Feeling the pressure?

Hi folks,

How many of us have had our blood pressure (BP) measured before? – probably all of us. How many of us where told what the figures mean? – probably not many of us, that’s even if we were told at all.

As you’ll be aware high BP can cause, or be result of serious health issues that will affect you life at home & at work, so let’s get to grips with it!

What does high BP look like? possible constant red skin pigmentation around the face, or someone who always looks stressed, & often someone who is obese.

What is high BP? Our arteries need to be elastic so that they can widen when the heart pumps large volumes of blood through. If they firm-up or contain blockages, then the blood is being pushed though a smaller space = high BP. A raised heart rate also raises BP. A measurement consists of two values, systolic which is the pressure in the arteries when the pulse travels through, & your diastolic which is the pressure of blood between pulses. Generally speaking a healthy BP is below 130 / 80mmHg.

What can we do to bring high BP down? (Around 30% of us don’t realise we have it)

1.      30min moderate exercise per day

2.      Eat a healthy nutrition (high fruit & veg, low in salt, sugar, & saturated fat)

3.      Reduce alcohol intake

4.      Quit smoking

5.      Relaxation (breathing exercises / making time for yourself)

If you suspect you may have high BP or haven’t had it checked in the last 6 months then please consult your doctor, but don’t panic as it is relatively easy to bring down using a combination of the points above.

James