The Fire Element. Five Element Acupuncture for fire elements.

Blood Pressure

Hypertension & Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the measure of the amount of force exerted by the pump of the heart on the walls of the blood vessels.

When the heart pumps this pressure is at its greatest – this is known as systolic pressure. When the heart relaxes the pressure is at its lowest – this is diastolic pressure.

Along with heart rate, blood pressure tends to rise when the body has a temporary need for greater nutrients, for example when we exercise or are in danger. This is only a problem if we suffer physical stress of this type for extended periods, meaning that the blood pressure remains relatively high (Hypertension).

High blood pressure can result from either an increase in the amount of blood being pumped (i.e. a faster, more forceful heart beat), an increase in the tension of the artery walls or a combination of the two.

According to current thinking, for adults the ideal systolic blood pressure should be between 90 – 120mmHg with diastolic between 60 – 80mmHg. However, don’t forget in reality blood pressure varies enormously according to activity, posture, time of day, and emotional state.

The British Acupuncture Council Acupuncture Research Fact Sheets for Hypertension

Rachel Geary

Rachel Geary BA(Hons), Lic. Ac. MBAcC is a fully qualified acupuncturist, having graduated from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in 2002. She has previously practised in Inverness and Barnstaple. "I first became interested in acupuncture whilst I was at university studying History and Philosophy. I was particularly drawn to eastern philosophy, which I found particularly elegant and beautiful. I then went on to complete a three and a half year course of study in acupuncture and discovered it to exemplify these very same qualities. I feel very privileged to have been able to learn so much about the Chinese understanding of health and to be able to use this knowledge to help others." Rachel Geary is a Registered Acupuncturist, she is registered at The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), and The Association of Community and Multibed Acupuncture Clinic (ACMAC).