In 2024, I had a visit with Dorothy Mosher, a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She was doing my annual physical exam, and she also reviewed my blood work panel. My blood pressure was ramping up, but still under control. My lipids and triglycerides (400+) were not under control. I admitted I wasn’t diligently taking my rosuvastatin medecine, or cutting my carb intake. Eating unhealthy food was simply part of being a truck driver.
Dorothy remarked, “If this was my panel, I’d be seriously worried about dying of a heart attack or a stroke.” She renewed my prescriptions, gave more advice, then did my prostate exam. It’s enlarged; no surprise there.
Her comment stuck with me. I knew dying was part of life, but it wasn’t something I worried about, until then. When I die, how would I leave my wife and son, who needed me? That began to trouble my conscience.
Slow turnarounds are better than none. So I decided to get serious about my health. Reduce carbohydrates. Take the rosuvastatin every night. Supplements. Okay, which supplements?
Years ago, a doctor prescribed atorvastatin for my high cholesterol. It did the job as intended, but there was a bad side effect. It stripped my energy, leaving my muscles sore. I learned it was stripping my body of COQ10. The doctor didn’t warn me about that, but his response was to tell me to take a COQ10 supplement. It was expensive, and it made me mad. I decided that high cholesterol wasn’t hurting me, but atorvastatin was.
Now I believe high cholesterol can hurt me, but that in itself is only a symptom of a much greater problem. I’m consuming far too many inflammatory foods. You can treat symptoms many ways, like slapping on bandaids. That might feel good for a while. How about identifying the real problem?
The most troubling, disconcerting, mysterious medical condition I had was high blood pressure. I spent countless hours trying to find a fix for this.
According to the MAYO Clinic, “For most adults, there’s no identifiable cause of high blood pressure.” In other words, nobody seems to know, but they give it a name: Essential Hypertension.
I tried eliminating salty snacks, taking black garlic, beet root chews, potassium, hemp hearts, cracked flax seeds. I eliminated ice cream, battered fried deli chicken, folic acid breads. These changes made only small, inconsistent improvements in my blood pressure.
Just this week, I had my annual physical exam with Dr. David Ballance. He reviewed my blood work panel. With the help of fenofibrate, my triglycerides were now about 186, in the safe range. The doctor was amazed that it came down from over 400.
With the help of rosuvastatin, my lipids were now in the safe range.
The only thing that was pretty bad, was my hypertension. Both readings (systolic and diastolic) were out of control, at various times, no matter which cuff I used.
I have been using chlorthalidone for a few years to control my blood pressure. That’s a type of diuretic, or water pill. Sometimes I’d take a double dose. In the past, it was sufficient, but not now. Did you know, taking diuretics will strip zinc from your body?
Another thing I take is famotidine for acid reflux. Sometimes I take calcium carbonate tablets. These meds also strip zinc from your body.
A few days ago, I arrived at the Red Cross to donate blood, and my pressure was 142/102. They would not take my blood with that high of a diastolic pressure. The next day, it was down to 81. Crazy swing.
Sodium seemed to be the main trigger for my hypertension. It sneaks into my diet in so many ways.
A close relative, 86 years old, shakes salt onto his food, without a care. He spreads salted butter onto his bread. I can’t keep my blood pressure in-check just eating at the same table he does.
When I try so many approaches to bring down my blood pressure, it can get confusing. What was I missing? It isn’t more drugs.
What actually helped me?
#1. I purchased some bottled beet juice and drank it. That stuff brought my blood pressure down faster than anything else I tried. Amazing! But it’s expensive.
#2. I obtained some pure AMLA powder. Some call it Indian Gooseberry. A powerful antioxidant. They say it helps repair damage to your arterial walls. Tastes horrible, so it’s better for me to pack the powder into veggie capsules. If I take 2 capsules with water before breakfast, it allows maximum absorption.
#3. I take a walk for about 15 minutes, right after breakfast. If possible, I do it again after dinner
#4. I take 30 mg of organic zinc.
What’s this about zinc ? Eric Berg, DC was the first person who made the zinc connection for me. My own doctors never said squat about it.
So how does a man get a zinc deficiency? Like myself, he probably takes Tums, or antacids every day. He probably takes a diuretic every day. And how does a man know he has a zinc deficiency? Like me, he probably has shrinking testicles, erectile disfunction, and Essential Hypertension. Start taking zinc and see what happens.
This is what happened to my pressure today: 127/78. No diuretic, and no antacids.
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