High blood pressure

Having High Blood Pressure ( Hypertension) can be a disease that affects all aspects of life. What makes this worse is that whilst there have been, for a number of years now, a large selection of medication that can bring blood pressure down, many of these drugs do not tackle the underlying cause of hypertension. As GPs we do not have the time to really discuss the lifestyle factors that are impacting on your health.

I have also found from my experience as a GP, that the drug regimen for high blood pressure can be difficult to comply with, and often producing unwanted side affects . I want to introduce a simpler, more effective solution for patients of my lifestyle practice.

I aim to reduce your blood pressure through a number of small, but highly targeted interventions in diet and movement. 

Trying to change someone's diet completely is counter-productive and simply doesn't work. I have enough understanding for the busy lives patients like you live, to not try and burden you with a number of additional food restrictions, nor denying you life's little pleasures.

A better approach is slowly introducing alternative foods that might fit in with your current eating habits. Experimenting with more plant-based foods into your existing recipes. Incrementally reducing salt in the diet will give the single most effective reduction in blood pressure.  We work on a plan based around the DASH diet, which is proven to reduce blood pressure.

Dietary suggestion would be to include more fruit and vegetables, nuts and legumes, and to introduce whole grain bread and other alternatives. Fruits and vegetables high in potassium (such as bananas, oranges, broccoli and potatoes) and natural sources of nitrates (like beetroot and celery) and reducing caffeine and alcohol, can actually lower blood pressure as effectively as some drugs you might be prescribed. 

STRESS- which is a big factor for in hypertension. Reducing stress in any way you enjoy eg walks in the park, yoga, mindfulness,  breathing exercises or even taking moments to remind yourself what you have to be grateful for - will help lower your blood pressure.

SLEEP: Optimising sleep. Many of my patients are happy to comply with this! Sleep ensures that our body resets and recovers for the next day. Inadequate or poor quality sleep increases stress hormones in the body which raise blood pressure and can also cause cravings for unhealthy foods. Tiredness will also lead to less physical activity which will make hypertension worse.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Developing a plan to increase exercise and movement in a way that works for you. If you have suffered from high blood pressure for some time, your ability to undertake physical activity might be impaired. I want to find fun, easy ways to achieve the level of physical activity needed to improve your hypertension.

STRESS- Stress increases cortisol and adrenaline in the body, making hypertension poorly controlled. Reducing stress through simple ways like walks in the park, yoga, mindfulness or even reminding you what you have to be grateful for -will help lower your blood pressure. I work with therapists who focus on stress reduction.

SMOKING: Stopping smoking will not directly reduce your blood pressure but will reduce the likelihood of developing strokes and heart attacks in the future if your continue to have high blood pressure. 

WEIGHT LOSS: Losing even a few Kg will have a big impact on your blood pressure, but will also have massive impact on your general health and wellbeing and reduce your risks of other medical conditions too.

My approach will fully take into account how serious your hypertension is. I will always be able to begin to treat your high blood pressure without you having to change your current levels of medication. The two approaches can go hand in hand. It may well be that once the changes are made, the need for medication is reduced and I will work with your GP in managing this.

My main aim of course is to reduce your blood pressure,  but if through introduction these lifestyle measures, you find that you are a happier, less stressed and more full of life person, I will feel proud that I have done my job.