High Blood Pressure seems to be a very common problem here in the United States as 1 out of every 3 Americans has it, including me. But I don't worry about it anymore as you can see in the photo.
In this post, I am going to tell you exactly How I Lowered My Blood Pressure Naturally .... with a Mary's Mini Diet.
Ok but first, let's talk about Blood Pressure - because this is something pretty important.
As your heart beats, it squeezes blood through your arteries throughout the rest of your body, which creates pressure. This is the top number, or the Systolic Number and is usually 120mmHg or less.
In between beats, as your heart rests, it fills up with oxygenated blood and this is the bottom number or Diastolic which is 80mmHg or less.
The higher those numbers, the higher your blood pressure. At one point in time, my own personal blood pressure was as high as 175/106, which as you can see was pretty close to
And THAT.... was when I began taking blood pressure medication.
There are many causes of high blood pressure (including genetics), but in my case, I think it was simply a combination of a poor diet, lack of exercise, and the stress from working a night-shift job I hated.
And those are probably the MAIN reasons so many of US have High Blood Pressure -
- our highly processed Standard American Diet which is mostly salt, sugar, and fat (source)
- the fact that 34.9% of Americans are overweight if not obese (source)
- and 80% of us fail to exercise (source)
- and then throw in stress from our relationships, jobs, finances, politics, what have you..... it can all add up to be a deadly combination!
High blood pressure is normally treated by pharmaceutical medications. I was taking 25mg of Losartan which works by relaxing your muscles cells and dilating your blood vessels, which reduces pressure.
The problem "I" had with taking medications - is the fact that they really don't treat the cause of the problem, only the symptom. And unless you fix the root cause - you'll probably end up taking this for the rest of your life.
Now if your root cause is indeed genetic, there may not be much you can do. But for many of us.....this is a LIFESTYLE DISEASE. So I changed my lifestyle, which in turn has changed my entire life.
In 2014 I adopted a low-fat, Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet. I became Vegan, and I started blogging about my experience which is how Brand New Vegan came about. And my blood pressure naturally dropped.
But because of all the years I spent damaging my arteries, it only dropped to about 145/95. Sometimes a little lower, but generally in that range. And - my doctor said that for someone my age (55), this was about normal.
But I wanted better than normal.....
Mary's Mini Diet
So last week I began what is known as a Mary's Mini Diet, which was created by Dr
You can read my article What Is A Mary's Diet that will explain the details, but let's just say for 10 days straight I ate a very boring, very monotonous diet full of potatoes, and the results were nothing short of remarkable.
Why Potatoes? The diet forces you to choose A starch, any starch, so I chose potatoes because I really like them. And the fact that potatoes have takes such a bad rap for being unhealthy, I wanted to prove that wrong.
For 10 days I ate hash browns (no oil), baked potatoes, air-fried french fries, mashed potatoes
I had NO oil or fatty foods, NO processed foods, NO bread or grains, NO other starches, and NO alcohol. Just potatoes, a few condiments, and some leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables. That's it.
10 Days later, I had lost 8 pounds, had TONS of energy, slept better than I have in years, AND dropped my Blood Pressure to that ridiculous number you see in the photo above - 104/76. And that was with NO medication!
And now I am medication free.
So what does this prove? To me, it proved what I have been learning for the last 7-8 years.....that there is most DEFINITELY a link between how we eat and our health.
It proved to me how IMPORTANT our food choices are and that by simply doing this one and very simple thing ..... we may just prevent - if not reverse many of the chronic conditions that will affect so many of our friends and loved ones.
FIX our FOOD FIRST!
Brian
So where do you go from here? Potatoes forever?
Chuck Underwood
Realizing that processed foods, even VEGAN foods can be very calorie dense, so keeping the majority of my calories to fresh vegetables and a variety of healthy starches. I would say for me personally, also realizing that BREAD should be an occasional TREAT - and the same goes for that glass of Porter or Stout.
Lynda
Thanks Chuck, I have wanted to lose the dreaded 5 pounds for a long time. I'm going to give Mary's diet a try.
You are great and you are right, especially for me, I have to eat my starches at lunch to maintain my weight at all. I'm of course a WFPB vegan but the pounds will still creep up.
Is this just my computer, as I am replying to you I can hardly see the letters they are tiny tiny and light colored.
Anyway love you recipes and keep up the good work.
Chuck Underwood
I'm going to work on the comments - sorry they're so faint.
Patricia Buck
Did you eat only a small amount of potatoes, or did you eat your fill of potatoes at each meal?
Chuck Underwood
Eat until you are satisfied.
Sheryl Lhamon
A variety of potatoes or just one kind?
Chuck Underwood
Any variety or combination of potatoes is fine - just can't mix in the sweet potatoes or yams.
Serena
Congratulations and Thanks Chuck! I used your Potato Soup recipe for a few days to make up for a day of overeating.
You see, I can never tell when I am "satisfied". So I use Chronometer.com now to watch the calories. I want lose 20 pounds over the next 4 months. I've lost 3 pounds so far since I've started 3 weeks ago. Yes, I keep bread, Tofurky, vegan desserts on weekends and special occasions too. Thanks again, especially for your "Hot Dogs"- a major hit! Keep 'em coming!
Vicky
Congrats on the lower blood pressure. You mentioned air fried french fries. I've read that you have to use oil with air fryers, Is that true? Do you have one you like and can recommend?
Chuck Underwood
I have never, repeat never, used oil in my air fryer. There is no need. I own a NuWave Brio that works very well. It is listed in my Amazon Store. Go to my website's MAIN MENU and click SHOP.
Betsy
I’m thinking of trying a Mary’s Mini. Could you post a sample of your meals for a day or two?
Chuck Underwood
I make Hash Browns in my George Foreman Grill. I use no oil and it never sticks. Then I top them with a variety of condiments, red chile sauce, or ketchup, or even sauerkraut and mustard. Dinner is usually potato soup and veggies, or sometimes a baked potato and salad.
Ron Rossway
Someone said that bread is just a delivery device for salt, but Dr. Michael Greger gave the OK for Ezekiel bread because of the dietary fiber. I since found a Low Sodium version of it with no sodium, no sugar and only 0.5 g total fat, and no sat fat. It is made with freshly sprouted grains and contains no flour. It tastes bland so there was some reprogramming of my taste buds. Today I ate your vegan sloppy joes on Ezekel toast...it was good.
By the way, I am fighting high blood pressure too. My vegan diet has evolved into a low fat, low sodium and low sugar whole plant food diet. Tough to do...but more should try.
calgal
Wow, great to hear you've had such success! Would be cool to see before and after photos!
Marilyn Graves
I seem to want popcorn every night. Air popped, no butter. But on the Mini, if I choose potatoes, that means no popcorn, right?
Chuck Underwood
Correct - cannot mix the two starches (potatoes & corn)
Lynn
Chuck, that is so fantastic about the BP change. Has it lasted after the Mary's Mini ended? did you avoid salt completely or did you use veggie broth and lightly salt you potato dishes?
Chuck Underwood
You BP will go up slightly - but it really depends on what you begin to eat again after your mini. I do not avoid salt completely.
Lana
Chuck, you mention exercise, what type of exercise do you do? I walk everyday either outside or my treadmill.
Chuck Underwood
Whatever I can find time to do! Walk, I've done some DDP Yoga in the past, even playing BeatSaber on my Occulus Quest!
Dee W
You are so inspiring Chuck.
I love you recipes.
I am contemplating doing May's Mini - So many benefits here not to try it.
Lowers blood pressure plus weight.
Thanks so much.