Jay, I've been lurking and reading your posts for months. I'm a
student pilot but also happen to be a MD. Don't hesitate to treat your
BP with medication. It's highly effective and proven to reduce the
long term risks of hypertension. If you indeed have a strong family
history...all the weight loss and exercise in the world won't
necessarily do it for you (although it can't hurt either). Limit your
sodium intake, exercise regularly, reduce stress, and if you do it,
quit smoking.
There's no inherent personal weakness in having to take medication to
control your blood pressure.
I'm on two meds myself. One other thing...don't rely on just one blood
pressure measurement to determine your course of action. There are
some good home BP units out there...most notably the Omron. Keep a log
of your blood pressure at different times of the day and under
different circumstances. This will help your doc get an idea of your
"true" blood pressure and gauge the effect of any meds he (or she)
puts you on.
Good luck and I hope to fly in to your establishment some day soon!
CPW