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High blood pressure is often thought of as a silent killer because it can pave the way for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure without any warning signs.

People walk around and live their lives and don't realise they are harbouring something that is liable to either kill or physically disable them at any minute.

It is a worrying statement that death from cardiovascular disease is increasing every year in developed countries and growing numbers of men and women under the age of 40 are affected by high blood pressure. This now also affects children!

Many studies have shown that weight gain is related to a significant rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. One of the reasons why this is so, is that fat requires an adequate supply of blood and each and every pound of extra fat within the body increases the total length of the small blood vessels by around one mile.

Luckily, the loss of extra weight can result in a significant reduction in both high blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension and the likelihood of it developing in overweight people who have a normal blood pressure.

Salt intake is another factor which should be closely monitored. Research into salt intake and hypertension has shown that moderate and severe hypertension seem to get better if the patient is on a salt-restricted diet. The effects of this measure on mild hypertension are inconclusive, however health care professionals still insist it is better to be safe than sorry, and salt should either be reduced or excluded from the diet altogether.

In the interests of safety, therefore, it is advisable to reduce salt intake. This can be achieved in two ways:

a) by using a potassium rich substitute

b) not adding any more salt to food.

Exercise is another factor.

Nowadays so many of us live such sedentary lifestyles, that we rarely get anywhere near the exercise we need. Exercise doesn't have to be strenuous and you don't have to join the gym.

Going for a brisk walk three times a week for thirty minutes improves the metabolism and helps reduce both excess weight and blood pressure.

11. Reducing High Blood Pressure without Drugs

Non-pharmacological blood pressure reduction is the treatment of blood pressure without the use of drugs.

It involves making simple lifestyle changes more often than not diet and exercise and usually to control excess weight

This natural method of reducing blood pressure is the preferred treatment as it means you may end up with a normal blood pressure reading without having to resort to treatment by drugs.

Salt intake is something that should be monitored and reduced as nowadays most people's salt intake is greater than it should be.

Getting used to eating food that contains less salt might be difficult at first but if you consistently stick to your lower salt intake, over time, you should find that you actually quite like your food with less salt. Reducing salt intake can be achieved by never adding any salt to your cooking or to the food when it is at the table. If you can't bear to eat your food without any salt, don't salt whilst cooking and eating. (Use one or the other).

Another way of reducing salt intake is to use a salt substitute. There are several available on the market. They contain less sodium chloride and are more potassium-rich. Sea salt, rock salt and natural salt are still sodium chloride so are not salt substitutes.

Losing weight is another natural way of reducing high blood pressure. Research studies have shown there is a clear link between taking more exercise and a reduction in blood pressure. Not only that, but taking more exercise is also a key factor in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Exercise, such as aerobic exercise, that makes a physical demand on the heart, strengthens the heart and helps reduce major known risk factors for coronary heart disease. It also lowers blood pressure, as well as lowering blood fat levels which helps prevent thrombosis.

Studies show moderate alcohol consumption can actually lower blood pressure. Generally speaking, the more you drink the higher your blood pressure will be although at this moment in time it is not clear why this should be the case.

Alcoholics or heavy drinkers are highly likely to have raised blood pressure and may be more prone to developing strokes. It has been proved that when alcoholics stop drinking, their blood pressure is usually reduced.