Definition and causes

Hypertension means blood pressure (BP) consistently higher than normal for your age-group.  Normal BP for an adult is 120/80.  As a rough guide mild hypertension might be 140/95, moderate 150/105 and severe hypertension is above 160/115.  BP varies according to the time of day and level of stress so it should be measured several times over days or weeks to get a true picture.

Hypertension may be due to genetic factors: it sometimes runs in families.  Or it may be due to disease, for example of the kidneys or the adrenal glands.  ‘Essential hypertension’ simply means the cause is unknown.
It is very often caused by lifestyle factors.

Bringing down blood pressure (BP)

Whatever the cause, it is always helpful to change harmful lifestyle factors.  Such changes often bring down blood pressure without the need for drugs.  They also increase the action of drugs where they are needed and they reduce the risk of serious disease.

Recommendations

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds. Minimise salt and animal fat. (Detail on p.2)
• Don’t smoke
• Be active:
  Accumulate 30 minutes of gentle exercise every day and
  20 minutes of moderate exercise 2 or 3 times a week.
  Moderate exercise raises your heart rate and makes you breathless but not so much you can’t talk.
  You could walk, dance, swim, cycle or do vigorous housework  -  no need to join a gym or play sport.
  It’s a good idea to choose the stairs instead of lifts or escalators.
• Avoid alcohol or drink within recommended limits
• Keep to a healthy weight
• Keep your weight within the recommended range for your height.
  If overweight, change diet and/or exercise more.
  Don’t go on a restricted diet.  A healthy diet with the correct portion sizes will be easier to stick to, more    enjoyable and much better for your health.
• Manage your stress
  We all need a certain amount of stress but we must recognise when it is affecting our health.
  Avoid or remove unhealthy stress where you can.
  If you can’t avoid or remove it, change the way you respond to it.
  Try and find a good listener to talk to. 
  Be kind to yourself.  Make sure there is enough fun in your life.
  Breathe deeply

Stressed person’s prayer:

“Grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change,
the courage to change what I cannot accept
and the wisdom to know the difference”