New Delhi, March 31 -- It runs in the family. My late grandfather, parents and sibling... hypertension has afflicted all. It never occurred to me that I should monitor my blood pressure because of my fairly consistent commitment to exercise. Ironically, the first diagnosis came after a martial arts class. I don't remember much of that experience except for the hammering headache which prevented me from participating. It was 2019 and I was 34.

The cardiologist was confused, I was too young. But, if the recent rise in cardiovascular disease and related deaths among thirty some- things is anything to go by, my case was not an outlier. My diastolic-the micro second state of rest after the heart pumps out blood-was alarmingly high. My brain w...