High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol

Hello all,

I’m new to these boards. I’m getting concerned for my husband. A couple of years ago he went to his doctor and was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The doctor sent him home with a list of foods to eat and avoid. My husband thinking he feels as good now as he did when he was 20, pretty much ignored the list. Six months later he went back to see his doctor for a follow up and the doctor prescribed him medication for both conditions. A few months after that he stopped taking the Lipator because it gave him the runs and eventually ran out of his blood pressure medicine. Since then he is full of excuses why he doesn’t have time to go back to the doctor. Jump forward to a week ago. We were in a Rite-Aid and I saw the blood pressure machine and suggested we both get ours checked. I’ve been pretty proud of us lately, we’ve been eating a very healthy, low fat, low sugar diet, and we both have lost a good amount of weight. My BP was normal, his was through the roof! I really thought with our new life style might make a small impact. I still can’t get him to go to the doctor but I do have control over his diet. My feeling is he doesn’t want to go back on the meds unless it’s a last resort. So I would like to alter our diet while I keep poking at him to go to a doctor.

Any suggestion of books, links, meal plans that will help me tailor our diet. I’m a label reader and when I started paying attention to the sodium levels was surprised to see it in ingredients like chicken and milk. I really don’t know what is the difference between an acceptable amount of sodium for him and what’s unacceptable. Obviously 900mg per tablespoon is too high but where is the breaking point?

Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.

Nanz

Hi, Nanz and WELCOME to the HBP & HC board!!

Your message was so familiar to me - as though I had read it before somewhere. Well, anyway, I can certainly understand your concern. I think you're wise in preparing the kinds of foods that you BOTH should be eating. When we know our bodies are strong and healthy, we don't often think about what's good and what's not for us. (I learned the hard way!) As for the Lipitor, how long did your husband take it? Bowel changes are a typical side-effect when new to taking Lipitor. I've been on Lipitor for about 7 years now with no problem. On the other hand, some people just cannot take certain drugs that others might be able to.

Sad to say, but until your hubby has a wake-up call (whatever that may be), it's probably not worth your effort to keep on about how much he needs to see the doctor. I can honestly tell you that from expereince. When I began to have problems, family and other loved ones were begging me to go to the doctor. I refused. I've never liked seeing a doctor for any reason nor a hospital. It took having a blood test for high cholesterol and the doctor telling me how dangerously close I was to having a heart attack or stroke. I listen to my body now and if something seems not quite right, I make an appointment to see my doctor.

I will return with another reply as soon as I gather some of the requested info for you, okay?

Hang in there!

Hi, again Nanz!

The Home and Food Channel has a message board entitled 'Light & Lean Cooking.' You might try posting there. I'm sure someone can give you some help.

And then here are 2 sites that have wonderful recipes and suggestions for a healthy diet...

Healthy Cooking - Healthy Recipes
http://healthy.allrecipes.com/

All Foods Fit.com
http://www.allfoodsfit.com/

Almost every new cookbook has recipes for those who must watch their intake of fat and carbs.

Good luck, Nanaz, and do let me know how everything is going. You'll be in my thoughts!

Hugs, *C*