Blood pressure

[valsacar]

How exactly does one die of high BP?

High BP can lead to heart diseases that can kill you, or cause strokes that can kill you, but high BP itself killing you? Your arteries just explode from the pressure?

[P00057870]

No, but if uncontrolled for long periods of time, in addition to things you have mentioned, you are at higher risk of stroke, visual problems, kidney failure and having to be on dialysis. My father died at age 34 and had uncontrolled hypertension.

Similar situation with Diabetes - although with diabetes, if uncontrolled you can go into a diabetic coma and die - most of the problems happen over long term noncompliance and just not controlling it. Retinal damage and blindness, kidney failure, high blood pressure, vascular issues, wounds not healing and loss of limbs due to those, etc.

Unfortunately, in this country, it is not unusual for people with diabetes to also have high blood pressure, which just compounds issues. Often people do not get diagnosed, and the medical community is lowering the numbers (less than 110/70, for example; when years ago they said 130/90) because of the additional problems they are seeing each and every day.

Bottom line, we have become too sedintary and then on top of that eat poorly. Unfortunately, that is not the case in all situations. There are very active persons who eat well who still get these conditions, and there may be a familial tendency. Various theories out there but nothing ever proven. They just know statistically, as a country, Americans have increased incidences of these diseases, especially as we have increased our weight and inactivity - thus an assumed correlation.

You still have to do your own research and homework to determine what you need to do. The much touted Mediteranean Diet, which is referred to as the areas who eat this diet have less heart disease and stroke, is interesting. The reports fail to tell you that they have an increased number of deaths at an earlier age with cirrhosis of the liver and other liver ailments - due to the alcohol (think wine) consumption. Each country has different problems based on their dietary variances.

I believe someone else discussed rice and some defects if a diet is heavy in that. Yet, some countries in the world rely heavily on rice but have learned how to mix it with the appropriate legumes (beans) and other vegetibles that not only make it taste good but the result of the mixtures results in a viable amount of protein. But, there are still nutrients that you get from animal proteins and beef that are not available in those other items. I worked with a lady years ago who became a strict vegan, but did not learn the way to do it properly - just lived on rice cakes and carrots. She ended up with major health issues, menses stopped, anemia, bleeding from the gums, loss of teeth and hair. Her doctor prescribed a small amount of beef (red meat/liver) a day (2 oz), but gave her a big lecture on the structure of her teeth and how the fact we have a variety of different designs means we are to have a diet mixed with all things. So, as previously discussed in this thread - all things in moderation seem to be the key.

[valsacar]

Oh, I fully understand the risks, on a good day with medication I'm around 124/85, without a whole lot higher. One of the many gifts from the Army, but in my case a side effect of having sleep apnea. Unfortunately OSA went undiagnosed for so long that the BP is a permanent and separate issue now.

[PonyGirl93]

I worked with a lady years ago who became a strict vegan, but did not learn the way to do it properly - just lived on rice cakes and carrots. She ended up with major health issues, menses stopped, anemia, bleeding from the gums, loss of teeth and hair. Her doctor prescribed a small amount of beef (red meat/liver) a day (2 oz), but gave her a big lecture on the structure of her teeth and how the fact we have a variety of different designs means we are to have a diet mixed with all things. So, as previously discussed in this thread - all things in moderation seem to be the key.

I hate it when people do that >.> It has been scientifically proven that being a veg*n is perfectly healthy (in fact veg*ns are typically healthier than meat eaters), but when people go into it without educating themselves, they give the whole thing a bad name. All it takes is a google search, there is literally an abundance of info online about how to be a healthy veg*n, not to mention all the books, doctors, and other info that are out there to help. Even the USDA, which is totally in bed with the meat industry, agrees that being a vegetarian is at least as healthy, if not healthier, than eating meat. A balanced veg diet can provide more than enough nutrients. If people are struggling with it, usually the remedy is as simple as popping a B12 supplement every day or so.

[P00057870]

So true. I work with a lady of East Indian descent who is a vegetarian, due to her religion, but she and her family are very healthy and have a varied and interesting diet. Her food is wonderful to sample. On the other hand, that does not protect her from high blood pressure. She has it and she tells me some of her other family members do also.

[ryoder]

I have known a lot of overweight vegetarians.
The people I know who do bodybuilding shows are in extremely healthy shape and consume large amounts of lean meat like poultry and fish. Those who want a lot of muscle mass also consume good amounts of lean red meat which is high in natural creatine.

I do love animals so I wish I could be a vegetarian but they just taste so good and provide a high amount of protein.

[PonyGirl93]

I have known a lot of overweight vegetarians.
The people I know who do bodybuilding shows are in extremely healthy shape and consume large amounts of lean meat like poultry and fish. Those who want a lot of muscle mass also consume good amounts of lean red meat which is high in natural creatine.

I do love animals so I wish I could be a vegetarian but they just taste so good and provide a high amount of protein.

There are definitely unhealthy vegos and healthy omni's, but if you look up the average cholesterol and risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer, veggies and vegans are much lower.

I think if you tried it you'd realize how easy it is to be veg. ...Just stay away from Applebees :p

[mrs.b]

There is nothing wrong with a high protein diet, so long as you get the other things your body needs.

There is nothing wrong with a high veggie / vegetarian diet, so long as you get proteins (various beans are abundant, and for non-vegans, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc) your body needs.

A healthy diet also includes (healthy) fats, fiber from breads and (preferably brown) rice for the different types of fiber, plenty of calcium, for women don't forget iron, and a variety of other vitamins and minerals that require variation to include them all.

A healthy diet can include ice cream, cakes, pies, cookies, and all those other sugary treats. Carbs are not a crime against humanity, and quick-burn, sugary carbs will not kill (most of) us, in quantities within reason.

Anything and everything can (and should) fit in a healthy diet, in moderation. A diet of just/mostly meats is not healthy, just like a diet of just/mostly apples is not healthy. The food pyramid, or the new visual plate arrangement (USDA's MyPlate - Home page) has survived with only moderate adjustments for years because it is one of the best and easiest guides to create a healthy diet.

[valsacar]

Vegans are great, leaves more meat for me!

I met a looney one the other day, she claimed that it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat 1600cal a day. You could eat only apples, as long as it's 1600cal/day (her exact words). I had to walk away, stupid people give me migraines and this insatiable urge to hit them.

[mrs.b]

Vegans are great, leaves more meat for me!

I met a looney one the other day, she claimed that it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat 1600cal a day. You could eat only apples, as long as it's 1600cal/day (her exact words). I had to walk away, stupid people give me migraines and this insatiable urge to hit them.

I'd bet money she was once on Sparkpeople.com, skimmed the requirements briefly, then decided she knew it all. That site is a great resource - better than great! - but requires a lot of self-education (kind of like this place!) or terrible mistakes can be made. I "lived" there for about a year, learned a lot, and lost 75 pounds (post-baby weight combined with personal life and just not caring for myself). If one uses the resources - dietitians, articles, exercise plans - it makes it very easy, and it's free. If one misinterprets or just doesn't do any of the supplemental reading, I've seen others walk away from that site saying things like that.