I gave up coffee 2 weeks ago and have been drinking 2 cups of green tea every morning. I have to tell you that this experiment has been enlightening. My BP is normal all day long and I do not get aggarvated too easy nor do I have spikes in my BP. My biggest enlightenment has been my energy. I feel phenomonal and my pulse rate is 68 it was always at 75 before. I know a lower pulse rate is better. I read that between 45-55 is the best. I just started the dash diet as well. I normally eat plenty of grains and fruits and veggies but I never watched salt before. That will kill me since I do love my salty foods but I feel this is worth the experiment. The good thing is my husband is also doing this with me since he found out he has high bp too. He has been taking his meds every morning and has upped his cardio drastically. He is on a mission to show the doc in 6 weeks that just maybe his high bp was caused by lifestyle. The jury is still out on that. He cut out alcohol all together, me I have cut back my drinking to half. I like my wine with my Italian food. I will say this without the coffee I can only handle 1 drink, before I was jacked and could have about 3 drinks and still be wide awake. This was just a weekend drinking thing but still everything in moderation is what I say. Well I really do feel great off the coffee and will continue on this experiment. Right now I have some packing to do since we are moving. Take Care guys, Lisa
ok I'm still off coffee and I feel great and my BP is lower than the norm. So for me yes coffee does affect my BP adversely..also I am doing the dash diet but had to modify it a bit..I love veggies but the combo of all that fruit and veggies makes the ole tummy sensitive. I have to get use to that plus in order for me to eat all those food groups and the amount of servings per day is too much food for me. Anyway My diastolic is staying below 80 even after a hectic day at work . That is not the norm for me at all. Now i am jacked normally and not from the old java....Lisa..
Moxie, how much coffee did you drink on a daily basis? I'm curious because i've been having bp problems for years and i have such problems with meds.
I'm a newbie who just found this site nad am thrilled to be able to talk to others with the same problems. I've been reading so many interesting threads, have found so many things to try.
Thought i'd start at the beginning of the day, coffee. i've always heard that coffee and realized that coffee affects bp, but i only drink 2 cups a day. is that too much?
I don't drink coffee, but I used to have 1 mug of regular tea in the morning. I found my bp would be elevated in systolic and diastolic by 10 points until about mid to late afternoon.
There is more caffeine in coffee than tea, so yes, 2 cups of coffee might raise your bp.
Interesting about the coffee and tea. I have actually started drinking iced tea again the last few years because research keeps saying that coffee and tea has antioxidants that are healthy.
Moxie mentioned, and I've heard others mention, that BP meds and too much good veggie food sometimes causes gastro problems. Me too. I try to take Calcium supplements, Citracal which are supposed to not cause stomach upset, with some magnesium, as well as a Dr. andrew Weill mutlivitamin and also CoQ10. Every time I take the vitamkins regularly for a few days, my stomach gets upset. I don't know if it's the CoQ10 or the calcium or what. Or maybe it is all the experiments with various BP drugs. Do others have problems with particular vitamins?
You know, i used to drink 2 to 3 pots of coffee in my younger days which is why 2 cups a day seemed like nearly nothing to me, but maybe i'll try to stop for awhile and see what happens.
Also, as far as vitamins, i have a major problem with calcium of any kind. I have taken nexium for a few years for gerd and stomach problems, and even on this i still can't tolerate calcium. it kills my stomach. i have tried citrical, the chocolate chewys, and just plain calcium, can't take it. i've just given up on it. CoQ10 doesn't bother me at all. btw I'm on bp meds too, benicarhct and dynacirc.
. That is not the norm for me at all. Now i am jacked 
normally and not from the old java....Lisa..
