Blood Pressure Question

[timothysz35]

Hi my name is Tim and I have been exclusively on the forks over knives diet since November. I also work out 4-6 times per week. I have lost a lot of weight and am down almost 20 lbs. however my blood pressure has actually increased. I am concerned since I thought my BP would decrease from this diet. I do eat a lot and double the amount of the normal recipe listed online but I also a big person (6 ft 8, 240 lbs). I was wondering why my BP isn't going down. It is frustrating with all of the sacrifices I feel I have made. Thanks!

[michaelswarm]

Hi my name is Tim and I have been exclusively on the forks over knives diet since November. I also work out 4-6 times per week. I have lost a lot of weight and am down almost 20 lbs. however my blood pressure has actually increased. I am concerned since I thought my BP would decrease from this diet. I do eat a lot and double the amount of the normal recipe listed online but I also a big person (6 ft 8, 240 lbs). I was wondering why my BP isn't going down. It is frustrating with all of the sacrifices I feel I have made. Thanks!

Tim, welcome and congratulations on having made major changes, as reflected by your 20 lb weight loss. More time and better adherence will continue to yield the results you want. Your BMI is 26.4, so more time or better habits or both.

Suggest reading everything you can here about high blood pressure.

Common Health Problems (Recommendations)
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... -pressure/

- Has recommendations for high blood pressure.
- With references.

Hot Topics (Index)
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... ertension/

- An index of links to articles specific to high blood pressure.

Go deeper. Make a few more changes. Forks Over Knives encourages whole plant foods, which is good start and may be good for healthy persons without medical issues. If you have medical issues, of which high blood pressure is definately one, you may need to do more.

If you provide a summary of what you eat you can get more specific feedback. Here is example of what I have planned to eat today.
B: Oatmeal with fruit
L: Tomato soup with whole wheat pasta
D: Potatoes Dumplings and Sauerkraut
S: Fresh fruit

[timothysz35]

Thanks so much for your quick response. Yes I feel much better with the weight off and have a lot more energy.

Here is an example of what I have eaten this week:

Please note: a lot of these recipes include canned foods such as canned beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, etc. I was not checking the labels before but now have started to look for the lower sodium cans that have 10-15 mg of sodium in them. I have been conscious of this for the last month I would say now. So the canned items and the unsweetened applesauce has been plentiful in addition to the below calendar of food.

Monday:
Oatmeal with frozen blueberries for breakfast

Mulligantany for lunch and dinner (Brown Rice, Onions, Garlic, Low Sodium Broth, Plant milk, Red potatoes, curry powder, cumin, carrots, apples, cilantro, apple cider vinegar)

Bananas, oranges and raisins throughout the day
Jar of Unsweetened Applesauce

Tuesday:

Oatmeal with frozen blueberries for breakfast
Detox green smoothie and hummus bowl for lunch
Charred Vegetables over Quinoa for dinner
Jar of Unsweetened Applesauce
Bananas and oranges throughout the day

Wednesday:

Oatmeal with frozen blueberries for breakfast
Banh Mi Noodle for lunch and dinner
Bananas, Apples and jar of unsweetened applesauce

Thursday:

Oatmeal with frozen blueberries for breakfast
Wasa Crackers with almond butter for lunch
Detox smoothie
Lemon Tahini Pasta for dinner
Bananas and Oranges and apples throughout day
Unsweeted jar of applesauce

[Drew_ab]

The famous magician Penn Jillete was recently on The Science and Saucery podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e ... 0465241214

Penn has been eating a plant-based diet for a few years now and has lost an extraordinary amount of weight. In it, he talks about all the measures he attempted to get his blood pressure normal (including fasting at True North under Dr. Klapper's supervision). Even on a medically supervised 10-day water fast his blood pressure was slightly elevated. It lead Dr. Klapper to believe that something about his height (I believe Penn is 6 ft 7 in) being the reason for this. I couldn't help but notice that you are 6 ft 8 in and wonder if the same thing could be happening here.

[Drew_ab]

By the way, you never did actually mention what your blood pressure is. What's it sitting at?

[VeggieSue]

Penn has been eating a plant-based diet for a few years now and has lost an extraordinary amount of weight.

The last time I read anything about him and his weight loss was soon after his book was released, and he had been following Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live plan (and all those nuts) BUT also allowed himself a cheat day, either weekly or every other week. On those days he ate anything he wanted, including fatty meats and ice cream with his daughter, I remember.

I don't listen to podcasts due to my bad hearing, so for those who listened to this - is he still eating that way or has he changed to a more Starchivore food plan without all those fatty foods?

[timothysz35]

Sorry for the delay, I cut out coffee as of yesterday and also started drinking apple cider vinegar mixed with lime juice and pure maple syrup so maybe that will help out on the BP. The FOK diet is definitely working because I eat a ton of food (I mean a ton) and I still have lost 20 lbs. Just doesn't add up that the BP isn't falling as well. Maybe the coffee trick or the ACV will do it. However I am struggling today without Caffeine! LOL

[michaelswarm]

Sorry for the delay, I cut out coffee as of yesterday and also started drinking apple cider vinegar mixed with lime juice and pure maple syrup so maybe that will help out on the BP. The FOK diet is definitely working because I eat a ton of food (I mean a ton) and I still have lost 20 lbs. Just doesn't add up that the BP isn't falling as well. Maybe the coffee trick or the ACV will do it. However I am struggling today without Caffeine! LOL

Good article from the High Blood Pressure Hot Topics...

Hypertension Caused by Blood Flow Restriction
http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougal ... orite5.htm
“elimination of artery-constricting alcohol and coffee”

Yes, coffee constricts the arteries. Also raises cholesterol. I switched to warm ginger spice tea to replace coffee. Minimize added oils or high fat in foods like hummus and tahini. Fat thickens blood, increasing the viscosity. Consider greens to help blood vessels dilate.

What is your blood pressure and where do you measure it (home or doctor office)?

[timothysz35]

Thanks for the great links, I read them all and they have great information.

Right now my BP averages around 140/86. the 140 sometimes goes down to 135 or so. I take my BP at home with a device I bought from Walgreens.

I am going to cut out anything canned for my next step. So far I have eliminated coffee and am drinking apple cider vinegar. I think there is something to the canned food because when I used to eat plant based out at salad restaurants or juice bars, etc my BP was actually lower in the normal range. I just need to pinpoint what it is that is causing this spike in BP. The removal of canned foods will make cooking a much longer process but its worth it if I can get the BP down.

thanks for the suggestion on the tea over coffee, I will get on that right away. Thanks again!

[timothysz35]

123/83 after two days of nothing canned. I think this might be the trick but will let you know if it keeps up, thanks again!

[AnnetteW]

123/83 after two days of nothing canned. I think this might be the trick but will let you know if it keeps up, thanks again!

Is it the sodium? Are you using sodium free canned items?

[timothysz35]

No I’m cooking everything out of cans now. This is only one day. I’ll
Report back tomorrow to see if it is lowering still

[Lyndzie]

I buy “no salt added” canned beans and tomatoes. The reduction in sodium might be what is helping. Great that it was just a little tweak needed.

[Mom+Me]

Congratulations on your successes, and welcome to the Discussion Board, Tim!

It could be the combination of the no salt added canned beans and the cutting out of the coffee.

Also, do you take your b/p just after waking when you may be dehydrated from sleeping and not having drunk any water?

[timothysz35]

Thank you. No I usually take my bp towards the middle of the day. So today I took it again and it went back up to 136/88. So every day it seems to be fluctuating. I have to think that stress plays a role in your bp no matter how healthy you eat and I have been stressed as of late.