High blood pressure?!?!?! Now what?

Just when I started to really get into this, I go to the doctor to have my knee checked out (injured playing softball) and find out I have high blood pressure! I have to go back in 3 weeks to get another reading, but the doc is pretty sure I am going to have to start taking meds.

I started looking through recipes in the HTG and Bar-B-Q Bible that I want to try, and they look like they all have a lot more salt then I will be able to have.

I know there has to be some people out there who also have high blood pressure. What do you do? I can't give up meat, no way, no how!!!

Two of the 3 people in my household are on cholestrol lowering drugs. One is also taking high blood pressure meds. So, we're on a salt restricted diet, too.

I modify recipes cutting back on the amount of salt used. It does take some getting used to not having a salt shaker on the table. But, after a while your taste buds will adapt. Today, some things I used to like taste way too salty now.

Since your goal will be to lower your daily intake, there are a few tricks that'll help. Consider the portion size. If you cut way back on the salt normally used on chicken, for example, you can still have a reasonable amount in the sauce. The tablespoon of sauce is small compared to the chicken breast. You'll still have the flavor in the sauce, which in turn will make the less salty chicken more flavorful. (Hope that makes sense.)

Look for low sodium versions of any thing you buy at the grocery. One example is soy sauce, another is crackers and canned tomatoes. Try to buy meats that haven't been injected with a saline solution. When you can, steer clear of ready to heat and eat foods. Most of those are loaded with salt.

Use other spices and flavors such as vinegars to help offset the lower salt.

BTW, our doctor advised against salt substitues. Most contain some form of sodium and other products that aren't that healthy either.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck with your checkup. Hope you find that you will be able control it with diet alone.

Longmill

i understand your pain and concern. When I found out I ws diabetic - I thought about all the foods that have sugar in them. I was more horrified to find out what foods really have sugar in them. Took some getting used too- but now everything is fine. you will find where you fit in and how it will affect you.

A year ago, my doctor informed me I had high BP and high cholesterol and put me on meds for both. She also told me to cut out beef and pork (yeah, right!!) which I routinely tell her I did cut down on. Today my total cholesterol is 170 and BP is 120/80 and I practically live on beef and pork. Small price to pay to keep on enjoying the good eats.........

dds wrote:

Just when I started to really get into this, I go to the doctor to have my knee checked out (injured playing softball) and find out I have high blood pressure! I have to go back in 3 weeks to get another reading, but the doc is pretty sure I am going to have to start taking meds.

I started looking through recipes in the HTG and Bar-B-Q Bible that I want to try, and they look like they all have a lot more salt then I will be able to have.

I know there has to be some people out there who also have high blood pressure. What do you do? I can't give up meat, no way, no how!!!

Moderation is the ticket. (Funny how that applies to almost anything in life... but I digress.) My doctor gave me similar news and the following instructions... Lose weight, eat less fatty/salty foods, and excercise. You don't have to give up meat (specifically beef and pork), just add more chicken and fish between the beef and pork. (Good time to try out those chicken and fish recipes! )

Personally I'm opting to give those three suggestions a chance before going on medication.

Take care,

Derek

What were your numbers?

There is high blood pressure and then there is HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE!

Unfortunately I'm in the later half.

-Rob

Don't worry dds,
I don't have high b/p but I am a big guy and high b/p runs in my family so I have to very careful with my salt intake. When I was younger if I went for the salt shaker my father would knock it out of my hand cause I was a big guy then too. So I had to get used not having salt. Yes it takes getting used to but after while things will be fine. You will find that if you go out to eat sometimes times you'll find yourself saying, wow that's got a lot of salt in it! I will confess that there are two things that I still anjoy putting salt on and that's homemade french fries which I eat maybe twice a year at a carnival or fair with malted vinegar and fresh summertime tomatoes but even at that you could almost count the number of salt crystals I use because otherwise it tastes too salty.
I'm also trying to lose weight and like harry said I eat more chicken and fish and this stuff is great when you BBQ it even with low or no salt. Then when you eat beef or pork it's that much more of a treat.
Good luck and let us know how it's going.

same here im on a salt restricted diet and avoid sal;t but i still make great bbq

Wow, thanks for the input and concern from all.

I have always been the type of person who does not look at the ingredients before I cook it or eat it. I am a little over weight (5" 9" - 230lbs), I don't eat sweets (gives me a headache), I am active, but I do eat red meat. I have never really been concerned with my salt intake. I guess I need to start. My numbers were 150/110, which according to an article I read on WebMD, that is like stage 1 hypertension. HBP runs in the family, and my mom and dad were shocked when I told them I had HBP, they were shocked I hadn't been diagnosed earlier with it.

Chicken is OK, but not particularly crazy about it. In 1989, I lost 70 lbs in 6 months to get in the Air Force, and my diet consisted of pasta with no sauce or salt, dried beans, popcorn, and chicken. I could eat fish, but I will only eat what I catch.

This past Christmas I told my wife the only thing I want is a nice treadmill. I use it 2-3 times a week and have lost about 20 lbs since January. I am already in the routine of exercising, now I just need to start to watch what I eat too.

A bit off topic but:

I go to the doctor to have my knee checked out (injured playing softball)

Don't that smart? I played 8 years of football (O-line) and 3 years of rugby (second row). Never any problems ('cept a concussion or two). How do I go down? Stepping on first base (as first baseman).

Had to put some beer on that one. Then got it scoped.
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dds wrote:

I started looking through recipes in the HTG and Bar-B-Q Bible that I want to try, and they look like they all have a lot more salt then I will be able to have.

I know there has to be some people out there who also have high blood pressure. What do you do? I can't give up meat, no way, no how!!!

dds, I have high blood pressure and take meds for it...I don't use salt at all...unless it's in something already...when buying seasonings I always look at the sodium content and try to buy whatever has the lowest in it...with meds I have been able to keep my blood pressure in check....I hope everything goes well for you...I don't think you'll have to give up GOOD STUFF!

My wife has been on salt restriction for many years, and we've gotten used to it. One thing you can do is stop using commercial rubs and sauces, because they contain a lot of salt. Make your own, they taste better anyway, and you can leave out the salt. An example is Stave's Basic Barbecue Sauce (our favorite from Barbecue Bible.) Because of all the great fresh ingredients, it tastes delicious even without salt.

You know, I enjoy making my own sauces and rubs more then I do cooking the meat. After I got Barbecue Bible, I bought his book on rubs, sauces, and marinades. I have 3 jars of homemade rub in my pantry and 2 jars of "sweet and smokey" bar-b-q sauce in the frig. I don't recall salt in the recipe except when it says "salt to taste". I thought it tasted good without salt!

Someone mentioned earlier it is all about moderation. I said in my earlier post that I have lost 20 lbs. since January, and I am still eating the same things, just smaller portions.

I would suggest to anyone who doesn't already, to have your blood tests for that every year. This way you see it coming before it's too late. If you can control colesterol and BP without drugs, any doctor will tell you that's advisable. Only if you are in serious danger should you go on meds. I have neither yet, although I'd like to see my BP as low as my cholesterol. I used to exercise a lot which also can help keep it in check, but since having 2 small children, I cannot find the time, and I really mean that, not just using it as an excuse. But in the warm months, I try to walk as long as possible after dinner pushing a single or double stroller, gotta have some activity. Anyway, just rambling now, but I eat everything I love with plenty of salt, but to balance it out, I eat salads, raw veggies, for lunch, bran cereal in the morning, and healthy dinners a lot, etc etc. This way I feel I can still eat the skin when I make chicken, all the fat when I make lamb and so on... And, By not having it all the time, I am even more excited when I do make that kinda stuff, as opposed to taking it for granted.