If you have been informed that your blood pressure is quite high (that is, that you have hypertension), then what you were actually being told was that your lifestyle is not particularly healthy. This is because, unless your hypertension has come about because of ethnicity, age, sleeplessness or medication, you are doing something wrong in your daily life.

Blood pressure control for most individuals means making lifestyle alterations for the better or taking tablets for life. If you have hypertension and you cannot get to see your doctor as often as you would like, you could always buy a home blood pressure monitor and keep an eye on your blood pressure yourself.

The best sort to get is an automatic digital monitor with a self-inflating cuff. It should also have a pulse monitor and a number of memories, although you can always use good old-fashioned pen and paper. They are not costly any more and ought to cost between $30 and $100.

Some have a lifetime warranty and are as accurate as your medical doctor’s sphygmomanometer, which is the gold standard of blood pressure monitors. You ought to take your readings at the same time every day (or two or three times a day at the same times) and make a record of it or them. In this fashion you can compare your progress (or lack of it).

The first thing to do is quit smoking (if you smoke, obviously) and then cut down on heavy drinking sessions, if you do that). Doing that will improve your general health whether you have high blood pressure or not.

The next thing to do is to reduce your weight, if you are overweight by dieting and exercise. If you are not overweight, you will still need to raise your level of exercise and change your diet for the following reasons. Exercise decreases your blood pressure and too much salt (also called sodium) will increase your blood pressure.

So, whichever way you look at it, you will need to exercise more and take on a low-sodium diet. One of the methods of reducing sodium in your diet is by eating fresh fruit and vegetables and stop eating canned and other fast foods, which are stuffed with salt.

These lifestyle changes are not simple, so if you have to take some of them on board, think about seeking help. For example, you could use patches to help you quit smoking. You could visit the pub less frequently or just go there later in the evening. You could ask your spouse to go on the diet too or you could join a support group on or off line.

There really are lots of resources out there to help you circumvent hypertension, but if you just cannot be bothered, then nip along to your doctor’s and get your first batch or high blood pressure tablets and be sure to create a repeat appointment, because you will be going back and forth for the rest of your life.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on a number of subjects, but is currently involved with work on foods for high blood pressure. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at High Blood Pressure Recipes.