Get your blood pressure checked for free as part of Asda's new initiative

<p>Are you guilty of putting off regular check-ups at the doctors, simply because you haven't got the time? Well Public Health England are here to help and are planning to keep you healthier for longer with their new campaign, One You. Aiming to reduce the risk of preventable deaths (those caused by smoking, drinking and a poor diet), One You offers an easy solution to busy lifestyles with easily accessible online tools to help check how healthy you are. To contribute to Public Health England's new initiative One You, Asda aims to make looking after your health easier by providing FREE blood pressure checks at all of its 255 Asda Pharmacy stores up and down the country*.</p><h2>Why is being aware of your blood pressure so important?</h2><p>Blood pressure is often without symptoms, making it impossible to spot without a test. This means around 1 in 4 people in the UK are sufferers and aren&rsquo;t aware of it. One You is the first campaign of it's kind to remind middle-aged adults that looking after their health as they get older is so important &ndash; and that diseases such as blood pressure are easily preventable. </p><p>Professor Sir Muir Gray, clinical adviser for the One You campaign said, 'Many diseases that impact people&rsquo;s health and shorten their active lives can be prevented. Currently 42% of adults in midlife are living with at least one long-term health condition which increase their risk of early death and disability. Although it has been customary to blame people for their ‘lifestyle&rsquo; we now appreciate that we need to take into account the environmental pressures that make it difficult to make healthy choices, having to sit 8 hours a day at work for example, and then drive an hour home. One You is designed to help every individual identify not only their risks but also the pressures they face in their life and the stress that results, and then support them with personalised tools and advice.'</p><p>Start your fight for a healthy life by taking the free online health quiz, <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/hay#LhWRyxwO3gMTKZMP.97" target="_blank">How Are You</a>, which provides personalised recommendations and directs you to free tools and offers to help you take action. Then don't forget to visit your local Asda Pharmacy for your free Blood Pressure Service today.</p><p><img alt="one-you-blood-pressure-campaign__hero" class="ci-image ci-hero" src="https://ui3.assets-asda.com/dm/one-you-blood-pressure-campaign__hero_GL?scl=1"></p><h2>What exactly is high blood pressure?</h2><p>High blood pressure is the second biggest risk factor for premature death and disability in this country (<a href="http://www.nhsiq.nhs.uk/improvement-programmes/living-longer-lives/cardiovascular-disease-outcomes-strategy/blood-pressure-programme.aspx" target="_blank">nhs.uk</a>). Blood pressure is the pressure your blood places on the walls of your arteries and, while your blood pressure changes naturally during the day, it can easily be raised by things such as stress, exercise, anxiety and emotion. It&rsquo;s important to keep your blood pressure low overall as high blood pressure could cause damage to your blood vessels and increase your risk of heart failure, stroke and kidney damage. </p><h2>How do you keep your blood pressure low?</h2><p>There isn&rsquo;t one particular cause for high blood pressure, but there are a number of factors that can increase your risk, such as being overweight, eating too much salt, drinking too much alcohol or coffee, smoking, not exercising enough, and being overly stressed. Try and keep your blood pressure down by eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, taking time to relax and exercise frequently and by watching your weight.</p><h2>What can Asda do to help?</h2><p>Not only can Asda Pharmacies check your blood pressure for free, the pharmacy team can give you advice on achieving a healthier lifestyle. Asda can help you monitor your blood pressure at home with the large range of Blood Pressure Monitors that are available for purchase.</p><p><img alt="blood-pressure-kit__hero" class="ci-image ci-hero" src="https://ui3.assets-asda.com/dm/blood-pressure-kit__hero_GL?scl=1"></p><p>To make an appointment to see your local Asda pharmacist or make use of any of these services, just ask at the pharmacy counter next time you&rsquo;re in store. You can find your nearest Asda Pharmacy by using the <a href="http://storelocator.asda.com/?utm_source=asdagoodliving&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=community-bloodpressuremontior" target="_blank">store locator</a> tool.</p><p>*Customers not eligible for the free blood pressure checks: pregnant women, anyone under 16 years old and customers with arrhythmias.</p>

Why the Blood Pressure campaign, in partnership with One You, is so important

By Asda Good Living,8th March 2016

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