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Laura Maakestad Sullivan's avatar

Yes I believe also we all need support to make changes in habits such as eating, exercising, meditating, making contact with supportive friends or supportive communities, doing more art, music activities and /or more reading. Recently, my Primary PCP - Doctor alerted me to my blood pressure getting too high; 148 over 70. This was about a month and a half ago. It was hard for me to face this reality. She suggested that I get my own blood pressure cuff from the drug store, and suggested I take my blood pressure regularly. She also suggested I get on a statin drug. I did get the blood pressure cuff, and it scared me to use it, because the reality was so devastating to me that my blood pressure was high. I asked her if I could have three weeks to try some life styles changes before taking the statin drug. She was willing to let me do that. I also chose to consult with a very good Doctor, Dr. Ralph Golan, here in Seattle, Washington, even though it meant I had to pay extra to see him because my insurance wouldn't cover his fees. Dr. Golan requested that I get very detailed labs to flag risk of heart disease. He asked me if I have heart disease in my family, and I told him I do, my mother and her father. He went over the results of the labs with me, and I have moderate to some risk for cardiovascular disease. I have plaque starting in my arteries, which causes the risk to be higher for me. He suggested I make the life style change to get off dairy products because he said plaque has been known to have a calcium deposition. So I started a statin drug ( low dose), from my Primary doctor three weeks ago; and also got off dairy products at the same time. I get my protein from beans, legumes, and nut butters. I enjoy cashew milk yogurt (made from cashews) with berries. I choose to eat egg whites, and no meat.

I went to my PCP's office yesterday, and my blood pressure was 126/ over 70- a good range. Dr. Golan suggested I do meditation at night as well as in the morning, and of course continue moderate exercise. So it is possible to make life style changes. For me it took a wake up call of two doctors stating that I needed

to make some changes.

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