Lifestyle
changes can help you control and prevent high blood pressure, even if you're
taking blood pressure medication. Here's what you can do:
Eat
healthy foods
Eat a healthy diet. Try the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
(DASH) diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish
and low-fat dairy foods. Get plenty of potassium, which can help prevent and
control high blood pressure. Eat less saturated fat and trans fat.
Decrease
the salt in your diet
A lower sodium level — 1,500 milligrams (mg) a day
— is appropriate for people 51 years of age or older, and individuals of any
age who are black or who have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Otherwise
healthy people can aim for 2,300 mg a day or less. While you can reduce the
amount of salt you eat by putting down the saltshaker, you generally should
also pay attention to the amount of salt that's in the processed foods you eat,
such as canned soups or frozen dinners.
Maintain
a healthy weight
Keeping a healthy weight, or losing weight if you're
overweight or obese, can help you control your high blood pressure and lower
your risk of related health problems. If you're overweight, losing even 5
pounds (2.3 kilograms) can lower your blood pressure.
Increase
physical activity
Regular physical activity can help lower your blood
pressure, manage stress, reduce your risk of several health problems and keep
your weight under control.
For most
healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you
get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a
week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination or moderate and vigorous
activity. Aim to do muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week.
Limit
alcohol
Even if you're healthy, alcohol can raise your blood pressure. If
you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that
means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65,
and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger. One drink equals 12
ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
Don't
smoke
Tobacco injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of
hardening of the arteries. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit.
Manage
stress. Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice healthy coping
techniques, such as muscle relaxation, deep breathing or meditation. Getting
regular physical activity and plenty of sleep can help, too.
Monitor
your blood pressure at home
Home blood pressure monitoring can help you
keep closer tabs on your blood pressure, show if medication is working, and
even alert you and your doctor to potential complications. Home blood pressure
monitoring isn't a substitute for visits to your doctor, and home blood
pressure monitors may have some limitations. Even if you get normal readings,
don't stop or change your medications or alter your diet without talking to
your doctor first.
If your
blood pressure is under control, you may be able to make fewer visits to your
doctor if you monitor your blood pressure at home.
Practice
relaxation or slow, deep breathing
Practice taking deep, slow breaths to
help relax. There are some devices available that promote slow, deep breathing.
However, it's questionable whether these devices have a significant effect on
lowering your blood pressure.
Control
blood pressure during pregnancy
If you're a woman with high blood
pressure, discuss with your doctor how to control your blood pressure during
pregnancy.
Labels: Home Remedies For High Blood Pressure(Hypertension)
