INSTALL — Foundation

Week 1 is the install. You're not trying to be heroic — you're putting the system in.

The reason these specific levers come first is that they're the ones with the strongest evidence base AND the lowest friction to start. You're not adding three new supplements and changing your training. You're picking the wins that historically move the systolic needle within 7-10 days for most people who try them.

What's in the stack this week

The protocol is personalized. Not everyone gets every lever — if you already abstain from alcohol, the alcohol-elimination lever is skipped. If you're on antihypertensives, supplement timing is rolled out more slowly. What follows is the maximal Week 1 stack:

• Sodium reduction — target ≤2,000 mg/day, with attention to hidden sources (bread, sauces, processed foods)
• Alcohol elimination — zero drinks for the four weeks
• Zone 2 cardio — 3–4 sessions, ~60 minutes each, at conversational pace
• Wall sits — 4 × 2 min holds with 2 min rest between, 3 days/week
• Box breathing — 5 minutes once per day, ideally evening
• Tier 1 supplements — magnesium glycinate, omega-3 (EPA+DHA), vitamin D3+K2

What you should expect

A baseline week. Your readings probably don't move dramatically yet — that's normal. The point of week 1 is adherence + accurate measurement, not change.

If you do see movement, it's likely from sodium and alcohol — those are the fastest-acting levers in the stack.

What to ignore this week

Berberine. Cold plunge. Resistance training. They come later for reasons that have to do with how your body adapts and how lever rankings work when interventions overlap.