# High Blood Pressure



## Jimmy B (Sep 22, 2007)

Anybody familiar with over the counter or natural medicines for High Blood Pressure. Having difficulty affording my medications right now and wish I could find a alternative.

Thanks so much

JB


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Search this forum and you'll find your answer.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I can tell you what I've learned. High blood pressure is basically an "emotional/energy" illness. When my nerves are running high, my blood pressure shoots up; when I am calm, my blood pressure is normal. A nice slow walk, a long gentle soak in extra warm water can work miracles.


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

Hibiscus tea can help with high BP. Any of the Celestial Seasonings zinger teas contain hibiscus. Tazo Passion is good too. Those are both usually available at the grocery store.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=94132


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## BellsBunnies (Sep 18, 2004)

Talk to your doctor about helping you get your medicine directly from the drug companies. Blood pressure is nothing to mess with.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

The body has a "dilute or die" response to poisons it ingests like caffeine, aspartame, etc. So, if you drink a diet soda, the body actually retains more water to dilute that aspartame because it is a poison. The same thing happens with many chemicals. Drinking soda, tea, coffee actually dehydrates rather than hydrates you because the body has to take essential fluid to dilute the chemicals in those things. Same thing when you ingest heavy metals, pesticides, processed foods, etc. And this raises blood pressure because the body doesn't flush fluids efficiently while it tries to dilute poisons.
To lower blood pressure, increasing water intake is the best thing you can do. Drink more water to help flush the body.

In the meantime, do talk to your doctor about this. There are lots of $4 scripts for hypertension that can help you get it under control while you work on increasing your fluid intake to help flush the body and lower it naturally. Trying to control issues using natural means takes longer than simply using a medication. And in some instances, you need to use medications to get quick control.


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## Jimmy B (Sep 22, 2007)

I appreciate all the useful information

Thanks

JB


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Jimmy B said:


> Anybody familiar with over the counter or natural medicines for High Blood Pressure. Having difficulty affording my medications right now and wish I could find a alternative.
> 
> Thanks so much
> 
> JB


A LONG TERM thing is to control your blood sugar better. Smaller meals and snacks between all meals whether you are hungry or not keeps your blood sugar more stable, decreases the amount of fat that your body stores, and less stored fat lowers b/p.

Also, lean protien is your friend. it ALSO helps to stabilize your blood sugar.


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## Rita (May 13, 2002)

There is a natural b.p. medicine called Ameal. I haven't had experience with it so can't say if it works or not.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

I'm not sure where your weight is at, but if you happen to be overweight, losing the extra weight can help regulate your blood pressure. I say this because my blood pressure was high a few months ago, I recently lost 20 pounds and it is now normal.

I hope things work out for you.


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## PamB (Jan 15, 2008)

I know the weight loss will help, as I have had that same experience. Also, sometimes the drug co have ways for you to get them cheaper. I take one med that is 129.00 for two months, I saw an add where you could get your first month free, I checked it out, printed off the coupon and took it to the pharmacy, got the first month free, later I got a letter from the co and a card, took the card in to the pharmacy and only pay 25.00 for two months now. this is for crestor (I have very, very high cholesterol) I am hoping with more weight loss I can go off this. Pam


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## Jimmy B (Sep 22, 2007)

Thanks again all, I am overweight and 50 and dieting but slow progress. Eating less and the carrots, celery, oatmeal, little to no salt, not big on sweets and stopped the pop drinking. I'm taking it seriously this time for I want to live long enough to take my grand boys huntn. Appreciate all of your responses.

Jim


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Prickle said:


> Hibiscus tea can help with high BP. Any of the Celestial Seasonings zinger teas contain hibiscus. Tazo Passion is good too. Those are both usually available at the grocery store.
> 
> http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=94132


I didn't know that about Hibiscus tea. I have some hibiscus growing in my front yard. Do you use the blossoms to make the tea? Can you dry the blossoms to use year round?


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

I think, although I'm not certain, the hibiscus they make tea from is different than the garden kind. I think it comes from Jamaica. 

::ff to Google:::


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

Per wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea

Hibiscus tea is the infusion made from the calyces (sepals) of the Hibiscus sabdariffa flower, an herbal tea drink consumed both hot and cold by people around the world. It is also referred to as roselle (another common name for the hibiscus flower), flor de Jamaica in Latin America, karkadÃ© in Egypt and Sudan, bissap in West Africa, sorrel in Jamaica, and red sorrel in the wider Caribbean, and other names in other regions. Hibiscus tea has a tart, cranberry-like flavor, and sugar is often added to sweeten the beverage. The tea contains vitamin C and minerals and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roselle_(plant)

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species of Hibiscus native to the Old World tropics, used for the production of bast fibre and as an infusion. It is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based subshrub, growing to 2&#8211;2.5 m (7&#8211;8 ft) tall. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8&#8211;15 cm (3&#8211;6 in) long, arranged alternately on the stems.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Jimmy B said:


> Anybody familiar with over the counter or natural medicines for High Blood Pressure. Having difficulty affording my medications right now and wish I could find a alternative.


Since your concern is purely economic, the alternative you should be looking for is in an less expensive source of prescribed meds. That's the preferred route to take. After all, high blood pressure is a matter of life or death. Replacing your prescription meds with herbal tea would be a big mistake.

You didn't say what particular medication you take, but this pharmacy carries most of them.

http://alldaychemist.com

Don't worry about a prescription. They say it's required, but simply place your order and they'll ship your meds. Delivery will take about 2 weeks. The prices at alldaychemist are about 10 cents on the dollar compared to USA pharmacies. There is a $25/order shipping charge, so order all your medications at once, and order as far out as you can afford. I normally order 3 to 6 months ahead.

Whether you get your meds from alldaychemist or from a US pharmacy, get the medication at twice the strength your doctor wants you to take, then split them in half. I'm sure that your Dr. will cooperate. That will save a lot.

Be sure to take your doctor's advice for any other meds. Take one baby aspirin every day, unless your doctor says otherwise or prescribes Plavix. If he prescribes Plavix you'll find that it's around $4/pill ($120/month) in the USA. Again, alldaychemist can help with a Plavix generic for 23 cents each.

Again, please don't fool with high blood pressure. It's no joke, and managing it is no game. Take your prescription meds, and get monitored often. Your life depends on it.


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## Jimmy B (Sep 22, 2007)

Thanks again everyone keep your suggestions coming.

JB


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Prickle said:


> Per wikipedia:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info.


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## BellsBunnies (Sep 18, 2004)

Please talk to your doctor. I have had high blood pressure since I was 17 am not overweight. At 38 I had 3 strokes with a brain bleed and by the grace of God am still here. My meds had stopprd working after 8 years and now I'm on new meds. It is noe something to mess with.


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Garlic is supposed to be good, as is hawthorn. A quick google search will give you the recommended daily milligrams.


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## mommagoose_99 (Jan 25, 2005)

I am 58 years old and I have lost 48 pounds since Spring. Losing waite slowly is the best idea. I have switched to whole grain cereals dried fruit and sugar free sweeteners. Eat more cheese and yogurt. I lose about 1-2 pounds a week and I feel a lot better. That said my blood pressure has stayed the same but my sugar average has gone from 180 in the morning to about 118-120  Yesterday, my blood pressure was 157 over 57 but I was at the doctors office 
Linda


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## Jimmy B (Sep 22, 2007)

Thanks again all, keep the great info coming.

Jim


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## rxkeith (Apr 13, 2009)

i'm a pharmacist.
i also had high blood pressure, and was on medication for 20 yrs or so.
i wasn't over weight, but my diet was the standard american diet. in other words not that great. one dr said i was too young to have hypertension. i said no kidding. how do i make it go away? he couldn't really tell me.
i'm off medication now.
how did i do it?
i had to relearn how to eat.
two drs that were a big help are dr john mcdougall, and joel fuhrman. if you eat the way these guys tell you to eat, your health will definitely improve.
you will learn how to replace bad food with healthy alternatives. you can still have dessert.
both drs have websites, do a google search.
there are no adverse side effects with their approach. only good ones.
what people don't realize is how linked your health is to diet. 
medication treats the symptoms of hypertension, but does nothing for the cause of it. i was able to get off medication when i eliminated the cause of my hypertension.
knowing what to do is one thing. being willing to do it is a whole nother thing.
i can't tell you here the process i had to go through believing mcdougall, and fuhrmans approach would work. read what they have to say. they have years of research to back them up. 


keith


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I second the suggestion to walk. That is the long term solution for most health problems IMO.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Nevada said:


> http://alldaychemist.com


How do you know they are selling real medications and not sugar pills?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

fishhead said:


> How do you know they are selling real medications and not sugar pills?


That's a fair question.

In the first place, India has their own version of the FDA. Moreover, for those pills to have real value they have to be approved for distribution to Europe, and the EU also has it's own version of the FDA. Those regulators monitor the quality of the product, as well as activities at the manufacturing facilities. You will find the huge Indian pharmaceutical companies like Cipla and Sun Pharma to be compliant with EU standards.

But many of the meds they sell are the same product we buy here, made by the same companies. For example, I take Allegra 180 mg for allergies that I get from them, but it's the same Allegra made by Aventis (an American company). I order Singulair 10 mg for a friend sometimes, and it's a generic made by Cooper Pharma (a British company). The Albuterol inhalers they sell are made by GlaxoSmithKline (obviously no problem there).

But the real proof is in the results. My elderly friend takes 8 medications daily from AllDayChemist. Her doctor (actually a PA) is aware of our source of meds and has given her blessing. Moreover, her medication effectiveness is monitored with blood work. If, for example, her thyroid medication wasn't the real thing it would show up right away, but her thyroid levels didn't change when we switched to overseas medications.

Finally, there is no financial motivation for them to cheat on medications. The maximum price for the various medications is stamped on each box of meds as a requirement by the Indian government. I've converted the Indian rupee price to dollars, then compared it to what AllDayChemist charges, and they're marking it up by about 50% across the board. So if you order $100 in meds from them, they probably got them for about $60. Since you are paying shipping they make about $40 free and clear for filling your order. With a markup like that, why would they try to pull a fast one? Besides, they want you to keep buying from them.

Honestly, I'm 100% confident in their products.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Nevada, I checked out pricing on lisinopril at alldaychemist and the cost was far more than the generics available in the U.S. - roughly $3.25 for ten pills compared to NINETY pills for $10 at Kmart. However, I also checked the inhalers for my wife and discovered the price was about one TENTH the price stateside.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Harry Chickpea said:


> Nevada, I checked out pricing on lisinopril at alldaychemist and the cost was far more than the generics available in the U.S. - roughly $3.25 for ten pills compared to NINETY pills for $10 at Kmart. However, I also checked the inhalers for my wife and discovered the price was about one TENTH the price stateside.


Yeah, that happens sometimes. Domestic generic prices can be hard to beat overseas, particularly when shipping is added. I also know that Albuterol inhalers are around $30 in the USA and only $3.50 at AllDayChemist. With name brand drugs where there is no domestic generic, overseas prices are normally around 10 cents on the dollar. That would include things like Singulair, Clarinex, Plavix, Lipitor, Seroquel, Flomax, Evista, Boniva, and many others.

I think the message is that just because you're shopping overseas doesn't mean that you can stop doing comparative shopping. You still need to keep your eyes open. But doing away with the prescription hassle is worth something also, since doctor visits can be pricey. How many times have each of us seen the doctor for no reason other than to get a prescription for our regular meds?


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## Ohiogal (Mar 15, 2007)

There is also the "DASH" diet to consider. Google it. Its a very healthy, grain and veggie based Mediteranean diet that does lower BP by many points. We used this with my mother - hers went down 30 points in the first month and stablized! 
Essential hypertension has to be treated. Not doing so is just asking for trouble. It affects everything in your body - mostly your heart. I have a minor problem with it now - still in my 40's. I need to lose a bunch of weight and get moving again with cardio exercise.
Ever watch The Biggest Loser? That program illustrates how losing weight is such a big PLUS for every one of your body systems. Just losing weight.
Its hard to change habits, but it can be done. Start small, a thing or two a week, keep a food diary, so you know what your triggers are.
Get some type of aerobic exercise every day. Walking is a good one, stair climbing, etc. Something EVERY day and watch those pounds disappear.
And also, buy a home BP monitor - they are very helpful for tracking it.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

The DASH diet would be a great thing to do to get your BP controlled so that eventually you could get off of those pills. Also suggest the exercise daily. Studies have been done that prove that even small amounts of exercise daily will drop your BP in a short amount of time. Walk your dog, or your wife, just do something. Also, if it doesn't interfere with any other meds you are on, can ask your doc or pharmicist, Omega 3,6,9 caps are great for helping to reduce BP and for regulating cholesterol. (The Omega 3 can clash with some prescriptions though.) I use the Barlean's brand. Also, Costco has alot of prescriptions that are cheaper than other places. From what I have been told, pharmacy's set their own prices for meds and Costco sells them for their cost. You don't have to have a membership to use their pharmacy. You just tell them at the door. But definitely take a look at your diet. Any types of fats, sugars, and sodium raises your BP. Alot of saturated fat in red meat. Don't have to cut it out, just reduce your portions. There's my two cents for you. Good luck!


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## deb (Jul 27, 2002)

Jimmy B said:


> Thanks again all, I am overweight and 50 and dieting but slow progress. Eating less and the carrots, celery, oatmeal, little to no salt, not big on sweets and stopped the pop drinking. Jim


Just keep in mind whenever you eat any processed food (frozen entree, hot dog, canned soup, frozen pizza, etc) you will be eating 10X as much salt as you would normally use. It won't be just table salt, but also other additives like MSG (monosodium glutamate). Some restaurants put MSG on salad greens to make them taste "better". The more food you can make at home from scratch the better you can control your salt intake.


deb
in wi


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