Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. Your arteries are the vessels (tubes) that carry blood from your heart to your brain and the rest of your body. You need a certain amount of pressure to get the blood moving around your body.

High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition where your blood pressure is always too high.

Approximately 30% of UK adults have high blood pressure, with around 5 million undiagnosed cases, making it a major public health concern.

High blood pressure affects roughly one in three adults in the UK, equating to about 14–15 million people. The prevalence increases with age: over 50% of adults aged 65 and older have hypertension. Men are slightly more affected than women until age 65, after which rates become similar.

Your blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, which is abbreviated as mm Hg. There are two numbers involved in the measurement:

Systolic blood pressure. The top number represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats.

Diastolic blood pressure. The bottom number represents the pressure in your blood vessels between beats, when your heart is resting.

Your blood pressure depends on how much blood your heart is pumping, and how much resistance there is to blood flow in your arteries. The narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.

Blood pressure lower than 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. Blood pressure that’s 130/80 mm Hg or more is considered high. If your numbers are above normal but under 130/80 mm Hg, you fall into the category of elevated blood pressure. This means that you’re at risk for developing high blood pressure.

The good news about elevated blood pressure is that lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your numbers and lower your risk — without requiring medications.

To treat high blood pressure (hypertension), consider the following options:

  • Increase activity and exercise more
  • Lose weight if you’re overweight
  • Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates
  • Eat more potassium and less sodium
  • Eat less processed food
  • Stop Smoking
  • Reduce excess stress
  • Try relaxation techniques
  • Eat some dark chocolate
  • Try medicinal herbs
  • Eat fish or take fish oil supplements
  • Eat garlic or take garlic extract supplements
  • Eat healthy high-protein foods
  • Reduce alcohol
  • Reduce caffeine