Non - Drug Therapy for Hypertension

NON - DRUG THERAPY FOR HYPERTENSION


1) Weight reduction :- " Excess weight at any age is associated with

more hypertension, apart fom the risk of coronary heart disease".

a) Obesity may also be associated with diabetes.

b) There is an association between diabetes and high blood pressure.

c) Calorie restriction results in a fall in high blood pressure.

d) Whether it is diet restriction plus modified fasting, it should work

without endangering the health of the person.

e) The weight reduction must be slow and steady.

f) In medical term over weight is called obesity.

g) Over weight or obesity occurs in people where food intake

exceeds the energy requirements of the body for physical

activity and growth. As a result, there is accumulation of fat

which is stored in a dispose tissue (fat cells). This storage

may be localised in certain parts of the body.

h) It is proved that harmones from pituitary, thyroid and adernal

glands along with insulin and sex harmones have an important

role in regulating the fat metabolism.

i) In the adults, an increase in body weight may reflect an increase

in fat in a dispose tissue, an accumulation of fluid or both.

j) Weight gain excess of 1kg per day almost invariably implies

excess fluid retentation

k) Caution:- Every one should appreciate that any programme

which results in weight loss more than 0.3 kg per day undoubtedly

represents large amounts fluid loss rather than fat.

The weight reduction must be slow and steady.

A person is considered over weight if he exceeds the upper range of

ideal weight for his body frame. He is considered as obese if his weight

exceeds by 9 to 10 kgs his ideal weight.

m) Caution : - Obesity (Over weight) is the commonest predisposing cause

for the following problems

1) Diabetes Mellitus ( Excessive blood sugar )

2) Hypercholesterolaemia ( High blood cholesterol ).

3) Hypertension ( High blood pressure )

4 ) Ischaemic heart disease ( heart attacks ).

5) Osteoarthritis of weight bearing joints ( Hips, knees and ankles ).

6) Lumbar and Cervical Spondylosis.

7) Varicose veins ( Dilated, tortuous veins in legs).

8) Hernias, particularly incisional hernia, after operations.

9) Galler blader stones.

Diet and exercises are the only methods to attain ideal weight.

2) Avoid Rich food : - Chocolates, softies, ice creams, oily spice foods,
tinned & stored foods( animal fat foods).

Take more fibre and less saturated fat : - Increase in use of unsaturated

fats ( sun flower oil, corn oil) can induce lower blood pressures. Take

high - fibre foods like vegetables, fruits, bran, cereals etc.

3) Restriction of salt (sodium) intake to 1g per day. Avoid permanently

mangoe pickles and other pickles.

4) Stop Smoking permanently : - smoking immediately accelerates heart

rate and shoots up blood pressure which imposes extra burden on the

heart. Heavy smoking The Nicotin in tobacco increases the tendency

of the blood to clot in arteries.

5) Reduction in Alcohol intake : - Ethanol ( ethyl alcohol) in small amounts

10 - 20 ml maximum per day) may not be harmful.

6) Regular exercise keeps healthy : - Regular , rhythmic physical activities

in the form of brisk walking, or slow jogging, performed daily , will reduce

High blood pressure by dilating blood vessels and loss of salt and water

from the body through perspiration. But if the BP is very high in the

beginning, the exercises are deffered till BP is brought under control

and doctor should be consulted before starting exercises.

7) Meditation and Yoga : - In patients with High blood pressure some

chemical substances in the body produced in excess causing High

blood pressure. Their production will be reduced by meditation, thus

lowering the BP.


Writer................ Dr. A. Jayarajan MD.

Summary by .... R.Krishnakumar.