High blood pressure or hypertension is basically a product of the modern lifestyle. The blood pressure in the arteries remains high as a result of either increased resistance/ narrowing of arteries or due to increased pumping of the heart. It can impact the quality of life and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, affecting arteries in other parts of the body, kidney failure and death in the long term if not controlled in time. Since there are no direct symptoms, high blood pressure may go un-noticed for years together. High blood pressure is easy to detect and once detected, you can work with your doctor to control it. The increased amount of salt consumption in the diet, stress of modern lifestyle and poor coping with stress, plays an important role in development of hypertension.

Primary (essential) hypertension- about 90-95% of individual fall in this category. This can be caused as a result of nonspecific lifestyle and genetic factors. Life style factors such as consuming excessive amount of salt, obesity, smoking and chewing tobacco, stress and alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing primary hypertension.

Secondary hypertension- only 5-10% of individuals suffer from this type of hypertension. This is usually seen in response to an underlying cause such as

• Chronic kidney disease
• Endocrine gland disorders like thyroid illness and adrenal gland tumor
• Birth defects in the blood vessels
• Long standing alcohol abuse
• Use of illegal drugs like amphetamine, cocaine etc
• Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome(OSAS)
• Use of drugs like birth control pills, over the counter medicines like pain killer and many other drugs

The blood pressure reading consists of two components; systolic pressure and diastolic pressure

Blood pressure is the force of the blood that is being pushed against the walls of the arteries. Every time the heart beats, it pumps the blood into the arteries, this is called as the systolic pressure. When the heart is at rest, in between the beats, it is called the diastolic pressure.

Normal blood pressure at rest is usually in the range of 110-140 mmhg (systolic) and 60-90 mmhg (diastolic).

High blood pressure usually does not present with any symptoms even if the blood pressure levels are dangerously high. But in the long term high blood pressure can cause detrimental effects on the body such as stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, heart attack. Although few people have reported symptoms like headaches and difficulty in breathing but these symptoms are not specific to this illness and do not occur until the blood pressure has reached a stage which is life threatening.

Homeopathic medicine for High blood pressure (Hypertension)

As understood by homeopathy, raised blood pressure is not a disease. Instead it is a sign of some underlying disorder. Homeopathy aims at understanding the person suffering from the illness, hence also helping her/him cope with the illness in a better manner. Homoeopathic medicines are natural and safe and can help control high blood pressure. Homeopathic medicines help treat the root-cause that is responsible for the condition without any side effects or damage in the long run. It is always recommended to start homeopathy from the time you feel stressed out and find it difficult to deal with situations and people in your life. Don’t wait for your blood pressure readings to go up (especially so if there is a history of high blood pressure in the family) and consult your homeopath to start homeopathy.

Lifestyle changes play an important role in managing high blood pressure. Here are some easy tips

   1    Excess weight must be reduced and this in turn can help you significantly lower your blood pressure. The effect is seen sometimes even with weight loss of a few kilograms. (take help of clinical nutritionist)

   2    Walking and moderate exercise like practicing yoga, aerobics etc every day helps the body and mind remain active and effectively reduce stress

   3    Low sodium diet is important in controlling high blood pressure. (take help of clinical nutritionist)

   4    Adding a healthy quantity of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet. (consult your clinical nutritionist)

   5    Limiting and reducing excess alcohol consumption is recommended

   6    Stop smoking and chewing tobacco. This significantly reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure

   7    Maintain a healthy work-eating-sleeping-exercise schedule every single day.