Adults over the age of 40 in England are being urged to book in for the new Health MOT offered at Boots. The high street brand has relaunched its health checks which only takes 15 minutes and checks for a range of potential health issues including “silent killer” high blood pressure.
The relaunch comes after it was revealed more than half of UK adults haven’t checked their blood pressure in the last 12 months. This condition doesn’t have any symptoms on its own and is usually only picked up after it causes a serious medical event like a heart attack.
Aimi Dickinson, Deputy Superintendent Pharmacist at Boots, warned: “High blood pressure is something that can affect any of us, especially as we get older and even if we feel totally healthy. Most people with high blood pressure will not have any symptoms, so it is important to get your blood pressure checked if you are 40 and over.”
One way to stay ahead of it is getting regular blood pressure checks and adopting some lifestyle changes proven to help keep blood pressure low. The Boots Health MOT is free for eligible people and also includes an optimal BMI calculation and healthy living advice.
To be eligible for the free tests, you must be over the age of 40 in England and do not already have an existing high blood pressure diagnosis. These appointments can be booked online in advance on the Boots website.
The superintendent pharmacist shared seven lifestyle tips to keep high blood pressure under control, starting with maintaining a healthy weight. She explained: “If you’re overweight your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body, so maintaining a healthy body weight can help reduce the risks of high blood pressure and the associated risk of heart attacks and strokes.”
Hand-in-hand with this tip is eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. She specifically recommended reducing how much salt you eat and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, such as cycling or fast walking.
Limiting alcohol, smoking and stress can also go far in improving your blood pressure gradually over time. The expert recommended sticking to NHS guidelines of ideally 14 units or less of alcohol per week and avoiding smoking entirely.
One surprising tip she added is prioritising sleep. She explained: “Sleeping for less than five hours a night can contribute to high blood pressure along with conditions such as insomnia – it’s so important we get enough rest through sleeping.”