I did a search on hypertension on this site so it seems like I'm am not alone here and there is quite a resource to draw from. So perhaps I can get some idea what I am looking at with my situation.
I'm only 34, started swimming again nearly a year ago. Partly because I new I had high blood pressure, but mostly I started swimming for overall health and fitness benifits. Since then I have lost roughly 30 pounds. At 6'2" I now weigh about 200 pounds. I would expect that all this work would have some impact on my blood pressure. Especially since I rarely drink, and my diet isn't terrible. I generally eat healthy meals. But the sad truth is that it hasn't changed. Nearly a year ago my BP was 140 over 100. This week... The same. Absolutely no change!!! As a result, my doctor put me on Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. So naturally I concerned about a few things.
1. Does this mean I will be taking BP medication for the rest of my life?
2. How will this impact my swimming/ability to train? is there a better medication that I should ask about so there are not adverse effects?
3. Do I need to start taking things easier in the pool?
4. Since I have a family history of hypertension does this mean there is really nothing I can do aside from medication?
5. Anything else I need to be concerned about?
Thanks in advance for any advice or helpful comments.
Kevin
Parents
Former Member
I know this thread is relatively old, but I had the rude awakening today that I have stage 1 hypertension. I appreciate being able to read about your experiences, it helps to know I am not the only one swimming with this.
For years, I have been around 130/80, and everytime I get measured for BP, the nurse would always say, "you should have this checked out." Recently, I had to get measured for an insurance exam, and my BP was averaging 144/80. I then decided to buy a device to help me track it at home, where it varies from 130-148/76-81. I am 6'6" tall and 230-235 lbs.
All I do is swim, 3-5 times a week for 60-90 minutes. I run once a week. I don't lift weights. I played college football, so the only weights I know how to lift are for building muscle, and everytime I get into the gym to start lifting, I put on weight in the form of bigger shoulders, chest, arms, ect. So I figure I would just swim and run, with the emphasis on swimming because I loathe running (unless it is an absolutely gorgeous day out).
Today, the doctor said he'd have a nutritionist contact me. I don't want to go on drugs, but with a family history of hypertension, the outlook is grim. I am afraid to cut out salt because my body needs it to retain fluids from sweating. I am afraid if I lose fluid from sweating during workouts, that I will cramp or worse, have an exertional migraine (which has happened twice from dieting and overexertion).
I am going to give this diet a fair try. It is hard though. EVERYTHING has salt in it. Unless I eat potatoes and bananas all day, I am not sure what to do. I don't feel like my diet is that bad as it is today.
Tell me about lifting though. Some of you mentioned how lifting helped reduce BP. What kinds of workouts should I be doing in the weight room to help me?
Thanks for the help!
Disclaimer - I am not a doctor, nutritionist, etc.
I believe you overstate the role of salt/sodium. I don't think you WANT salt to cause retention of fluids. Instead if you are sweating and losing fluids you should simply replace the sodium lost during exercise. The goal should be to maintain the same chemical balance. Sweating and loss of fluid is a natural activity and is one way your body regulates its temperature. If you are maintaining a high salt intake normally you are contributing to hypertension of course and interfering with your body's normal processing of fluids.
I know this thread is relatively old, but I had the rude awakening today that I have stage 1 hypertension. I appreciate being able to read about your experiences, it helps to know I am not the only one swimming with this.
For years, I have been around 130/80, and everytime I get measured for BP, the nurse would always say, "you should have this checked out." Recently, I had to get measured for an insurance exam, and my BP was averaging 144/80. I then decided to buy a device to help me track it at home, where it varies from 130-148/76-81. I am 6'6" tall and 230-235 lbs.
All I do is swim, 3-5 times a week for 60-90 minutes. I run once a week. I don't lift weights. I played college football, so the only weights I know how to lift are for building muscle, and everytime I get into the gym to start lifting, I put on weight in the form of bigger shoulders, chest, arms, ect. So I figure I would just swim and run, with the emphasis on swimming because I loathe running (unless it is an absolutely gorgeous day out).
Today, the doctor said he'd have a nutritionist contact me. I don't want to go on drugs, but with a family history of hypertension, the outlook is grim. I am afraid to cut out salt because my body needs it to retain fluids from sweating. I am afraid if I lose fluid from sweating during workouts, that I will cramp or worse, have an exertional migraine (which has happened twice from dieting and overexertion).
I am going to give this diet a fair try. It is hard though. EVERYTHING has salt in it. Unless I eat potatoes and bananas all day, I am not sure what to do. I don't feel like my diet is that bad as it is today.
Tell me about lifting though. Some of you mentioned how lifting helped reduce BP. What kinds of workouts should I be doing in the weight room to help me?
Thanks for the help!
Disclaimer - I am not a doctor, nutritionist, etc.
I believe you overstate the role of salt/sodium. I don't think you WANT salt to cause retention of fluids. Instead if you are sweating and losing fluids you should simply replace the sodium lost during exercise. The goal should be to maintain the same chemical balance. Sweating and loss of fluid is a natural activity and is one way your body regulates its temperature. If you are maintaining a high salt intake normally you are contributing to hypertension of course and interfering with your body's normal processing of fluids.
