Preventing High Blood Pressure

Often, high blood pressure can be prevented or lowered by making healthy life choices. For example:

• Focusing on a heart-healthy eating pattern that includes fresh fruits and vegetables (these are often rich in potassium, which is helpful in lowering your blood pressure naturally), lean protein and low-fat dairy. Ask about the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.
• Cutting your salt (sodium) intake by reading food labels and cutting back on processed and grab-and-go, prepared foods.
• Getting regular physical activity like walking to add more steps, gardening, swimming, cycling or strength training. 
• Limiting or not drinking alcohol.
• Keeping a healthy body weight. Lose weight, if needed.
• Quitting (or not starting) smoking or vaping. There are programs and medications to help, so set a date!
• Managing stress. Find stress-busting activities. For example, yoga and meditation have been shown to help lower blood pressure. It’s also important to focus on getting 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep, which can help you better face life’s demands.

In some cases, lifestyle changes may not be enough to get blood pressure to healthy numbers. Medications can be added to help further lower blood pressure. 

Track Your Blood Pressure

Tracking your blood pressure is a key part of managing it. Find out how often you should take and keep a record of your blood pressure readings. Having this information handy can help you and your health care team know what is working and when to adjust your treatment plan.

Other conditions, sometimes called secondary causes, might be triggering high blood pressure and should be taken into consideration. These conditions include sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, certain medications, and adrenal or thyroid disorders.