High Blood Pressure-Living With High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure-Living With High Blood Pressure
Heart-healthy lifestyle changes are important to help control high blood pressure. These changes can help lower your risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
A heart-healthy lifestyle is always important, even if you take medicines too. Some people can even take less medicine after making these changes.
Make these lifestyle changes to help lower your blood pressure and lower your risk for heart attack and stroke:
A heart-healthy lifestyle is always important, even if you take medicines too. Some people can even take less medicine after making these changes.
What changes do you need to make?
Make these lifestyle changes to help lower your blood pressure and lower your risk for heart attack and stroke:
- Lose extra weight. If you are overweight, losing as little as 10 lb (4.5 kg) may lower your blood pressure. It may also allow you to take less blood pressure medicine.
- Eat heart-healthy foods. Getting enough of the nutrients found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products helps lower blood pressure. Use the DASH eating plan as a guide. See the topic High Blood Pressure: Nutrition Tips.
- Get active. Regular physical activity can lower blood pressure in those who have high blood pressure. Try to do moderate activity at least 2½ hours a week. Or try to do vigorous activity at least 1¼ hours a week.
- Don't smoke. Nicotine temporarily increases blood pressure and heart rate with each use. Smoking also causes the arteries to tighten (constrict), which also increases blood pressure. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
- Drink less alcohol. Alcohol increases blood pressure. Drink it in moderation, if at all. That means no more than 2 drinks a day for men or 1 drink a day for women.
- Cut back on sodium.Eating less sodium can help prevent and control high blood pressure. Try to limit the amount of sodium you eat to less than 1,500 mg a day.
- Manage stress. Your blood pressure increases when you are under stress. Relaxation techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation and meditation, may help lower mild high blood pressure. For more information, see the topic Stress Management.
- Check your own blood pressure. A home blood pressure monitor makes it easy to keep track of your blood pressure. Seeing those small improvements can motivate you to keep going with your lifestyle changes.