Healing High Blood Pressure

You’ll also want to monitor your blood pressure regularly to make sure the changes you’re making are having a beneficial effect. “I suggest people invest in a home blood pressure monitor,” says Norman Kaplan, M.D., of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. “With that, they are able to learn a lot about their own blood pressure and its cycles just by taking note of when their blood pressure is elevated, when it has lowered some and so forth.” This also eliminates the chance of “white coat hypertension”—where one’s blood pressure rises due to nervousness from visiting a doctor’s office.

Being in Control of Hypertension

Though stubbornness plagued Dennis’s initial response to his hypertension, soon he came around and realized he had to make significant changes to maintain his health. He not only improved his diet, but he incorporated exercise into his business travel. Now, 17 years after his diagnosis, he realizes his life is better for it.

“At first I felt cheated and felt a little bitter,” he says. “Now, though, I know that the changes I’ve made are better for me overall, that my health is better, and I’m looking forward to a long, healthy retirement in a few years.” His blood pressure is so good that he no longer needs medication.

And that’s the goal, isn’t it? To be healthy enough and control your condition without being tethered to a prescription bottle? For Richelle, making these changes and getting her blood pressure under control helped her realize how important her family was.

“I’ve started spending more time with my children and my grandchildren,” she says. “I want to keep making better choices so I have many more years to spend with them.”

*Name(s) have been changed.