Health Supplements

[Bangkokhatter]

I want to try and get away from taking prescription pills for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

 

Yes i know exercise and diet is very important and i have improved this but does anyone have any recommendations for health supplements that actually help ?

 

Have just spent a fair bit of time with my friend Google and you end up going round in circles trying to find good advice, personal recommendations seems the way to go.

[bear9]

I was watching a video the other day by a Dr I follow on yt Dr Brad Stanfield

 

The most interesting part of the video was blood pressure. He said that a 140/80 blood pressure reading was now no longer good enough and we all should be aiming for a reading of 120/80. Of course other factors come into play so 140 might not necessarily be bad but the general idea was that 120 was better.

 

Diet and exercise will be most important before any supplements

 

some of the things he reccomended included

 

1. Omega 3 Fish oil

2. Psyllium husk 
3. Creatine monohydrate

 

The other 1 he mentioned was a low dose of melatonin but I guess melatonin would only be helpful for someone with poor sleep. Don’t think you can get melatonin in Thailand as far as I’m aware 

[Mark Nothing]

Dear Hatter, i have experienced a great deal of success in an unexpected way, by focusing on the primary mental aspects of health which precedes the secondary resulting physical outcomes.

 

My supplement regimine consists of making a goal for health and vitality, thanking God via a simple prayer and then enjoying the results.

 

It is important to focus on what you want rather than to be fearful of what you don't.  Nikola Tesla reports the secret of the universe is frequency, vibration and energy.  A prayer is an invisible signal attracting your objective.

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

For blood pressure reduction and plack removal I keep hearing about nattokinase, an enzyme made from natto (some fermented soy dish).

 

Do some research yourself, but it may be worth trying. You can get it on iherb.com

 

 

[Bangkokhatter]

1 hour ago, bear9 said:

I was watching a video the other day by a Dr I follow on yt Dr Brad Stanfield

 

The most interesting part of the video was blood pressure. He said that a 140/80 blood pressure reading was now no longer good enough and we all should be aiming for a reading of 120/80. Of course other factors come into play so 140 might not necessarily be bad but the general idea was that 120 was better.

 

Diet and exercise will be most important before any supplements

 

some of the things he reccomended included

 

1. Omega 3 Fish oil

2. Psyllium husk 
3. Creatine monohydrate

 

The other 1 he mentioned was a low dose of melatonin but I guess melatonin would only be helpful for someone with poor sleep. Don’t think you can get melatonin in Thailand as far as I’m aware 

Thanks for your reply, I would be happy with any reading below 140/80 on a regular basis without taking my meds.

[Chadnik]

I would highly recommend exercise. I was getting back into shape and at the same time was successful in cutting back my BP meds dosage 50%. Unfortunately I injured myself and had to take a huge hiatus. I can't do the exercise that I want for another couple months although I am doing a lot of stretching and mobility. Be very excited to challenge myself like that again.

 

I believe that much of my condition is just lazy lifestyle and was drinking alcohol too much. Therefore I would highly suggest you get yourself on a serious exercise regimen.

 

Can be something as simple as 30 minutes of stretching and mild cardio exercise plus 10,000 steps a day

 

Good luck. I'm in a very similar boat I want to do the same thing

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, Mark Nothing said:

thanking God via a simple prayer and then enjoying the results.

To which God are you referring please?

[howerde]

Plenty of exercise and a good diet are needed as a first step, cut out the salt, i found cooking my own food the best remedy.

[khunphil]

Hi ... what's your BMI if you want to share ?

Also, do not think that Health Supplements are safe because they are only Vitamins, or Nutriments ...

Eat organic, do Intermittent Fasting, understand how your body works, soft workout before eating, HIIT if necessary (if too much fat) ... but most of all , listen to your body, try not to ingest unnatural products, even in a box with 3 stars and a golden label... Your body will find a way. Just give him natural organic unprocessed food.

Now if you are taking statins ... hum... it's time to learn.

I wish you all the best.

 

[KhunLA]

As you know diet & exercise.  Don't know if any will actually specifically control BP or cholesterol.   But giving your body all that it needs will certainly help to run better.  Any extra, most of, and you'll just P out anyway, so hard to overdo it.  Careful on Niacin, as skin flushes are a bitch, so if taking, start low, and watch your sun/vit d intake..

 

I only take ...

Magnesium *** ... do notice significant difference since

Multi vit ... careful on the 100% fat soluble, if diet includes

Vit C ... immune boost, and just about everyone agrees on that

*** most recommend Vid D with that (mag), but not a problem or needed here in TH, as get plenty on my daily dog walking 2X a day.  Mere 15 mins in the sun can easily top you up on Vit D

 

K1 & K2 highly recommended, for keeping calcium where it's suppose to go, bones instead of arteries & veins.   For that, we make our own Kefir milk, and Natto, and drink and or eat daily.  Natto available at Makro also, which I pick up occasionally when wife is lazy.  Natto is a bit time consuming without a pressure cooker.

 

Kefir grains available online, and 10-20gr make plenty in a 24 hr period, and quite easy to do.  Chilled in frig, and you have a very nutritious yoghurt. 

 

Someone already mention Omega 3 oil, though I think I get plenty of that in my diet.  Sort of a Keto diet, eggs, meats/salmon, olive oil, beef tallow, butter, all having a bit, I believe.

 

[Bangkokhatter]

1 hour ago, khunphil said:

Hi ... what's your BMI if you want to share ?

Also, do not think that Health Supplements are safe because they are only Vitamins, or Nutriments ...

Eat organic, do Intermittent Fasting, understand how your body works, soft workout before eating, HIIT if necessary (if too much fat) ... but most of all , listen to your body, try not to ingest unnatural products, even in a box with 3 stars and a golden label... Your body will find a way. Just give him natural organic unprocessed food.

Now if you are taking statins ... hum... it's time to learn.

I wish you all the best.

 

I have no idea of my BMI, but could do with losing around 5kg for sure.

 

Stopped taking the prescribed statins, they worked fine for lowering my cholesterol numbers but as soon as i stopped, the numbers started rising almost straight away so decided to try something different.

[Bangkokhatter]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

 

It seems supplements are not that well thought of then and i have to stick to the laborious exercise and diet routine.

 

More exercise i am ok with up to a point, due to dodgy joints, its the diet i struggle with, lack of food intelligence and imagination makes it difficult for me to make significant changes.

[DavisH]

15 minutes ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I have no idea of my BMI, but could do with losing around 5kg for sure.

 

Stopped taking the prescribed statins, they worked fine for lowering my cholesterol numbers but as soon as i stopped, the numbers started rising almost straight away so decided to try something different.

There won't be anything that will reduce cholesterol to the levels statins will. I tried really hard to reduce cholesterol over 3-4 months. Lost about4 kgs (down to 84 kg). Barely touched any junk food, not a biscuit or bag of chips. And walked most days. LDL cholesterol stayed at 160. In 3 months a statin dropped it to 74 (with no side effects). Blood tests were normal. Exercise really doesn't do a lot for ldl cholesterol - it's mainly diet and genetics. Mostly genetics in my case. 

BP had crept up since the pandemic (was 135/85 average for a long time. Now take meds for that also. Mother has had high bp since she was 50. Again, genetics plays a significant role. Personally its better to stay with the meds if they are not causing any problem, and keep up a good diet and lifestyle (for a lot of people we need both). 

[Will B Good]

3 hours ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I want to try and get away from taking prescription pills for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

 

Yes i know exercise and diet is very important and i have improved this but does anyone have any recommendations for health supplements that actually help ?

 

Have just spent a fair bit of time with my friend Google and you end up going round in circles trying to find good advice, personal recommendations seems the way to go.

 

 

Why?

 

Are you confident the 'health supplements' will have gone through a multitude of double-blind trials, control group studies and meta-analyses to ensure their efficacy?

[KhunLA]

29 minutes ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I have no idea of my BMI, but could do with losing around 5kg for sure.

 

Stopped taking the prescribed statins, they worked fine for lowering my cholesterol numbers but as soon as i stopped, the numbers started rising almost straight away so decided to try something different.

Your liver makes the majority of the cholesterol, and sometimes, most, not the best.  Why it's good to have a bit of fat & good cholesterol in you diet.  Hopefully satisfy the need or countering the bad the liver is putting out.

 

Also was on statin, and changed my diet, considerably, and now keto ish, cutting most carbs/starch version & sugars.   Will test blood again near end of year, to make sure still in the normal / good ranges. 

 

Check APOB also, along with the the supposedly important HDL/Trig ratio.  More important than total #s or even LDL #  if a bit high, or so I'm reading from all the newer studies, debunking the BS we've been fed before about eating healthy and the silly food pyramid. 

 

A keto diet allows quite bit of variety.   Carnivore diet a bit more meat heavy.  Know I couldn't stick to a carnivore diet, so keto & intermittent fasting is working quite well for me.

 

Keto food, below, that I actually eat & available here/TH.

FULL LIST OF 

 

[Will B Good]

32 minutes ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I have no idea of my BMI, but could do with losing around 5kg for sure.

 

Stopped taking the prescribed statins, they worked fine for lowering my cholesterol numbers but as soon as i stopped, the numbers started rising almost straight away so decided to try something different.

 

 

So the statins did exactly what they were expected to do?

 

Do not live with elevated levels of cholesterol....the effects are symptomless until it is too late. 

[Bangkokhatter]

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

So the statins did exactly what they were expected to do?

 

Do not live with elevated levels cholesterol....the effects are symptomless until it is too late. 

I appreciate both your comments, however taking too much medication cannot be good for the kidneys surely, and don't like the idea of taking pills for the next 20 odd years if i'm lucky enough to live that long.

 

Another issue is just who do you believe, a couple of hours on Google/You Tube can leave your head spinning, some say cholesterol is a killer others will say what your worrying about.

[Bangkokhatter]

10 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

You liver makes the majority of the cholesterol, and sometimes, most, not the best.  Why it's good to have a bit of fat & good cholesterol in you diet.  Hopefully countering the bad the liver is putting out.

 

Also was on statin, and changed my diet, considerably, and now keto ish, cutting most carbs/starch version & sugars.   Will test blood again near end of year, to make sure still in the normal / good ranges. 

 

Check APOB also, along with the the supposedly important HDL/Trig ratio.  More important than total #s or even LDL #  if a bit high, or so I'm reading from all the newer studies, debunking the BS we've been fed before about eating healthy and the silly food pyramid. 

 

A keto diet allows quite bit of variety.   Carnivore diet a bit more meat heavy.  Know I couldn't stick to a carnivore diet, so keto & intermittent fasting is working quite well for me.

 

Keto food, below, that I actually eat & available here/TH.

FULL LIST OF 

 

Thanks for the info, doesn't look too bad a selection. I actually think i eat ok, very rare do i eat fried food, but too many potatoes and bread i suppose.

[DavisH]

3 minutes ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I appreciate both your comments, however taking too much medication cannot be good for the kidneys surely, and don't like the idea of taking pills for the next 20 odd years if i'm lucky enough to live that long.

 

Another issue is just who do you believe, a couple of hours on Google/You Tube can leave your head spinning, some say cholesterol is a killer others will say what your worrying about.

This is why you should have regular blood tests to check for cholesterol levels and effects on the kidneys. Don't self medicate. Get regular checkups. By doing this the doctor can change dosage or change the type of medication used. 

[Will B Good]

Just now, Bangkokhatter said:

I appreciate both your comments, however taking too much medication cannot be good for the kidneys surely, and don't like the idea of taking pills for the next 20 odd years if i'm lucky enough to live that long.

 

Another issue is just who do you believe, a couple of hours on Google/You Tube can leave your head spinning, some say cholesterol is a killer others will say what your worrying about.

 

 

Taking anything is 'bad for you'.....at the end of the day it is a balancing act.

 

I have been taking a medicine for nearly 20 years now that has a recommendation you take for no longer than a couple of months. I would have faced a life of perpetual pain without it. I hate taking it, but its effects are amazing.

 

As for YouTubing stuff.....that is a dark rabbit hole to go down......listen to a body of professionals.....even if it is eventually shown they are wrong you are still getting the best advice available at the time.

 

 

[KhunLA]

25 minutes ago, Bangkokhatter said:

Thanks for the info, doesn't look too bad a selection. I actually think i eat ok, very rare do i eat fried food, but too many potatoes and bread i suppose.

That's what I mostly cut out, potatoes, pasta, bread, grain cereal and pastry.  Along with 'excess' sugars.   We don't do much of any processed food, and lots of in home, whole food cooking.

 

Stick to homemade (no crust) cheesecake for my pastry treat, along with homemade chocolate for sweet's fix, with minimal sugar added in both.  Same with bread when I do make it and no sugar added.

 

My issue with statins, actually works too good for me, and blocks the cholesterol needed for the body to produce hormones & enzymes, more important for me, than excess cholesterol.

 

Of course if your #s are silly high, especially the HDL/Trig ratio, 4-5-6X & up, then yea, you should be on statins, if can't control it by diet & exercise.

 

Long term effects not much of an issue for me, as only on statin for about 1.5 yrs, and knocking on 70 already, so unless living for quite some time onward, long term is immaterial. 

 

I like a higher testosterone level and  COQ10 enzyme that protects the heart, that cholesterol is needed to produce.

 

 

[bear9]

3 hours ago, Bangkokhatter said:

Thanks for your reply, I would be happy with any reading below 140/80 on a regular basis without taking my meds.

Not sure if I can post a link to yt video here so I will send you the link to video in pm

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I have no idea of my BMI

BMI = Weight/Height squared. For me 73 / 1.75 x 1.75 = 23.83.

So if I want it lowered, I must grow another couple of centimetres. 555

[BigStar]

4 hours ago, Chadnik said:

Unfortunately I injured myself and had to take a huge hiatus. I can't do the exercise that I want for another couple months although I am doing a lot of stretching and mobility. Be very excited to challenge myself like that again.

 

Suggest you look into isometric exercises. I made good use of some during COVID when the gyms were closed, and I still do.

 

Quick definitions:

 

 

TSC is the way to go. A number of vids here:

 

 

Lazada sells furniture moving straps. BTW, always keep breathing during isometric or super slow exercise. Don't hold your breath.

 

Reading:

 

https://baye.com/isometrics-static-holds-and-static-contraction-training/

 

In the worst case you can apply the TSC technique to flexing various muscles. Far better than doing nothing, as you'll see.

 

[save the frogs]

I wanted to start a supplement thread to encourage people to get off the meds, but you beat me to it.

 

I will post some suggestions

[save the frogs]

Grape Seed Extract. High in polyphenols

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/grape-seed-extract-benefits

 

1 - Can reduce blood pressure

2 - Can improve blood flow

3 - Can reduce oxidative damage - The oxidation of LDL cholesterol significantly increases this risk and plays a central role in atherosclerosis, or the buildup of fatty plaque in your arteries. GSE supplements have been found to reduce LDL oxidation 

 

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

I see some people post laughing smileys under my post suggesting nattokinase.

What gives? Was it actually funny, or do you have a problem with it?

If so, you may be right, but for the love of god, please man up, grow a pair and explain why.

 

In another post in a different thread, I posted something about not being allowed to use the yellow book as proof of address at the land transport department in Pattaya. One poster with I think it was over 100K posts (sic) offered his comment that my appearance was not up to standard. WTF? Was that useful or funny? What does he know about my appearance? He spends all day everyday making BS comments. Oh man!

 

So please, comment, but have something to say, don't be a keyboard warrior loser!

[Luuk Chaai]

14 hours ago, Bangkokhatter said:

I have no idea of my BMI, but could do with losing around 5kg for sure.

 

Stopped taking the prescribed statins, they worked fine for lowering my cholesterol numbers but as soon as i stopped, the numbers started rising almost straight away so decided to try something different.

why is "lower cholestrol deemed as the correct thing ?   cholesterol is not the enemy

 

13 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

So the statins did exactly what they were expected to do?

 

Do not live with elevated levels of cholesterol....the effects are symptomless until it is too late. 

and what are the effects of cholesterol ...  ?

your body makes it ..   your cells are comprised of it .   you need cholesterol to make hormones, your brain is at least 20% cholesterol

cholesterol is the transport system for nutrients and recycle to the liver

sounds like another bad case of insulin resistance . 

change your diet ..  in other words.    do the research  and stop believing that the scammed and paid for research from the sugar companies is gospel..       

[Luuk Chaai]

 

[SportRider]

11 hours ago, MeaMaximaCulpa said:

I see some people post laughing smileys under my post suggesting nattokinase.

What gives? Was it actually funny, or do you have a problem with it?

If so, you may be right, but for the love of god, please man up, grow a pair and explain why.

 

In another post in a different thread, I posted something about not being allowed to use the yellow book as proof of address at the land transport department in Pattaya. One poster with I think it was over 100K posts (sic) offered his comment that my appearance was not up to standard. WTF? Was that useful or funny? What does he know about my appearance? He spends all day everyday making BS comments. Oh man!

 

So please, comment, but have something to say, don't be a keyboard warrior loser!

Sir, this is the Internet.