How can I reduce my blood pressure?

The first move is to reduce salt intake. This means avoiding some processed foods (such as soups, savoury sauces and ready meals) while being selective with others (such as bread, cereals and canned foods). Buy products with no added salt when possible. Generally avoid adding salt in the kitchen or at the table, but use a little Solo or LoSalt when necessary.

Keep alcohol down to one or two units five days a week (I don’t mean drink a lot more on the other two days; give your body some alcohol-free days). Binge drinking pushes up blood pressure.

If you are overweight, losing the excess weight can lower blood pressure significantly. You are overweight if your BMI is between 25 and 30; over 30 you’re classed as ‘obese’.

But even if your BMI is in the normal range, you may well have excess abdominal fat and this is strongly linked to raised blood pressure, along with a lot of other undesirable changes, in the metabolic syndrome. Dumping the toxic fat in your waist area will not only reduce your blood pressure but also improve disordered metabolism. As a result, you will reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Although your blood pressure will rise during vigorous exercise, regular aerobic exercise helps to lower average blood pressure and is vital for healthy metabolism.

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