Blood Pressure: what's the hype?

Blood pressure (BP) is a measure of the force that our heart uses to pump blood around our body measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). We need this pressure to keep our blood moving around our body.

High BP is dangerous and can lead to a number of illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. A third of adults in the UK have high BP, most of whom are unaware - unfortunately, there aren’t many symptoms of high BP, dubbing it the ‘silent killer’. The solution? Get to know your body.

When you get your BP tested, you’ll see two numbers - systolic and diastolic.

• Systolic – the pressure when the heart beats and pumps blood away

• Diastolic – the pressure when the heart relaxes and blood flows towards the heart

 A textbook BP reading sits at 120/80 mmHg. High BP, or hypertension, refers to readings at 140/90mmHg and above.

Reducing your BP will mean adjusting your lifestyle and/or medications. Here are a few ways how:

• Increase your physical activity and, in particular, cardiovascular and resistance training. This will help you to alter your body composition, decrease your fat mass and increase your lean muscle mass

• Eat a balanced diet

• Reduce your red meat intake to two portions per week:

  • Increase lean proteins such as turkey, beans and pulses

  • Increase fruits and vegetables including leafy greens

• Lower your salt intake

• Go easy on the alcohol intake. Aim for 14 units per week and allow for alcohol-free days

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