High blood pressure is used to reference a blood pressure rate that's consistently or chronically above recommended health levels. Cases of chronically high blood pressure are fairly common, with estimates of up to one in three adults in the US having chronically elevated blood pressure. What may be the hallmark trait of elevated blood pressure is that it often goes without presenting any sort of clear symptoms. This can lead to persons with high blood pressure being unaware of their status, and consequently not consequently seeking medical advice or treatment.

The more formal term for high blood pressure is hypertension. While hypertension can sometimes be traced to one cause or another, its root cause can also be indistinguishable. A common assumption is that genetics plays some role in elevated blood pressure, and factors of environment certainly play a role as well. For instance, persons who are significantly overweight are more likely to have high blood pressure than persons whose weight is in the normal range. Links have been made between high blood pressure and sodium intake. While some people can tolerate certain amounts of sodium without difficulty, others seem to be especially sensitive to sodium intake as it affects their bodily functions. This is perhaps especially true with the effect of sodium on blood pressure.

While high blood pressure can lead to very serious health consequences and even death, high blood pressure typically responds well to treatment. High blood pressure equally is typically fairly easy to treat. Though not a typical treatment, a technique known as ho'oponopono has been said to have the effect of lowering blood pressure. Ho'oponopono comes from ancient Hawaiian culture, and is based on the notion of problem solving. An updated version of ho'oponopono was developed with the self in mind, as a means of creating physical and emotional harmony and balance.

While there are practitioners of ho'oponopono, there are also detractors of the method. Some ho'oponopono critics claim that ho'oponopono effects are not based on solid evidence and are more akin to spiritual faith. Even with that, studies have been conducted that indicate a strong correlation between using the ho'oponopono technique and achieving enhanced health results, including a lowering of blood pressure. The mechanics by which ho'oponopono may affect high blood pressure isn't fully understood, but it may be linked to the calming that ho'oponopono practitioners seem to feel.

None of this is to say that ho'oponopono should be seen as a substitute for traditional medical care when it comes to high blood pressure. Taking on high blood pressure should involve every possible medical availability. Perhaps, one of those means may also be practicing ho'oponopono.