Posted on Dec 20, 2019
SPC Infantryman
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I passed the medical at MEPS earlier this year in March. Only thing was my bp was borderline failing at 140/90. I was told that any higher and they would send me home from basic. A couple months later after really watching sodium, ect. It was good, like 128/84. I checked it again this week, again 140/90. Could be from day before, ate out twice(high sodium) with a buffet at dinner. I started taking garlic pills to help, cant see a doctor because I've been without insurance for years. Any more suggestions? I have already done my share of googling
Posted in these groups: Healthheart Health
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Responses: 4
CSM Charles Hayden
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SPC (Join to see) You are now on record as intending to enlist as a Soldier with a medical problem that does/will require medical supervision/attention.

Does anything in that statement strike you as WRONG?
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MSG Intermediate Care Technician
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This is one of those posts/questions that gives you Forest Whitaker eye
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SPC Infantryman
SPC (Join to see)
5 y
It is not too high, just borderline. I already had this conversation with the doctor at MEPS. I am a healthy, athletic male that is 100% willing to do what I have to, if that means really watching it like I was when I dropped my bp the first time. Was looking for suggestions, not saying "how can I hide a problem from them"
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Maj Robert Thornton
Maj Robert Thornton
5 y
SPC (Join to see) to follow up with CSM Charles Hayden post I have attached a url to the new BP guidelines regarding high blood pressure. A reading of 140/90 is no longer considered borderline, it is considered Hypertension which should be treated with diet, exercise and medication.
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2018/11/27/hypertension-guidelines-one-year-later-monitoring-the-change
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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Blood pressure is fairly easy to regulate in a healthy adult. Diet and exercise and the first line of defense. Eliminate contributors known to increase hypertension such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Salt in itself isn't bad, in fact it's necessary. More on that later.
Next, diet and exercise. The DASH diet is and regular exercise can reduce you BP by almost 10 points.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15107009/
In addition, the synergistic effects of increasing cardiovascular endurance, reducing fat, increasing lean muscle mass, increasing testosterone, and reducing insulin resistance will further lower your BP.
Third is interventions. Your interventions are worthless, or even counter productive, if you don't know the actual cause of your hypertension. The best way to find out is looking at your family history and seeing what they were successfully treated with. For instance, if you are a black male in the US, the primary treatment is usually the reduction of sodium intake and a diuretic like hydrochlorothiazide. The issue is that there is too much fluid in the pipes. If that's not your issue then reducing sodium won't make a lasting impact. Others may need to thin the blood because of excessive clotting and they would use a thinner like cumin or the drug cumarin, or a calcium channel blocker.
But, since your BP is only at 140, diet and exercise should be sufficient to bring your BP down to 128 consistently.
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SPC Stewart Smith
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Edited 5 y ago
If you go full vegetarian for a few months you'll have unbelievably good health. The trick is from the protein you get from a vegan diet vs a meat based diet(even fish, milk, and eggs).
The protein from a meat based diet "clouds" the blood plasma and restricts blood flow and constricts blood vessels. The protein from beans or peanut butter has an unrealistically clear blood plasma. This causes blood vessels to widen and give better blood flow. This also gives you more stamina and faster recoveries for a better workout and better PT test.
Without doing all the research, you can watch "Game Changers". It's a documentary on athletes going vegetarian. I encourage you to watch it and look up every single thing they say on it. It's actually true.
I'm not a vegetarian, but I went "vegan" a couple years back and never felt so good. I had the most unrealistic work outs you could imagine. These days I do "vegan" 4-5 days a week.
Legit: Try vegetarian. Your blood will thank you for it.
Also, if you eat ANY meat protein, like fish, eggs, or milk, you cloudy the blood and hurt your entire diet. You must go entirely vegetarian. Try it for a few months and your doctor will be pleased.
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