get rid of the excess sodium or if they actually somehow inject the stuff or apply it so it is absorbed into the fish. Do you know? The price on some frozen fillets is usually a real bargain compared to fresh, which is an issue here but like I said, I stopped buying it because I need to keep my bp good.

The way I eat is a narrow way but it how my body seems to best function and how I have most energy too. I'm hoping the weight will start falling off again but I know that fasting (not for health related reasons) tends to work contrary to weight loss.

I'm hoping that as my weight comes down to a normal level (I have a lot to lose being 5'4") that things like beef won't have the same effect on my bp as they do now, but if they do, then this is how I'll eat for the rest of my life and just be glad I'm off of meds. I tried doing all meat as bear is able to do and thrives on, but eliminating the veggies in my case, and just eating fish and poultry or just eating meat w/no veggies also caused my bp to spike.

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

I am a "continuing experiment" in what works to keep my bp good ....We have unique circumstances that our bodies respond best to. I'm really grateful to have found something that got me off of meds.

BTW I know from past exp when I worked as a fitness assistant and did aerobic and strength training for a couple hours a day (It was when I weighed more than I do now...at a local curves that welcomed having a "real person" w/ "real weight issues" on staff...two others who were managers were also in the same position.) that the excercise and also being with people in an upbeat social environment (music, etc...and a lot of laugter and fun) also brought my bp down. I haven't worked there for a long time and since then my "sedentary ways" have set in and I've avoided exercise, which I tend to do in cold weather. Esp in cold weather I tend to ignore physical exercise inspite of having a rebounder and treadmill waiting for me...Right now they are "dog toy collecors" No excuse other than finding exercising alone boring and also just plain wanting to do things I really enjoy. I need to be disciplined enough again to just do what I know I should do for the sake of good health and use the rebounder, hand weights and treadmill until the weathers nice enough for walks in the park and gardening again here in OH T

As we ALL are a "continuing experiment" in our WOE. Which is much better than just following things blindly. I think it's great that you found a way to stay off the meds! Good for you! BTW... I think exercise WILL help your bp issue.

Ah! This suggests you might be sensitive to ... lets see if I can spell it... arachidonic acid.

I think the Eades mention this sensitivity in one of their books. I know Black57 is always mentioning it. You might try to search for it.

I read about AA before, which is why I figured the eggs were giving me problems. Eades mentions using a 24 hr olive oil and red wine marinade to reduce the likelihood of AA. And I've read that grass fed beef has less tendency to be a problem. But....he says use 1 honkin cup of oil each time!!!! You know how exp olive oil is these days? yowza...its easier for me to just not eat the beef. Do you know if this AA applies to all "red meats" like lamb for example? Or the richer tasting poultry such as duck? Chicken liver? If you don't know yep I'll look around myself. The info on AA was helpful in giving me clues to what it was that continued to keep me hypertensive, inspite of what I thought of as "clean lcing" Kind of like piecing together a puzzle.

btw .... I called both Giant Eagle and Tops and was told by their seafood/meat managers that all their frozen fish has a protective "freezing glaze" (my paraphrase), that does have more sodium in it than fresh fish, and which won't wash off w/out still permeating the fish itself....bummer.... SO the lady at Tops was kind enough to give me a heads up that they are having a seafood sale starting on Sunday! Glad she told me so I wouldn't blow my grocery money before then! I can easily freeze it myself w/out adding sodium, if the prices are low enough to stock up.

Thanks guys....

T

I am beginning to suspect that I have a sensitivity to arachidonic acid (AA). My blood pressure has gone down considerably since religiously maintaining a low carb diet, but is not nearly low enough for my comfort level. It usually measures in the low 140s or upper 130s over 70-something. Also, I have widespread, chronic muscle and joint pain (inflammation) that has not noticeably improved with LC. (I'm sure the pain increases my blood pressure.)

Arachidonic acid is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in animal foods. So I would think that eating grass-fed animal foods, which have a lower omega-6 and higher omega-3 profile, would drastically reduce the presence of AA. This is a link to a fatty acid analysis of meat from one of the grass-fed beef companies: http://texasgrassfedbeef.com/id73.htm It shows the AA as 0.04% of the composition. That seems low to me (but what do I know?? ). And the ratio of O-6:O-3 is nearly 1:1, with the 3 being a little higher.

I've decided that I'm going to experiment with this. Since fat, meat, and eggs are basically the bulk of my diet (the only other thing I eat is cultured vegetables), it seems ludicrous for me to eliminate them or even cut down on them. Using the olive oil soak and removing all fat from meat seem ludicrous to me too. So my experiment will involve using only grass-fed meats and fat, and eggs from pasteured chickens.

At my HFS, they have natural lamb from New Zealand. When I asked if the lamb was grass-fed, the meat manager kinda smiled and said: "All lamb is grass-fed. Sheep will not eat grain." So, if this guy is to be believed (and I have no idea if I should believe him or not), lamb should be ok. I have to "go on faith" on this one. Does anyone have any info. on this?

I guess this experiment should last 3-4 weeks to see if this makes a difference. I will post my results. I just took by BP and it was 143/82. (Yuck!) I pulled some grass-fed beef out of the freezer, plus some bison fat. I'm going to try my hand at pemmican and have something ready-made for lunches.

Jen, looks like lambs will eat grain: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/livestk/01613.html


You should get this checked into. This is exactly what I've had, since my 20's. I found out I have an autoimmune disease causing it.

Are you using milk products still?

Thanks for the link Jennifer. At our health food market, I asked the meat manager about the origin of their organic beef and what exactly the animals are fed. He said (much to my surprise) that the organic "range fed/free range" Montana beef grazed for "most" of the time but were "topped off" at the end with grain. Don't know how this "topping off with grain" changes the percentage of unwelcome fat in the beef that is the prob w/AA and I don't know how long this "topping off w/grain" process lasts in comparison w/the grazing time. Just because the beef was from the hfs and so much more expesive I wrongly concluded they'd only have grazed beef. If you haven't already, you might want to ask about that at your source of meat.

Their Australian beef was completely grazed animals so when I can afford it that's what I'll get.

Do you take any calcium/mag supplements to help your bp? I don't like to take supplements but of any others, that is what I tend to use when I do use it. Much preferable to using prescription meds for bp.

Re cultured vegetables. Is that the same as fermented vegetables? Do you like kim chee? It is high sodium....I think all fermented veggies are and so avoid them for bp reasons. T

walnuts have higher levels of AA (compared to other nuts)

I started a thread about cultured veggies in the candida forum. I have my first batch "brewing" in a fermenting crock on the counter right now, and I didn't use any salt in it.

I order grass-fed meat from http://www.grasslandbeef.com/index.html. Prices aren't too bad, and the shipping is included in the price. I can get lamb there too.

I have been taking a cal/mag/pot supplement for many months now. This hasn't made a difference in my BP.

On salt, it's almost unbearable for me to do without it, tastewise. I have celtic gray sea salt and have thought it might be ok for me to use, but don't know for sure. ??

Nancy, I'm not using milk products.

This surprises me because they're supposed to have high Omega-3 content. AA is Omega-6.

Jennifer I did a search and found that walnuts are high in alphalinolenic acid...could that be the "AA" referred to in the quote you showed? T