High blood pressure: 5 tips for managing it without medication

Reduce your risk of heart disease by making these 5 lifestyle changes.

Being diagnosed with high blood pressure might make you worried about taking medications to lower your numbers. Managing your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle may allow you to avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Here are five ways to stay healthy and lower your blood pressure.

1. Lose weight

Weight gain leads to an increase in blood pressure. Among the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure is weight loss. If you are overweight, even losing a small amount of weight can help lower your blood pressure. With every kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of weight you lose, you typically lower your blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg).

2. Exercise!

Regular physical activity - like 150 minutes a week, or 30 minutes most days of the week - can lower your blood pressure! Consistency is key because if you suddenly stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise. Exercising can prevent the development of hypertension in people with elevated blood pressure. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can help you bring it down to an acceptable level. Aerobic exercise is an effective way to lower blood pressure! Try walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing. The most important thing is finding an exercise that works for you!

3. Maintain a healthy diet

A low-sodium diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. When you have high blood pressure, even a small reduction in sodium in your diet can reduce your blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg. You should limit your sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day. Most adults, however, should consume 1,500 mg of sodium or less per day.

Changing your eating habits is not easy, but these tips can help you:

Keep a food journal. By writing down what you eat for one week, you can gain surprising insight into your eating habits.

Make an eating plan each week. Planning your meals ahead is the key to fast, easy meal preparation.

Avoid sugary drinks and instead drink water. Cans of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch typically contain about 150 calories, almost all of them from added sugar. By drinking one of these sugary drinks a day, and not cutting back elsewhere, you could gain up to 5 pounds in a year.

Avoid adding salt. One level teaspoon is 2,300 mg of sodium. Instead, add flavor to your food by adding herbs or spices.

Reduce processed food consumption. The majority of sodium found in food is added during processing.

4. Quit smoking

In addition to raising your blood pressure and heart rate, nicotine in cigarettes narrows and hardens your arteries, increasing the risk of blood clots. After smoking a cigarette, your blood pressure may stay elevated for several minutes. By quitting smoking, you reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health.

5. Keep an eye on your blood pressure at home.

Keep track of your blood pressure at home, check to see if your lifestyle changes are working, and get alerts to possible health complications. Monitors for your blood pressure are widely available and do not require a prescription. You may want to discuss home monitoring with your primary care provider.