[Shalynne]

As I mentioned in another thread, my husband had a stroke almost 2 weeks ago.

On admission, his blood pressure was 212/113. They believe the hemorrhage was caused solely by the extreme BP.

He's also crossed the border into full-on diabetes, though not as severe as mine. Right now he's on Metformin, and I'm checking his numbers. He trends between 130-180.

The only BP diets I've heard of are low fat plus low salt. But I know the low fat thing does not work very well with diabetes ... at least, it doesn't for me. When my numbers went down, so did my BP. But then, I never had full-on hypertension.

QUESTIONS: Does anyone here plan their diets around both diabetes and hypertension? If so, do you have any tips as to how I can get us started? (If need be, I'll sneak off somewhere to up my own fat intake.)

Thanks!

 

[Shanny]

I take atenolol for my hypertension, but my way-of-eating is strictly to treat diabetes. It all seems to work out - as long as I monitor my b/p at home, it stays nice & low. When the nurse takes it . . . well, you know . . .

 

[beefy]

I also have both hypertension and diabetes.

I find the LCHF (Low-Carb, High Fat) diet works best for BOTH. Having a good balance of low-carbs, and high fat and reasonable protein will help you achieve ketosis.

When in ketosis the body loses excess water, and that helps the hypertension - without ketosis they tend to put you on diuretics (water pills) to help get the BP down.

I don't worry about salt at all - that being said, I don't put any EXTRA salt on any of my foods, except my steak. I eat no processed foods, so don't get much salt except from bacon, ham, etc.

 

[diabetes86]

I could be wrong on this so if someone knows better please correct me. fat does not affect BG. unless you get clogged arteries. As for cholesterol Ive tried all the statens and cant handle them.
As My MD said of *ALL* the people that statens do lower cholesterol only %5 of them see a hart benafit from the lower cholesterol.

 

[jwags]

My husband also has high BP and Type 2 diabetes. For the high BP he has been on a BP med for many years. I don't think there is a specific diet that would treat both. But any diet that allows him to keep a normal weight range and would keep his bgs closer to 100 would be a good diet. Giving up processed food would be a good start. I would eat as many green vegetables as he can. The normal diet they give you to lower BP is the DASH diet but that is high in fruit and whole grains which will not help BG's. So you may have to be creative. Although I have lowered my BP from high 120's to low 100's with a LC/HF diet with his stroke history you might want to be careful with the high fat at first. Has your husband exercised in the past, when he is recovered it might be a good idea.

 

[foxl]

I am on the minimum dose of ramipril for high BP, but I do not restrict salt.

A recent theory is that hyperinsulinemia can claim more responsibility for high blood sugar, than sodium. I have no clue, and would be curious what my untreated BP would be now. But I prefer to protect my kidneys and am not encountering side effects, and it is generic ...

But you might want to get your husband's insulin levels and weight down, and see how he does? I'd guess it might work as an added incentive.

My husband got caught sneaking 2 apples, the other day ... SIGH.

 

[MCS]

I do not want to sway you in any decisions you need to make, but my BP was 220/150 at one time. Shortly there after I had open heart surgery, (clogged art). I am on a LC/HF diet and take Lisinopril for BP, but doc said I could drop it if I wanted to. I went 2 weeks with out the Lisinopril and my BP actually went down not up. I am back on it again just for self assurance. What ever your decision go slow in changing anything, my body obviously didn't like change, I believe the rapid change in BG levels is what clogged up my plumbing.

 

[Shalynne]

Thank you all!

So, it looks like I don't need to change what I'm doing for his sake ... we need to change what he's doing. Whole foods, don't skimp the fat (but don't pile it on, either) and lose the table salt.

And it appears that the American Stroke Association's diet advice is very bit as reliable as the ADA's. Hence, for guidance, I'll take personal experience any time over corporate-sponsored "wisdom."

I'd hoped for as much. I don't have a BP issue when my BGs are under control, but didn't know if we could assume the same for him, especially since my own never crept over the borderline.

Ironically, he had increased his exercise, lowered his junk food intake (some), and had just started on BP meds when this hit.

My husband came home Saturday. He has a severe visual perception deficit on the left side, and some issues with confusion and short-term memory. His stroke was a hemorrhagic type, not a clot in a clogged vessel. It is expected that his problems will dwindle as the bleed and swelling reabsorb over the next weeks/months. We're extremely lucky.

His diet in the hospital was absolute poison for a diabetic, and he knows it. He enjoyed it immensely.

Thanks again!

 

[moon]

So glad he's home. Now the healing can really begin. Thinking of youse guys ...

 

[Shanny]

Good to see that he's home now . . . sending positive thoughts for a smooth recovery. Can you take a medical leave from work to be home for a few weeks/months?

 

[beefy]

I could be wrong on this so if someone knows better please correct me. fat does not affect BG.

Well, it DOES affect it in that it HELPS CONTROL IT.

Fat in the diet slows digestion of any ingested carbs, and slows it much better than protein does, which is why a LCHF diet works better for diabetics than low-fat/reduced-carb. Healthy levels of fat in the diet can caused a sustained release of glucose instead of a tremendous spike.

Also, if going onto a low-carb diet, people NEED fat. You have to compensate for a loss in calories somewhere, or you'll be in starvation-mode. The dietary fat provides the necessary fuel source (in the absence of carbohydrate). Without it you can easily go into a hormone imbalance which MAY impact your blood sugars.

So yeah, fat=good - especially for diabetics.

 

[jwags]

I am glad he is home. Did he have very high BP before the stroke or was it caused by the stroke. Whenever there is inflammation of any kind BP and BG will be much higher. As he heals he may find his BG's come down too. One thing I have read about Sodium and BP is that Sodium is OK as long as you eat enough things with Potassium every day. I think the ratio is 1500 sodium to 4000 mg of Potassium. So find food with lots of Potassium that doesn't have lots of carbs.

 

[MsTCB]

At least in my personal experience, it seems that the sodium thing has a greater impact on BP than anything else (such as high BGs). I've had chronically low sodium for at least the past 15 years and I've never had a problem with my high BP. And, while my BGs have been out of control for these past 3 years, I've still had no problem with high BP. So, it does seem that high BP is more related to sodium levels than it is to having high BG. Just a personal observation.

 

[Daytona]

One thing I have read about Sodium and BP is that Sodium is OK as long as you eat enough things with Potassium every day. I think the ratio is 1500 sodium to 4000 mg of Potassium. So find food with lots of Potassium that doesn't have lots of carbs.

Good advice to look for high potassium foods. High blood pressure can be caused by or made worse by an electrolyte imbalance. It really depends on the individual though what needs to be tweaked.

I was on a really low salt diet and adding sodium helped bring mine down by 20+ pts. Then when I started enjoying my salt a bit too much (and refused to lower it!), adding in potassium and magnesium really helped stabilize my BP again.

I take them as supplements because it's easier for me to judge how much I'm getting from them than from food. If I were eating a wider range of vegetables... then maybe the supplements wouldn't be required.

It's a balancing act and you will probably have to test out decreasing/increasing salt, magnesium and potassium to see what will work best.

EDIT: I forgot to chime in that I'm eating LCHF too and that seems to work great for both diabetes and hypertension.