Editor's Weekly Ramblings 18

Friday 18th July 2003

Note - If in any doubt Consult your Doctor! This information is NOT a replacement for his/her advice. The Dummies Guide to High Blood Pressure

After I gave up noshing our furry friends my blood pressure dropped dramatically. There used to be a mobile testing facility that would show up occasionally in my high street, and a short while before I gave up eating meat I had it tested. (It was free and I was bored and these were two powerful incentives.)

I remember being slightly taken aback when the woman said that my readings were unusually high for a 19 year old (At the time it was accepted medical opinion that there were specific age-related targets for blood pressure. This has since been discounted, and now the figures are standardised for adults - though they may vary in children). I didn't dwell on it too much, and me giving up meat frankly had zero to do with health reasons. It was solely for reasons of animal welfare. That said, I think it was about three months after I had given up meat when I had it re-tested in similar bored circumstances. This time my rates were way down (I can't remember the specific numbers I'm afraid, but I can remember being quite impressed at the difference). In blood pressure terms I had returned to the norm. Now nothing else apart from my diet had altered. I wasn't exercising any more, or putting any less salt and vinegar on my chips, and so I can only attribute it to that change.

Now, that's all well and good. But what does that have to do with your blood pressure?

Well, it has two things to do with you. Firstly, although the woman who took my reading on the second occasion showed me the figures (and they were far lower then the previous ones), and assured me they were fine. I was still not clear what was good about them, or frankly what it was really measuring, and not wishing to appear to be too dumb didn't go overboard on seeking clarification. I knew of course that lower blood pressure was better then higher blood pressure, but that was about the extent at the time of my extensive knowledge on the subject. Since then I have learned a bit more about it, and so to stop you from having to do the legwork (which lets face it would require effort - a painful proposition!) I will run through a few changes that you might want to consider making that will impact on your blood pressure. Secondly, dietary changes are only one way you can help yourself here (though a whopper of a way it has to be said). So you may choose to give up eating of the flesh, or not. That is your choice. There are still several lifestyle and dietary choices that you can make to reduce your blood pressure; and this 'Dummies Guide to Blood Pressure' will hopefully help you to become aware of a few of them.

The Heart Don't Mess With Me!

First off though why should you care anyway? What could having high blood pressure mean to you or your family?