We’ll soon reach the two-year anniversary of me almost entirely removing coffee from my life, as well as chopping the number of days per week on which I drink wine (moderately). I realise that these may be two of the most alarming sentences you read today: why would anyone deprive themselves like this, you may ask?
These changes were in service of managing my blood pressure via lifestyle interventions (the full process was documented here).
I’ve continued taking my blood pressure every morning, which sets me up as the target of all kinds of ragging by my family. However, there are two things I get from this bit of information. Firstly, it gives me feedback related to the things that affect my blood pressure. The second is that it’s a daily reminder that I have a condition that will require daily attention for the rest of my life. I can’t take my eyes off the road.
Here’s a summary of the key movers.
Sleep quality
A good night’s rest is important for all kinds of things and especially blood pressure, which I see as a proxy for the state of my nervous system. I’m not anxious on occasions that I am awake for a while during the night, but I do try to get to bed at a reasonable time, knowing that my body clock is going to wake me at some point between 5:00 and 6:00.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption that goes over a threshold affects sleep quality and hence blood pressure. There may be other reasons why alcohol consumption correlates with higher blood pressure, but for now that’s enough to know. This has made is super easy for me to be teetotal for the four nights per week I spend on the farm, and to quietly sip on a couple of glasses when home for the remainder of the week. Social evenings are trickier to manage, but I’m getting better at it.
Seeing as I’m drinking less, what I do drink seems to affect me more than the same volume used to.
Wine has almost exclusively been my drink of choice. It also was my career for several decades, so my connection with wine is different to most drinkers. Over the past two years I’ve taken the view that if I’m going to be drinking less, I want to drink wine that I really like, or which is interesting. I accept that it’s a toxin (hence reducing the dose), but it’s also something that brings me pleasure and mental stimulation.
Coffee
I found that coffee causes a short-term spike in my blood pressure. In the absence of knowing how this contributes to an ambient increase, I decided to cut it out. This was remarkably easy, without any of the headaches that some people talk about. On the plus side, when I really need an alertness boost, coffee now has a bigger effect.
I replaced coffee with a cocoa drink, which made it an easy transition. I would prefer that the cocoa be non-alkalized, but a cost-effective source eludes me. Instead, I’m using the very delicious Barry Callebaut cocoa powder (mixture is two heaped tablespoons dissolved in half a cup of boiling water with half a spoon of honey, topped up with steamed milk).
Exercise
Exercise is highly effective in reducing my blood pressure. I mountain bike for between six and eight hours per week. Every couple of weeks (ideally weekly) I try to do a session of Norwegian four by fours, because I like the effect of the high intensity on both blood pressure and fitness. YouTube has numerous how-to videos about this protocol.
I’m not training for any events, so stepping up the volume takes a little motivation, but I’m interested to see what happens to blood pressure if (when?) I do.
Strength training, especially involving ‘grip’ activities has also been reported to be associated with lower blood pressure.
Ambient stress
The weeks of the year that spike my blood pressure the most are those that involve me selling horses at auction. They are critically important, because these are the events that convert the year’s work into cash flow. However, as a vendor I have very little control over what happens when the yearlings step into the ring. I find it all enormously stressful, and it shows in my blood pressure, which goes through the roof for that week.
I’ve changed my sales plan this year, to offering most of the yearlings via private sales off the farm. My blood pressure has been lower in auction weeks, and I’ve been a generally happier person.
Donate blood
I started donating blood to see what it did to blood pressure. Other than the big on-the-day decrease, I can’t say that there is a long-term change. However, it’s an action which saves lives and I’m pleased to continue doing it.
Medication
There were days when I was doing everything ‘right’, but I still had elevated blood pressure. So, I eventually agreed that my GP put me on medication. It’s difficult for me to say how much of an impact this has. What I do know is that medication doesn’t reverse the effect of doing the ‘wrong’ things.
Breathing
Nitric oxide, which is released via the paranasal sinuses, plays an important role in vasodilation and hence blood pressure. Breathing in through the nose results in the body getting a better supply of nitric oxide.
I should end with the disclaimer that this cannot be regarded as being medical advice. I’m merely reporting my own experiences.