PKD DIET

Blood Pressure

PKD Blood Pressure

Blood pressure for PKD kidneys needs to be consistently at 119/79 or lower. Elevations is blood pressure is a common first symptom with PKD. Gone are the days when the doctor would take your blood pressure, it might register 140/90 (or even 138/82) and you would be sent home for three months for it to be checked again three months later. This is long gone.

Today it is known that a blood pressure of 138/82, is cause for concern that one's cystic kidneys can be harmed. Elevations or spikes in PKD'rs blood pressure to 138/82 or higher can create an immediate need to lower blood pressure aggressively. Try monitoring your own blood pressure.

2015 blood pressure trial results from the NIH showed that the top blood pressure number should only be 120 or less, not only for those with PKD but for all individuals. This prevents heart attack and stroke. The NIH trial had over 9000 participants. It is called the SPRINT trial. This news article also appeared on the SPRINT trial.

To avoid the dizziness that can sometimes accompany lowered blood pressure, many have been advised to take blood pressure medication at night. Unlike other diseases, PKD'rs blood pressure is higher during the night. Many of the newer blood pressure medications will also help to increase renal perfusion or blood flowing to cystic kidneys, another reason to take it just before reclining.

According to the CRISP study, decreased renal blood supply is the first sign that PKD kidneys are going towards diminished functioning. Blood pressure that consistently measures 108/68 - 110/70 - 120/80 will maximize the chances for prolonging cystic kidney health. By self-monitoring blood pressure we can observe the direct daily result of gentle exercise, the direct daily result of eating a low sodium diet, and the direct daily result of maintaining a healthy lifestyle effects upon our own nightly blood pressure readings.

This can empower PKD'rs to self observe what different things help them in particular to keep blood pressure lower. Hopefully this eventually results in decreasing cyst size and increasing kidney functioning.

With Polycystic Kidney Disease the renin output increases to the point that almost everyone has to go on blood pressure medication as they age. Renin is triggered by a decrease in the blood supply to the kidney. Following a kidney transplant sometimes surgeons elect to leave our native kidneys in place. Due to their decresed blood supply natives can contribute to elevations in blood pressure. Some herbs diminish kidney perfusion i.e., Kava Kava, Gingko Biloba, and Ginseng. It would be prudent to avoid such herbs.

A Blood Pressure Lowering Experiment

In addition to limiting salt, daily exercise, staying warm (researchers have noticed that cold weather can cause ↑ in blood pressure), getting plenty of rest, walking daily also can be very helpful to help lower blood pressure. If you experience BP spikes try a walk in the morning. If it still spikes add a walk after dinner. If it continues to spike then try a third short walk at noon, perhaps just around the block.

I tried these things only for a week. I succeeded in lowering my own blood pressure.

Exercise
There was this wonderful sit down bicycle that resembled a low riding Harley Davidson motorcycle with the extended front fork. I could only do about 3 minutes the first day. It was very difficult. I continued to increase my exercise in one minute increments. I followed this exercise by drinking 3 glasses of mineral water with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Salt
I used no salt. I eat no prepared foods. If I need salt for baking bread, then I use Himalayan sea salt crystals (pink). What makes table salt, the salt that pours are minute particles of aluminum. If you have a chance, taste the different salts. I have done a taste test and found Himalayan to taste best. This salt has all the minerals in the same proportions as the body. I don't know why, but it does not seem to cause a rise in my blood pressure when limited to 1200 mg / day.

Allergy
I eliminated all of the top 10 allergic foods. These foods cause the release of adrenaline which elevates blood pressure.

Wheat
Soy
Shellfish
Fish
Tree Nuts
Peanut
Eggs
Milk
Sesame
Celery

I eliminated all wheat, nuts, soy, dairy, animal proteins, grains except for brown rice. I have since learned that rice can contain arsenic due to the water used on it for growing.

Juice Freshly Prepared
I drank freshly prepared juice daily: carrots, parsley, cabbage, spinach, apple, oranges, pineapple, beets.

Concentrated Sugars
Eliminating all concentrated sugars, maple syrup, fructose, date sugar, honey helps lower blood pressure. Caffeine was long gone from my diet, so was chocolate; two culprits which keep my blood pressure elevated for three days standing.

Weight Loss I managed to lose a few pounds in the process. By the end of three days on this regime my blood pressure was consistently 98/68.

Herbs
Helpful for lowering blood pressure are parsley, saffron, hibiscus, asparagus (however asparagus will change your urine to acidic due to its strong alkaline affects in releasing stored toxins), chamomile, grape seed extract. and borage. For saffron tea: take a half teaspoon of saffron simmer in a cup of water until the the liquid remaining liquid is reduced by half. Strain and sip slowly. Saffron tea also reduces liver pain.

What Raises Blood Pressure?

Avoid or limit table salt.
Try Solé
Limit salt:⅛ teaspoon Himalayan salt in a salt shaker; toss unused daily.
Avoid commercial soups or restaurant soup or fast food soups.
Avoid commercially baked breads each slice ↑ sodium.
Avoid processed foods, ↑ salt and additives containing sodium.
Avoid luncheon meats & cheeses contain sodium-phosphate solution ↑ sodium.
Avoid commercially prepared salad dressings ↑ sodium.
Avoid soy sauce ↑ sodium.
Avoid or limit bread intake. It is ↑ sodium.
Cold weather

While traveling I noticed blood pressure spikes. I tried avoiding all of the top ten allergic foods and eating brown rice with vegetables, and exercising on a machine that looked like a low riding Harley Davidson motorcycle. I continued this regime only for a week. It worked for me. My own blood pressure did not spike during this entire week. I also drink hibiscus tea to help keep blood pressure low. I avoided travel food, prepared foods from restaurants, fast food, and frozen dinners. The extra salt in such foods was giving me BP spikes.

What Lowers Blood Pressure?

Many have had good luck in maintaining blood pressure levels 100/70 - 120/80 by:
Daily gentle exercise, walks
Salt restriction (1200 mg sodium diet)
Use no more than ⅛ teaspoon Himalayan salt daily
Eliminate allergic foods
Drink freshly prepared juice
Eat potassium rich fruits & vegetables
Remaining alkaline helps lower blood pressure.
Drink grape juice
Drink plenty of water
Eliminate sugars
Weight loss
Adequate Vitamin D
Warm weather
Get plenty of sleep

We are  sharing our experiences with PKD/PLD Diet, an adjunct diet envisioning it complementing a physician's prescribed medical therapy. Consider testing this with your doctor's prior knowledge, who can  adjust it according to your own uniqueness by adding it to your current  treatment.

Medical Disclaimer