One Final Blood Pressure ?

Whoson1st · Nov 14, 2007

I went 7 full days without any alcoholic beverage to drink of any type.

My BP had stayed (before this) at approximately 140/90 for 3 months

Yesterday after a week of NO Alcohol for 1 week--The numbers were 136/80.

They have a free place which does BP readings (for seniors) in the area.

Question: does this mean the only way I can have lower numbers is to QUIT drinking? I did not change anything else. Walked 6 days a week..etc. No-one but me knows why the reading dropped from /90 to /80.

I've been celebrating now for 2 days! But?

MrsCheater · Nov 14, 2007

Great Job!!! all the bad habits wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system. i would continue to celebrate! (by celebrate i mean less alcohol intake).

answer: quitting drinking is NOT the only way to lower BPs. there are several factors, that only you know, exist. remember, rome was not built in a day, your elevated BPs did not happen overnight, and cannot be cured overnight. if you keep doing the things you do (such as the daily exercise and decrease in alcohol intake) the numbers should settle down..now how long that takes depends on you and your genes. but remember....everyday that you are doing something good is a day that you are NOT doing something bad. if you are trying, its a step in the right direction.

So, continue to celebrate and remember what i said...Good Luck and Healthy days!

MrsCheater · Nov 14, 2007

P.S. i just read your other thread. maybe your doc can offer you some suggestions for different kinds of exercises to do based on your capacity. and you made reference to "the food". remember that you probably only need 1800-2000 calories a day to maintain a weight, and if you have 6 drinks a day, there goes about 1200 of your calories (and they are all empty carbs which also dehydrate you) so now if u intake anything more than say....breakfast, you are probably over your daily calories. so getting rid of alcohol as much as possible helps let you take in more food. hope i am not sounding like a preacher, cause i have my own struggles but i am doing better now and want to share what i know.

there are websites to help you keep track of daily calories (which is what i do) or there are systems or nutritionalists to help in that area. if only the good tasting stuff was good for you!! (sigh)

winthegame · Nov 15, 2007

they always can provide more exact advice about what to eat, exercise...

Whoson1st · Nov 15, 2007

MrsCheater said:
P.S. i just read your other thread. maybe your doc can offer you some suggestions for different kinds of exercises to do based on your capacity. and you made reference to "the food". remember that you probably only need 1800-2000 calories a day to maintain a weight, and if you have 6 drinks a day, there goes about 1200 of your calories (and they are all empty carbs which also dehydrate you) so now if u intake anything more than say....breakfast, you are probably over your daily calories. so getting rid of alcohol as much as possible helps let you take in more food. hope i am not sounding like a preacher, cause i have my own struggles but i am doing better now and want to share what i know.

there are websites to help you keep track of daily calories (which is what i do) or there are systems or nutritionalists to help in that area. if only the good tasting stuff was good for you!! (sigh)

Thanks very Much....
I think that I am one that falls in the category of "alcoholic". I'm not going to explore AA any more. Too many things that I dislike about it. They should not mix 20 year olds with 60 year olds. But --what can you say; it's like a government organization.....Their rules or Nothing!
I do have a better understanding of what Mrs Cheater is saying now about the longterm. Yes--doctor gave me a diet. I tried it and did fairly well for awhile. But once again,, as you stated... Life is a marathon and not a sprint.

mrhognuts2 · Nov 15, 2007

Whoson1st said:
Thanks very Much....
I think that I am one that falls in the category of "alcoholic". I'm not going to explore AA any more. Too many things that I dislike about it. They should not mix 20 year olds with 60 year olds. But --what can you say; it's like a government organization.....Their rules or Nothing!
I do have a better understanding of what Mrs Cheater is saying now about the longterm. Yes--doctor gave me a diet. I tried it and did fairly well for awhile. But once again,, as you stated... Life is a marathon and not a sprint.

whoson1st,im one of the worlds worst alcoholics,non practicing for 14 years,thanks to aa...buuut,if i knew then,what i know now,i believe i could have quit on my own....i cant tell you how wonderful my life is without alcohol,and im not goin to try.one word comes to mind..FREEDOM..'keep the continue'

MrsCheater · Nov 15, 2007

awesome job guys! one day at a time (for everything i suppose).

Whoson1st · Nov 15, 2007

Alcohol is -was--and will allways be the only nut I can NOT seem to crack longterm.
The State--has stores for it--sells it- and will lock you up for driving while using it. I will NEVER drive and drink again; but this is a desease. My heart goes out to those that may be using an "illegal" drug.

We all have our demons.