How to lower blood pressure before physical

I don't remember when, but I had a long conversation with a VA nutritionist on this sodium subject! The human body NEEDS sodium! What the human body DOES NOT need is for all meals to contain processed foods. We, humans, get addicted to sodium as a baby and carry this all our lives. It's ok to have some bacon and ham. I had several slices this morning. Things like that buffet? All those veggies? They come out of cans and are loaded with sodium. I was reading a while back that salt was how almost all meats were prepared for storage in the ages before refrigeration. Cured meats are OK to eat in (there's that word again) MODERATION! For the record! It's not sodium that causes high BP. It's ingesting TOO MUCH of it every day! It is what it is!

 

Moose1958, I do not disagree with you. You specified the word - MODERATION (everyone especially the OP note the capital letters for emphasis) is key here.
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Original poster, when you go to a doctor, do not be surprised that they put you on a low sodium diet. The doctor will probably tell you 2,000 millegrams of salt TOTAL per day. Check the sodium count for 1 Big Mac, a can of soup, a bottle of soda or a TV dinner for example. It is not a simple decision of either all the sodium you have been ingesting or no sodium at all. Yes, your body does need some sodium in your diet but your current diet may be grossly in excess of what is appropriate.
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. Most bookstores have a book or small booklet that identifies how much sodium is in products. It is also a federal reg that most products have a label that shows sodium etc per serving. Good luck to all who are handling high blood pressure issues.

 

I want to bounce off this comment with today's lunch. I am allowed to eat ONE of these a week. I also CAN NOT drink coffee and have to watch what I have for dinner tonight. I am limited to 1500 MG of Sodium a Day. So you can see I am pushing it. WATCH THOSE LABELS!

 

Same thing my dad did. He's 5'10 170 and he's been off BP meds for 10 years now. 3 eggs and bacon every morning. And not much processed food either. No soda/sugary drinks. Just beer and water

 

Cant get a 2 year anymore taking meds. Been that way for a while. If you list your meds and get a 2 year the doc messed up. I do know people that will put down no meds and get a 2 year.

 

That might work for a while, but there is a national database that everyone taking meds is in.
What happens if it pops up with saying taking no meds when the person has been on bp meds for years?

 

Ill have to look into that
It was the same clinic that did the BO meds that also did the dot and they had all the paperwork

thanks for the info

 

It's difficult to prove a negative, but I don't think there is a (National) database. Most states maintain a (Narcotics) Controlled Substances database. While most BP meds are RX required, they are not subject to the tighter rules that the DEA sets up for Narcotics. The last time I looked near the patient window at the Hampton Virginia VA hospital pharmacy there is a sign that states they use the Virginia database. Honestly, these databases are only there to stop addicts from "doctor shopping". I don't use a VA neurologist. The one at the Hampton VA Hospital is an idiot! I use a civilian physician. When he prescribes my benzos for my seizures either he or his PA sits and looks in the Virginia database at my history. I have watched his PA do this several times. It's a hospital rule he has to document that check in my medical records.

Now back to this 1-year 2-year thing. I think it is a waste of time to give less than 2-year cards to people taking BP meds or people with OSA. This is my primary point why. A CDL holder is either going to keep their BP under control or they are not. They are also going to use CPAP correctly or not. I hate to say this but there are many drivers that once they get that card go back to that same lifestyle and only start paying attention when the physical time comes around. Or they stick to controlling their BP religiously. Either way what's the point? Several weeks ago Keri and I were at the Newport News Virginia Sams Club. One of the ways out is to circle back around the loading docks and the rear of the club. That day a driver had just bumped the dock and was in the process of getting out of the truck to lower the landing gear and pull his 5th wheel release. That man must have weighed 500 pounds. Even Keri looked at me with her mouth open. I shook my head and told her this is more common than you know. Drivers are committing suicide by food, and as much as I hate seeing it, I am powerless to stop it.

 

Idk. Probably nothing unless they get in an accident. I know someone using PC to continue driving and delivering every week and nothings happened to them.

 

Absolutely, if there is an accident EVEN if it is not the fault of the driver there is a good possibility an attorney can file a lawsuit and start making discovery requests. Everything is fair game. Pre-pass and EZ-pass and other type records. Lawsuits I have been told can with some limits even override HIPAA. This means your health provider can be required to let them see your prescriptions. ALL of your physicals are subject. On this, I can't get a straight answer because I have some safety people tell me they destroy old physical records and some that tell me they keep them for up to 10 years. OOs can get all their settlement histories sent as part of discovery to be compared with HOS records. Fuel records. If the Attorney can think of it they can generally get it.

The chances a driver will have to go through this nightmare are rather remote, but it is a distinct possibility. This is one reason I tell drivers all the time to be 100% honest BUT only provide the information asked for.