need to cut blood pressure & cholesterol

[quidditys_shore]

well i've been off work for 3 weeks with siatica

the doc said i have high blood pressure & the blood tests show high choleserol LOL

i am starting to feel old now! LOL

can anyone give me some tips on reducing both? i know the amount of chocolate i have is 1 thing that has to drop ALOT!

it has shocked me a bit into doing things now. i've had a bike & cycleops for over a year & still not got into cycling! *smack my hand here*
i'm gonna start with atleast 30mins on the cycleops a day.

 

[Jonathan M]

Firstly with the BP testing, was it a one off reading or several readings over a period of days? One off readings can be slightly misleading for several reasons (pain being one of them!) so planning some re-testing might be more accurate.

With the cholesterol reading was it a fasting blood test or a random? Fasting lipids are considered more definitive than randoms.

Exercise will help both conditions, as will other lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking. Dietary advice can be obtained in terms of attempting to reduce lipids but dietary changes seem to be limited in terms of how much progress they can make on their own. Salt is linked to high blood pressure so that may be an area to look at with regards to blood pressure.

Sometimes medics will step straight into drug therapy, if this is they way your doctor seems to want to go then ask whether you can be given sometime to attempt changes through diet & exercise first, but obviously a decision to treat is going to be based upon your own circumstances, other medical history etc that your doctor should be considering as well.

And if it is any consolation, I keep threatening to do 30 minutes at least on the turbo regularly, the good intention is there, but carrying out the intention can be difficult.

 

[jonstokes]

Getting out and about...

I recommend getting a road bike, I've been a mountain bikes for years, but I've lost about a stone since I bought my Giant road bike. They are great for just getting out on and spinning away the worries. I find by planning routes which are not super hilly (easy in Stafford) that I maintain a consistent output. On a mountain bike in trail centres and road the local routes in Cannock Chase I tend to be working hard for short periods. If your high blood pressure is related to stress the road bike will drive this right down (barring riding in city centres :-)

Jon

 

[PK99]

With the cholesterol reading was it a fasting blood test or a random? Fasting lipids are considered more definitive than randoms.

t.

that was recently debunked by an international study looking at many testing programs- they apparently showed that fasting/no fasting are equally accurate. I've been having fasting tests for 15 years!

 

[Bill Gates]

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=42477

This earlier thread might have some bearing on what you might want to do

 

[quidditys_shore]

@#2

the blood pressure tests have been 1 a week for the last 3 weeks. he only actually mentioned on the last that my BP had come down a bit but was still high!

the blood test was a fasting one. he told me to cut out smoking (dont smoke!) & the test showed something minor in my liver so to cut down on the drinking... dont drink either! LOL
the doc also said about salt, which i didnt add much anyway but i've cut back on what i did & have started checking food for salt & saturated fat content.

@#3

i've had a diamondback eastwood hybrid since august last year.... hopefully will get it out on the road! LOL it's on the cycleops now so will be giving that 30mins tonight. i want to build up what i can cycle 1st before i take it out. i've got more or less completely flat cycle paths on the 5 miles to work which i want to do everyday eventually

@#5

i'll have a read through that now thanks


thanks for the help guys! hopefully my body will start feeling 32 soon! even though my mind is still a kid! LOL

 

[Jonathan M]

that was recently debunked by an international study looking at many testing programs- they apparently showed that fasting/no fasting are equally accurate. I've been having fasting tests for 15 years!

Yep, read about that one, but so far practice has not changed to reflect the study. Change sometimes comes slow in healthcare, but the study has been backed by Heart UK so it is likely to influence protocols in the not too distant future.

 

[The Jogger]

the best thing you can do for yourself is to check out the dash diet. Not only will your bp drop, so will your cholesterol and weight. I've been doing it for two weeks, i've lost six pounds and the bp has dropped ! Really, check it out.

 

[Twenty Inch]

@#2



@#3

i've had a diamondback eastwood hybrid since august last year.... hopefully will get it out on the road! LOL it's on the cycleops now so will be giving that 30mins tonight. i want to build up what i can cycle 1st before i take it out. i've got more or less completely flat cycle paths on the 5 miles to work which i want to do everyday eventually

Using trainers is really, really boring. Really boring. Why do you think you haven't got onto it yet? Because you know you'll be bored. Get out on the bike and start that cycle to work. 5 miles is not very far, especially on flat paths. The word "eventually" tells me you are putting obstacles in your own way. Get out on Saturday and cycle to work and back - no time pressure, you can stop when you want to check the map and take a breather, and you'll know the route for Monday morning. If it IS really difficult, do it 3 times a week to begin with.

 

[Banjo]

well i've been off work for 3 weeks with siatica

the doc said i have high blood pressure & the blood tests show high choleserol LOL

i am starting to feel old now! LOL

can anyone give me some tips on reducing both? i know the amount of chocolate i have is 1 thing that has to drop ALOT!

it has shocked me a bit into doing things now. i've had a bike & cycleops for over a year & still not got into cycling! *smack my hand here*
i'm gonna start with atleast 30mins on the cycleops a day.

In March my bp and cholestrol were both slightly high. Now since regular cycling both are in the healthy zone.

Doctor also recommended eating oats as a help to Cholestrol. I now have Oatabix or porridge about 5 breakfasts a week with fruit or honey to spice it up a bit.

try switching to more healthy food bit at a time and use your bike to commute and my prediction is that both problems will fix themselves in 6 months.

 

[palinurus]

Cycling to work is a good idea.

Once cycling is established as a regular routine it becomes harder not to do it than to do it.

 

[dellzeqq]

oats, avocado, walnuts.........and cycling.

 

[Hacienda71]

oats, avocado, walnuts.........and cycling.

+1

Cut out saturated fats and exercise i.e. lots of cycling. I was told this year I had a 7.5 reading (shock at 38), changed my diet, changed my exercise regime from 1hrs football a week to this plus three or four, hour to two hour trips on my bike. My most recent test put me right back into the normal crowd. I am still doing as much on the bike and feel really healthy

 

[Baggy]

Cutting down on saturated fats is the way to go, but red meat and cheese are supposed to be two of the worst cholesterol offenders.

Where possible eat food you've prepared yourself as well, steer clear of processed foods.

Three years ago my bp and cholesterol were higher than they should be and now are well within the normal range. Still have a bit of work to do on my weight, but cutting back on fats, processed foods and salt and upping the exercise seem to have done the trick.

 

[jimboalee]

Morning cocktail.