I am not waiting to make a new year’s resolution to start getting more serious about my health. I’m not saying I haven’t been serious thus far, I’m just getting more serious about it. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say I’m being more intentional and mindful about it. I am moving it up the priority list.

Up to this point I have been relying on nutrition and merely staying active to keep me healthy, and it has been working. I have 14% body fat, my triglycerides regularly come in at around 35, my HDL was 86 and my LDL was 46 on my last visit. Unfortunately I have Juvenile Diabetes (I hate using the term type 1, there are plenty of people with type 1 because of their lifestyle choices, not because they have juvenile diabetes), and this means good enough isn’t good enough. It’s time to get physical.

Now on to my main point here. I have been on BP meds for years now, and the more I learn, the more I think I shouldn’t be. I’m not talking about getting off my meds by lowering my blood pressure – which I plan to do – but the fact that I have borderline to occasionally mild hypertension and I’m starting to think that shouldn’t constitute being medicated for it. I am going to start weaning myself off of them and see what that does.

My approach is this: I am going to modify my supplement intake, substitute red wine for hard liquor (except during the cowboys game), and begin working out regularly. Currently I already drink green tea once per day 5 days per week, and I am taking fermented cod liver oil which should be getting me my daily requirement of EPA and DHA. I also currently take 120 mg magnesium once per day, but have discovered that many take a more aggressive approach of 150 mg 3x per day.

I am going to begin Potassium supplementation utilizing dosages ranging from 2.5 to 5.0 grams of potassium per day. I am going to contact my Dr and see if he can write me a prescription for this so I can get a higher dose and better quality than I can with an OTC. It looks like I should be taking 2.5 – 5 grams per day. Interestingly enough, NoSalt and Nu-Salt, are actually potassium chloride at a dosage of 530 mg of potassium per one-sixth teaspoon.

I may look into Bonito Peptides as well. From what I’ve read, it seems to reduce the systolic by at least 10 mm Hg and the diastolic by 7 mm Hg in people with prehypertension and borderline hypertension. These protiens are anti-ACE, which is an enzyme that converts the compound angiotensin 1 to angiotensin 2 which causes the blood vessels to constrict while at the same time increasing the volume of fluid running through them.

FYI: Prehypertension is (120-139/80-89); Borderline is (120-160/90-94); Mild is (140-160/95-104); Moderate is (140-180/105-114); and Severe is (160+/115+)

Have a Great Day!

Lubimûr