More than medication

Taking control

Whether or not you take medication for your blood pressure there are some simple changes you can make in your day-to-day living to help you keep your blood pressure under control and stay as healthy as possible.

Try the tips in this section to help find what works best for you. And remember - bringing down your blood pressure by making changes to your lifestyle doesn't happen overnight. Small steps mean progress. It may help if you set some simple goals that you know you can realistically achieve.

• Try to get more exercise. It can help to keep your blood pressure stable. If you don't do it already, now is the time to think about starting some aerobic exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling. It's important though to stay away from more stressful activities, like weight-lifting, squash and scuba-diving, because they can all raise your blood pressure. And always consult your doctor or healthcare professional before you change your exercise routine.
• Give up smoking - being smoke-free will help lower your blood pressure.
• Eat more healthily. Simple changes like eating more fruit and veg while cutting back on salt, caffeine and high-fat foods can really help bring down your blood pressure.
• Lose weight if you need to. Studies show that losing weight has benefits in lowering blood pressure.
• Think before you drink - You can enjoy a glass or two of wine with your dinner, but don't overdo it, because too much alcohol over time will increase your blood pressure.
• Stick to the recommended guidelines, which are no more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day for men, and no more than 2-3 a day for women. Try to spread your drinking throughout the week and avoid binge - drinking.

Living a healthy lifestyle

• Find out about healthy diet and lifestyle
  
• Find out more about how to lose weight if you need to
• Find out about stopping smoking
  

Five steps to a new life

1.  Relax.  Be sure to de-stress regularly - whether it's with controlled breathing, meditation, yoga, t'ai chi or simply taking regular exercise.  These activities will all improve your health generally and help reduce your blood pressure.

2.  Get on with your doctor. It will really help if you can establish an honest and trusting relationship with your doctor. Because you have a long-term condition, you'll probably need to see your doctor or practice nurse more regularly than before - according to how often they recommend.  If you're on medication, be aware that you may get unwanted side effects. If that happens, discuss it with your doctor.

3.  Live more healthily. You'll have more energy and enjoy life more - as well as reducing your blood pressure.  If you need to take medication, having a healthier lifestyle will help your medicine be more effective at bringing down your blood pressure. And remember to take the pills every day, preferably at about the same time every day. That way they'll be more effective.

4.  Test yourself. Consider buying a home blood pressure monitor to help you keep tabs on your blood pressure and understand which changes are working best to reduce it.

5.   Read about it. The more you know about high blood pressure and how to keep it at a healthy level, the better able you will be to keep on top of it. Get reliable information about your condition from trustworthy websites.

Seven best ways to zap stress

Managing stress is a great way to reduce blood pressure.  Here are the 7 best ways to achieve inner peace:

1. Establish a clear work-home divide, even if it's just shutting the door of the room where you keep your computer.
2. Soak in a warm bath with a generous sprinkling of your favourite essential oils.
3. A walk in the park puts stressful thoughts in context.
4. Breathe deeply instead of shallow breathing when you're stressed, focus on holding your breath for a count of five and then breathe out slowly through your mouth and in again through your nose.
5. Get organised - don't live in a mess.
6. Make exercise part of your daily routine.  A cardiovascular workout keeps you a healthy weight as well as burning off excess adrenaline and triggering the release of the 'happy' hormone, serotonin.
7. Take the pressure off yourself by letting go of your expectations and fixed ideas about how things should be done.

Alternative approaches

Herbal Remedies may be natural but that doesn't guarantee that they're safe, so be careful about taking herbs to treat your high blood pressure. Never use them instead of conventional treatments and, if you do decide to take them as a supplement to your regular medication, tell both your doctor and your herbalist about the other medicines you take. Some herbs can interact with conventional medicines and may be harmful.