How a personalised health program can normalise your blood pressure

About 3 months ago I had a patient who worked in organisational psychology and he was about to turn 56. As a result he decided to give himself a 'gift'. As it turns out this involved setting himself a goal to manage his energy and blood pressure. It happens that one of his mantras about stress management is "Manage your energy not your time".

He reached out to me for help. He patiently filled in a comprehensive health questionnaire which helped him reflect on his current lifestyle - such as food, fitness, sleep, symptoms and past medical history.

From this I was able to gather that he needed help in breaking his vicious cycle of relying on coffee for his pick me up and also lose some weight in order to manage his blood pressure which was around 160/100! He was adamant that he did not want to start any medication until he tried some lifestyle changes.

Whilst he was also having some baseline blood tests taken one of our health coaches started him on a personalised nutrition program to incorporate more whole foods. He noticed that after about 10 days he experienced less fluid retention. Family and friend also noticed his complexion becoming much clearer.

His test results revealed that he didn't have optimal levels of Vitamin D, B12 and antioxidants. He had high levels of inflammation and was at risk for heart disease and dementia.

Our nutritionist/ health coach modified his diet to incorporate more coloured vegetables, fruits and omega 3 fatty acids. As a team we also recommended some targeted supplements in order to improve his energy and reduce his reliance on coffee.

During the next 3 months he continued to have regular contact with our health coaches and reported improvement in energy and better stamina during his weekend hill runs. Having specific goals and accountability for his choices facilitated by his health care team meant that he did not have to navigate new behaviours and choices alone.

At 3 months since his first consultation he had lost 7kgs and his blood pressure has lowered to 122/77 without the need for any medication.