<p>So, my healthy, fit, slim, athletic son has been diagnosed with hypertension. After going from primary care to a recommended nephrologist, the “treatment” for now is for him to monitor his BP, exercise (he already did), and - here’s the fun part - reduce his sodium intake. </p>
<p>Right. Kid at college, in the dorms. In modern American society. He doesn’t have to go to a true low sodium diet (I know all about that - my father has heart failure) but is supposed to keep his intake between 4 and 6 g per day. </p>
<p>Has anyone had to deal with this, and if so, how do you help your child, long distance, deal with such a big lifestyle change?</p>
<p>He is monitoring the BP, and it seems to stay under 150/85.</p>
<p>Also, this kid is so relaxed he’s a puddle. I really don’t think it’s stress.</p>
<p>It’s probably hereditary. My H has high BP and has had since his 20s, his father had it and our oldest is heading there and is borderline right now. All three are incredibly laid back, very athletic and of appropriate weight with very little body fat. Their physician told them it’s genetic and “it happens.” Did your son get any nutritional counseling? Is he the type that will be inclined to follow the dietary suggestions? I would just suggest a few simple daily changes to master and see where he goes with it. An example, my husband uses pepper instead of salt even on “french fries” and he’ll use garlic powder or other non-salt seasonings on potatos, popcorn, veggies, etc. After awhile it appears you can become very sensitive to the taste of salt, he’ll often say something is salty that I don’t think is at all salty. I think people who cut back on salt just become very aware of “salt.” Hopefully your son can make enough minor diet changes to keep his BP under control for a long, long time without the need for any drugs. If he’s eating cafeteria food, I did notice many colleges are posting nutritional info. If that is the case where he is then that, too, will help him make minor diet changes and choices that are smart.</p>
<p>His systolic reading is worrisome. His diastolic reading is moderately high for his age but isn’t at the hyper-tense level, which is consistent readings in the 90’s. You want to get the systolic pressure down because that will lead to thickening of the left ventricle and also can weaken the aortic valve, thicken the aorta, etc. </p>
<p>It might also be stress, since systolic pressure varies a lot situationally and is famous for going up with stress. Some people internalize stress but don’t show it. </p>
<p>My particular belief is that drugs work better for diastolic pressure.</p>
<p>So far he just got brief guidance from the doctor on reading labels, etc., and having the goal of 4-6 g.</p>
<p>There’s a nutritionist at the wellness center at his school. I’m going to have him go there and speak to her to get tips on eating lower sodium.</p>
<p>The nutrition info for the dining hall is online, and I think he’s checking that to help make lower sodium choices. I don’t know how consistent he is with any of this.</p>
<p>We need to find him a new primary care doc. He’s aging out of the pediatrician’s office at home, plus he needs someone he can go to over in his college town.</p>
<p>I know about the long-term effects of hypertension on the body. This is why I’m very concerned, especially since 18 year olds tend to live in the moment.</p>
<p>Depending on the school, it’s possible the nutritionist can work with the dining hall on the sodium issue. My DD had dietary restrictions while in college – different situation, but the same dynamic – couldn’t have alcohol due to meds, which is a limitation especially when you turn 21, plus had lots of dietary restrictions. Also, could not have coffee, a staple for pulling all nighters. The dining hall, ultimately, was a problem for her, and she moved off-campus senior year, which allowed her to shop for and prepare her own food. A friend of mine told me her daughter lived in a co-op while in college because of dietary issues. </p>
<p>DH is on a low-sodium diet and it was a big adjustment, but now it’s a way of life – but he has the advantage of having his own kitchen and a wife to shop and a car to get to the market! However, he likes to eat out for lunch. He scouted out and found an organic-styled place near his office where he can get healthy sandwiches, etc. that are low in sodium. Not sure where your son goes to school, but sometimes sandwich places (and markets) have low-sodium turkey, etc. If he has a fridge, he could buy a few items as staples. Near my daughter’s school was an eatery/grocery place that had a lot of healthy choices. Maybe he can find a place to supplement some meals, and cut back on the dining hall plan.</p>
<p>mom2three, you might get him a good BP monitor to use. Some people do manifest high BP because they have “nurse/doc fear.” My dad has that. If you don’t suspect that, then he can pop into health service at his college sporadically and have them check his BP, I’m sure they’d be more than happy to do this for him. My college son runs around 140/85 or so and has been that way since mid-high school, but each Christmas I schedule him for a check-up. I dont go into the office with him, but I know that our doctor tells him to watch his diet, get plenty of exercise, and reminds him of the family history of high BP. Our slim, trim, athletic doctor also has hereditary high BP and started taking meds in his 20s in medical school so he is very aware and emphathetic to my “boys.” My husband managed to keep is BP borderline into his late 40s with diet and exercise alone. He now takes a very small dose splitting a BP pill drug but he went decades without needing meds.</p>
<p>Momof3boys (me too!)
We got him one of the top-rated (by consumer reports) bp monitors, and he’s been taking his BP. It has a 99 reading memory and a usb connection with software that will analyze the reading trends. He’s bringing it home with him for Thanksgiving, and we have an appt. with his regular doc on Friday to discuss everything. But his home readings have been similar to the doc readings, so I don’t think it’s whitecoat hypertension.</p>
<p>I think the nutritionist idea is the best. Also the wellness center has jobs where kids act as trainers for other kids in nutrution, etc. That would really be a good on-campus job for him, to really get into this whole thing and make it part of his long-term lifestyle.</p>
<p>I’m trying to rethink Thanksgiving dinner, to make it 100% delicious and tasty so that NO ONE notices slightly lower salt. So much for my old reliable Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup. Sigh.</p>
<p>If you have a Whole Foods or similar store, they sell cream of mushroom soup. Also, you can make your own. I substitute hot sauce for salt sometimes - very little for extra effect. Especially in cheese sauce, a little hot sauce adds color and flavor before it adds heat.</p>
<p>I know sodium intake is high especially in college and such… But 4-6 grams per day is A LOT! The recommended amount of sodium in a day is less than 2300 mg per day or <2.3 grams per day. That recommendation of 4-6 is double the normal recommendation…</p>
<p>I think the doctor didn’t want him to do what my dad did when he first had heart disease - decide that lower sodium is impossible, and not even try. Maybe his plan is to get him away from the American/college diet to 4-6 g, and then move down from there.</p>
<p>I would start by making a list of common foods that are VERY high in salt. A huge eye opener.
Forget canned soups, even the low salt versions. Find substitutes.
Did you know that Peanut Butter is very high in salt? I did not until I read it here…
Good luck !</p>
<p>The emphasis is on how great food tastes once you’ve adjusted your taste buds to less salt. Over salting dulls the acuity of your taste buds and reducing the heavy-handed salt allows the other spices to come forth. Since your son is health conscience he will be motivated to find ways to reduce salt in his diet. Make this a goal for the whole family to enjoy foods low in salt. First, no sodas, no electrolyte drinks. They are sodium evilness. You can take the dietary lead by introducing complex and layered flavors into your cooking instead of reaching for the shaker. There are lots of cook books at the library devoted to low/no salt cooking. Do they have a wok station at his school cafe? He can select his veggies and meat and ask for no added salt or soy sauce. Same for the burrito station, salad bar. Ditto he can speak to the school’s nutritionist for tips. He will have to learn to read labels, this is his life, he needs to be in control and held responsible to his reduced salt intake. Please do not lament foods, like the Campbell’s soup, in front of your kid, his optimum health is the most important objective.</p>
<p>Going to the nutritionist at his school is a great idea.
Lowering salt consumption can be tough…but eating lots of salt is a habit just like anything else. Hopefully, he will have low-salt options available in his cafeteria.
I’m sure you’re doing your best to help him understand how serious Hypertension can be. As the above poster said, he will need to be a dedicated label reader for the rest of his life.
On the bright side, I believe that processed foods are really bad for us, in general. So those with salt restrictions generally have to turn to whole foods, avoiding junk like salty canned soup and such…and therefore end up eating better food than most of us.
Places like Trader Joes and Whole Foods REALLY help. Both have lots of low salt options for peanut butter, tomato sauce, and lots of other basic items.
Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup…hmmm…IMO, the whole family is lucky to moving in a different direction. Once your taste buds adjust, you’ll think everyone else is crazy!</p>
<p>In front of him I’m not lamenting - for example, when I told him I was going to try and watch the sodium for Thanksgiving dinner, HE started lamenting, but then I pointed out that this meant, for example, that I was going to use FRESH green beans instead of canned, and that obviously those tasted way better than the canned ones, he thought that sounded fine.</p>
<p>I do want to give him the traditional thanksgiving dinner that he loves, and I do want it to be delicious, and within his dietary restrictions. There will be no lamenting - only talking about how great everything is, how it wasn’t all that hard (even if it was), etc…</p>
<p>I’m going to get his BOB (brothers on board). They will be willing co-conspirators, I know.</p>
<p>Encourage foods that are high in potassium…bananas, mangoes, grapes, asparagus. Research shows a positive impact. Go online to find other foods.
Also, my friend says magnesium is important. Check with your doc to see if a supplement is a good idea…</p>
<p>oh…I forgot cinnamon. Does he like oatmeal? Add a generous dose of cinnamon. Google it. Can’t hurt! I love cinnamon…and it’s easy to incorporate into thanksgiving for sure…</p>
<p>Our kiddo became well acquainted with seasonings that actually tasted better than salt. He uses a lot of different kinds of hot sauces (check those labels too), varying peppers, and of course lots of garlic!! We don’t add salt to anything we cook in this house. You can buy low sodium soups and most anything else. </p>
<p>For snacks, encourage fresh fruits and veggies. No salt in most of those! </p>
<p>Don’t even put a salt shaker on or near the table.</p>
<p>I was thinking about you this afternoon, mom2three, how tough it must be to have a young kid with this disease. What is his BMI, do you know?
One of the foods that was widely used in my days (my grandma used it) is parsley. It is a natural diuretic. Another natural diuretic is celery.
Cooking without or with little salt does not mean tasteless food. But being away from home and eating outside - it can be VERY tough. I actually think the first thing he should do was trying to cook as much as possible by himself. I know it is tough in his situation, maybe a caring girlfriend???
This DASH book -does it have anything to do with Dash seasoning? My brother swears by it!
Your thread is actually scary to me, as my teenager has a very bad eating habits when outside of the house.<br>
You have a smart doctor if he is giving your son some time to figure out his diet and try to make lifestyle changes, without resorting to BP meds. BP meds, with their side effects, can be a bad choice for a young male…
And again (I know, I sound like a broken record), forget about canned foods!</p>
<p>mom2three, you might want to ask your son if he gets unexplained heart palpitations, too. I don’t mean heart racing during or after exercise, but rather sitting at his desk and suddenly having his heart race or beat arhythmically. If so, let your physician know as soon as possible. I’m sorry - not trying to alarm anyone, just trying to help. What I’m referring to is fairly rare, and the chance of your son having this issue is minimal.</p>
