I am 73 years old. Some 30 years ago, my BP started going up, and I was advised to reduce salt. I did it and monitored my BP every day, and watched it go down gradually but steadily. and it stayed down for a few years. Then it started climbing again, and I started taking anti-hypertensive medications. I now take two different such medications to keep my BP within normal range, and I watch my diet. Eliminating salt from your diet is very difficult because so many things contain salt. It's not just avoiding the salt shaker and avoiding salt in the food you cook. Most people do not know it, but milk, bread and most cold cuts and cheeses contain salt. Meats and fishes also contain some salt. The only things that contain no salt are potatoes, fruit and veggies, rice, grains, beans and unsalted nuts. You can accustom your taste buds to "like" unsalted food and, after a few weeks, you will find even lightly salted things too salty and wonder how you ever ate them. Depending on your personal situation, you might make life very complicated for the people you live with. If you decide to embark on this low sodium effort, make sure your BP elevation is not so high as to pose a serious risk, because you could do yourself harm if you do not get your BP under control promptly. Another thing to consider is that some people with high BP have a form of the disease that is particularly salt-sensitive. They respond especially well to reduced sodium intake. If your illness is not of that type, then you will probably eventually find that sodium restriction does not afford you the degree of BP control that you need, and you will have to start taking medication. Of you can try calcium supplements, but they can be constipating. The cheapest and for most people safest starting antihypertensive medication is hydochlorthiazide (HCZT), which is available as a generic and costs less than $20 per month. It's a very safe drug, and you will probably not experience any unpleasant side effects. Blood pressure control is one of the few areas where the drug industry has succeeded very well. The available treatments are highly effective and extremely safe. You will hardly know you are taking any medication, and the "silent killer" can be kept safely at bay.

You know, you'd do better if you could get more balance from your food. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new, but I don't quite understand why no produce and why it wouldn't be in your control. But please, I'm not trying to get too personal. I have to disagree about doctors not knowing nutrition, my own is near genius - but I don't think you need a doctor to tell you your diet isn't adequate right now. There is so much in the product you name I couldn't begin to guess at what you might be sensitive to Whole Food Energizer Vitamin & Mineral Fruits, Veggies, Green Foods, Antioxidants, Ensymes, Mushrooms, Amino Acids, Herbs, Lutein & More! #1 Mega Nutrient Optimized for Women The most potent & complete multi-vitamin for women #1 Energy Multi with more energizing nutrients from more natural sources than other supplements 25 Vitamins & Minerals 24 Fruits & Vegetables 18 Amino Acids 12 Digestive Enzymes 14 Green Foods 12 Mushrooms (Organic) 40+ Antioxidant Sources Whole Body Nourishment for Bones, Skin, Muscles, Joints, Digestion, Immunity, Heart, Vision, Nerves, Cellular Energy and Metabolism Extra Nutrients for Womens Health Bones: extra Vitamin D (1,000 IU) and Vitamin K, plus plant-based Calcium and Magnesium Breast Health: extra Vitamin D plus Flax Lignans Hair/Skin/Nails: extra Biotin plus Horsetail Grass, MSM and Tru-OPCs⢠Reproductive: extra Folic Acid and Vitamin B6 Urinary Tract: CranRx⢠anti-adherence Cranberry Superior Absorption Rapid Disintegration Tablets Natural, Vegetarian Formula No Yeast, Milk, Lactose or Sugar I'll just end with I can tolerate Vit C from foods, tablet form is hard on my stomach too and I don't take it in supplement form.

She was taking a B complex for a while and she may have stopped. She said "the bottle says to take two but I thought more might be better so I take three" -- that's another thing that stands out because she is a retired RN and always was very sensible and conservatibe about taking medications. She was taking a multivitamin for a while, but may have stopped that too. My dad is a health fanatic and tends to nag and correct her when she starts to take vitamins -- "did you take your vitamins?"; "don't take those together...", etc. I told her to take them in private when he's not around, but I suspect she stopped taking them altogether. She makes such a big deal about eating a regular sized meal of moderate portions -- "I can't believe I ate all that!" etc. when everyone else ate the same amount or more. Or she passes around her plate at the table at social functions to share her food, saying how full she already is and "I can't eat all this food!" when everyone else is enjoying their full plate (how do I politely stop her from passing around her plate like that? I wish she would just stop eating and not say anything to bring attention to herself). I don't understand what that's all about, but I think if she is so full with half a plate of food when she hasn't eaten for hours, then she is probably undereating (dieting) and her metabolism has slowed down. But whatever I say will go in one ear and out the other -- especially now that she has successfully lost weight and is thinner than ever. I don't know if she'll ever let any of us do anything for her unless she is totally helpless. Jen

I'm female, 5' 7", 125 lbs, my cholesterol levels are great, I eat healthy and work out at a gym daily. My BP was around 105/65 since I was in my twenties. Two years ago (at 52) I got a sore throat with swollen glands so I went to the doctor. My BP had gone up to 175/95 overnight! I know this because I check my heart rate and BP at the gym every day and it was my normal 105/65 the day before I got the sore throat. My throat culture came back positive for strep throat (which my doc said isn't too common among middle age folks) and I was put on antibiotics. The doctor wanted to wait until I'd finished the medication and the strep had cleared to see if my BP went back to normal. Unfortunately, it never did, and I had to be put on BP medication. My doctor thinks the strep throat somehow shocked my system and caused my BP to be permanently altered. On medication (the lowest dose possible) it hovers around my previous 105/65, but if she takes me off that low dose, it shoots right back up again. So I guess I'm on meds for life now. Just wanted to share that it's possible for BP to go haywire with a virus or bacterial infection and be unable to regulate itself back to normal afterwards.