Your high blood pressure should be assessed by your doctor at least once a year, though more frequent consultations may be recommended in some cases. Mildly-elevated blood pressure may normalize when you lose weight, exercise more and reduce your salt intake.
Here are some things you can do to reduce your blood pressure without resorting to medication. By making these 7 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure for good.
1. Lose weight and drop some inches
Blood pressure tends to increase as weight increases and being overweight also can cause breathing issues which can raise your blood pressure even further.
Weight loss is the best lifestyle changes in the fight to control blood pressure. Losing even a small amount of weight if you’re overweight or obese can help reduce your blood pressure significantly.
As well as being overweight, carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure so if you want to get those numbers down, shed those inches.
2. Walk and exercise regularly
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure.
Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.
In fact, getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, can help lower blood pressure and improve heart health
Additionally, some research suggests that doing more exercise than this reduces your blood pressure even further
Bottom line: Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. Getting more exercise helps reduce it even further.
3. Eat healthy
Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure.
Here are some tips that will ease you into eating a healthy diet:
Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that’s best for you.
Be a smart shopper. Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you’re dining out, too.
4. Reduce your salt intake
Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can improve your heart health and reduce blood pressure.
To effectively cut down on your sodium intake:
Read food labels. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy.
Eat fewer processed foods. Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing.
Don’t add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices to add flavor to your food.
5. Drink less alcohol
Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of several chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure.
While some research has suggested that low to moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart, those benefits may be offset by adverse effects.
In the United States, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink per day for females and two drinks per day for males. If you drink more than that, it might be best to consider reducing your intake.
Bottom line: Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Therefore, it’s best to moderate your intake.
6. Stop smoking
Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Stopping smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal.
Stopping smoking altogether greatly reduces your risk of heart disease and is better for your health in general.
7. Cut out the caffeine
If you’ve ever downed a cup of coffee before you’ve had your blood pressure taken, you’ll know that caffeine causes an instant boost.
However, there’s not much evidence to suggest that drinking caffeine regularly can cause a lasting increase.
In fact, people who drink caffeinated coffee or tea tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, than those who do not drink it.
Still, if you suspect you’re sensitive to the effects of caffeine, consider cutting back to see if it lowers your blood pressure.
Bottom line: Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure. However, for many people, it does not cause a lasting increase.
