Here’s To Beating Hypertension!

On December 31, 2005, I had to be rushed to medical care due to extremely high blood pressure.  What a way to spend New Year’s Eve, eh?  A visit to a cardiologist a couple of days later confirmed what I had surmised, and was diagnosed with hypertension — a medical condition that was, I was told, ‘for life.’  I was immediately put on a prescription medication called Avapro, which helped to lower and regulate my blood pressure.  Although I felt the drug was effective, the ensuing months saw the cardiologist having to prescribe higher dosages.  Three months later, I left the hotel industry and a job that I knew contributed to my physical state at that time.  This also meant that I gave up medical insurance, which also meant that I could no longer be prescribed my hypertension medication.

That was when I started reading up on holistic approaches to managing hypertension, which included, above all else, a proper diet and regular exercise.  Some of what I’d read also indicated supplements such as CoQ10 and garlic pills helped in managing the condition.  As I certainly thought I had no choice in the matter, I fully adopted the holistic approach in June of ‘06.

Over the twelve months that followed, I saw my blood pressure begin to normalize, but it would still get its spikes periodically.  However, I continued the holistic approach, tried to watch my diet, and exercised regularly.

Here I am over two years since that fateful New Year’s Eve and my blood pressure has normalized without the aid of prescription medication.  In fact, when my blood pressure was taken recently during an eye exam, the nurse practitioner indicated that it was almost ‘textbook BP.’  Incidentally, a separate BP measurement a couple of weeks earlier at the dentist office also indicated normal BP.

This makes me happy.  Not only did I not give in to the mantra that hypertension is ‘for life,’ I’ve also managed to beat it using holistic methods.  And, with my recent weight loss, I’m looking forward to more fully giving my physicality a major overhaul.  Wish me luck!

58′49″

My Results from The Human Race 10k

I ran the Nike+ Human Race 10k this morning and finished in under an hour!  Fifty-eight minutes, forty-nine seconds to be exact.  I was elated because I didn’t think I would finish it any faster than perhaps an hour and ten minutes or even later.  I feel absolutely re-energized about running again.

And, yes, my Nike+ screen name is MutantTurtle.  I know, lame…