Losing weight also makes the blood pressure medications you are taking more effective. You and your doctor can determine your target weight and the best way to achieve this. Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure.
In general: Men are at risk if your waist measures more than 40 inches (102 centimeters, or cm).
Women are at risk if your waist measures more than 35 inches (89 cm).
Asian men are at risk if your waist measures more than 36 inches (91 cm).
Asian women are at risk if your waist measures more than 32 inches.
If you have pre-hypertension - systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89 - exercise can help prevent the development of hypertension in the making. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can lower blood pressure to safer levels.
Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Your doctor can help you determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 10 minutes at a time, such as walking and light strength training, can help.
But avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity is not a good strategy. These sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky.
It is not easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:
Keep a food diary. Write what you eat, if only for 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 is best for you.
Be a smart shopper. Make a shopping list before going to the supermarket to avoid picking up junk food. Read food labels when you go shopping and stick to your healthy eating plan when you're dining out, too.
Cut yourself some slack. Although the DASH diet is an eating guide for life, that does not mean you have to cut out all the foods you love. It's OK to treat yourself occasionally to foods you will not find on a DASH diet menu, like a candy bar or mashed potatoes with gravy.
Limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less.
A lower sodium level - 1,500 mg a day or less - is suitable for people aged 51 and older and people of any age who are African American or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
To reduce the sodium in your diet, consider these tips: Tracking the amount of salt in your diet. Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day.
Read the food labels. If possible, choose alternatives with low sodium content of foods and beverages you normally buy.
Eat less processed foods. Potato chips, frozen dinners, bacon and processed meats are high in sodium.
Do not add salt. Only 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs and spices instead of salt to add more flavor to your meals.
Ease into it. If you do not feel you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, gradually reduce. Your palate will adjust over time.