Vegan -> Low Blood Pressure
Print This Post
From Bean Diet:
“In a study published in Public Health Nutrition (Oct. 2002), researchers looked at the blood pressures of people from four groups: meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans. They found mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly different between the four diet groups, with meat eaters having the highest values and vegans the lowest values. Vegans had blood pressures 1/2 to 1/3 lower than meat-eaters. ”
“A lower blood pressure means increased circulation, more oxygen delivered to cells – including heart, brain and immune cells. Lower blood pressure means not only will you live longer, but feel better, be less sick and have tons more energy (oxygen will do that, you know). Oh yes, and you will age more slowly.”
Personally, I’ve never had high blood pressure. Since I don’t always exercise and since there is some history of heart disease in my family, I have to think it’s my diet. I’ve been vegetarian virtually my entire life and vegan for the last couple years.
I am a vegetarian myself and am convinced it plays a large part in the fact that I am unusually healthy and have a good figure:) However, they do say that some hypertension my be genetic. My grandfather had extremely high BP and used a device called the “Zona Plus” to lower it over 50 points. I am now a big fan and will use it myself if ever necessary.
If you are suffering from high blood pressure I strongly suggest you check out the Zona Plus. It is a device that was discovered by the US Air Force to naturally lower blood pressure and is based on the principles of isometric hand grip therapy. The Harvard Health Letter even reviewed it and said that it works as well as medications. I would also check out their blog where they describe many other clinically proven was to naturally lower blood pressure.
I agree. I am going vegan in an attempt to lower my blood pressure naturally. The pills I was on for high blood pressure had too many side effects. I am even documenting my vegan progress on my blog! I am very confident that this dietary change will help to lower my blood pressure.
I am here to let you know, going on a Vegan diet will definitely lower your blood pressure. I have it in my family, and despite my healthy lifestyle and exercise, due to genetics, I was hospitalized with a stroke at age 35, my BP was 150/100.
for six months, I tried everything, and at most I got the bottom number down to 95. I tried all kinds of meds too, and the doctor did not understand why my BP was so high, since I had good cholesterol levels, etc..
I went VEGAN for one week, and my BP is now 120/60. I continue to exercise and everything.
There is something regarding animal products that are toxic. As long as you eat grains that have plenty of protein, (quinoa, brown rice, sesame seeds, almonds, etc. )
You quoted an article: “Vegans had blood pressures 1/2 to 1/3 lower than meat-eaters”
How is that possible? If high blood pressure starts at 140/90 can vegans really have bp of 70/45? That’s very low.
I’m a vegan now and it bugs me when we use exaggerated health claims that skeptics can pick on.
sara, I recommend that you read the original source of the information, linked above, at “Bean Diet”. It’s here: http://beandiet.blogspot.com/2008/12/shocking-blood-pressure.html
and an abstract of the study can be found here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12372158
The Bean Diet author has a Master’s degree in nutrition.
Hi vegan people.
Be very careful with your vegan diets. They are restrictive in every way and will only sustain you healthily for a short while unless you are incredibly vigilent with your food choices and supplements.
I read the China Study and was persuaded to go vegan for my health. I only ate what was termed as healthy vegan foods ie fruits, veges, nuts, seeds, grains, oils, avos, etc. NO VEGAN JUNK FOOD. It was all organic wholefoods. However, after just 3 years I was starting to suffer a host of problems too long to list here. I began reading more and more about the importance of meat and fish in our diets and decided to give it a go. 6 months later and I am back to full health as I was before going vegan.
My wife, her sister and brother-in-law also went vegan when I did and they have continued. No prizes for guessing who has the shortest list of health issues of the 4 of us!!
Not trying to tell you how to live your lives but thought you should know my little story.
Thanks, Gary
I have been vegan for a few years now and am convinced that any benefits of eating a animal based diet are out weighed by the risks. Since becoming vegan the following has happened: Weight loss, severe allergies gone, clear complexion, much lower cholesterol, no longer have insomnia, stong fingernails where they were once very weak etc. etc. I just feel so much better and am told that I look better and younger. It is a miracle to me. I feel sorry for people who have convinced themselves that eating an animal based diet is good for them.
I am vegan after suffering from Hashimoto’s Thyroid and Celiac. My blood pressure which was always 100/50 went up to 140/90. One month after becoming vegan, my blood pressure dropped to 110/60. I have added fish 1-2x per week and goat cheese or goat yogurt 3-5x per month for the beneficial bacteria. After 6 months vegan I realized that adding these things was the perfect compliment and all consequences I suffered from strict veganism disappeared. Because of my autoimmune diseases I require extra B, Calcium and D vitamins. I ruined my beneficial gut bacteria as a strict vegan but adding back in the probiotics has eased that issue. I developed pit folliculitis as a result of yeast overgrowth. Anyway- veganism or modified is absolutley miraculous for your health. It also enabled me to lose 10 pounds (a tremendous feat for someone with Hashi) and I’m a trim, fit 5’9, 155 pound 33 y/o woman.
Faces are friends, not food, right? :-p
It is really awesome to become a vegetarian, I have been vegetarian for almost 4 to 5 years and the surprising thing happened to me that my weight was about 74 KG and i was looking very fatty. But after becoming vegetarian, I feel so good and healthy and my weight is now about 75KG. I am going to GYM weekly 3/4 days but looking wise my friends & family members says that you looks like 22-24 years whereas my age is 28. But suggest everyone to take balanced veg diet which should include enough protein.. All the best for the people who wants to be come a vegetarian.
It is really awesome to become a vegetarian, I have been vegetarian for almost 4 to 5 years and the surprising thing happened to me that my weight was about 74 KG and i was looking very fatty. But after becoming vegetarian, I feel so good and healthy and my weight is now about 75KG. I am going to GYM weekly 3 to 4 days but looking wise my friends & family members says that you looks like 22 to 24 years whereas my age is 28. But suggest everyone to take balanced veg diet which should include enough protein.. All the best for the people who wants to be come a vegetarian.
Well, I went from being an unhealthy vegetarian (starchitarian)-the kind that eats lots of sugar and processed foods and lots and lots of starches-to being a whole foods vegan a little over two years ago and I can say it was one of the best decisions taken in my life. I went from being 302 lbs to my current 184 lbs self.
I work at a hospital so I am able to monitor my blood pressure frequently. Before I was vegan my blood pressure was on average 128/86. Now my blood pressure ranges from 110/74 (when I’m stressed at work) and 108/68.