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PREVENTION
Because we don't know the cause of most cases of high blood pressure, it's hard to say how to prevent it. However, diet and lifestyle changes can be key. You should consider these tips:
Increase the amount of exercise you get: regular aerobic physical activity can enhance weight loss and reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. According to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, you can reduce your blood pressure with moderately intense physical activity, such as a 30 to 60-minute brisk walk most days. If you have cardiac or other serious health issues, you should have a thorough medical evaluation, and perhaps have a cardiac stress test, before beginning any exercise program.
Lose weight: Losing just 10 pounds can help lower your blood pressure. Some obese people also have sleep apnea, in which they stop breathing dozens or hundreds of time a night, snore loudly and suffer from daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea is linked with high blood pressure.
Reduce alcohol consumption: Most men with high blood pressure shouldn't drink more than two drinks per day, and women shouldn't have more than one alcoholic drink per day. A drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or one and a half ounces of 80 proof liquor,
Reduce stress: When you relax, your heart rate slows, which reduces the amount of oxygen your body needs, reducing your pressure.
Quit smoking. Even more than lowering your blood pressure per se, it will reduce your overall cardiovascular disease risk more than any other single move.
Reduce your sodium intake: Salt can cause fluid retention, so don't add salt to foods. Limit sodium intake to no more than 2,400 mg per day -- the amount contained in one teaspoon of salt. Steer clear of processed foods (sauces, mixes and "instant" products such as flavored rice, cereals and pasta). Get in the habit of checking labels for sodium content. If one portion has more than 300 mg, choose a lower-salt brand.
Eat more vegetables that are fresh, frozen without sauce or canned with no salt. Salt substitutes may work for you, but check with your health care professional, as they can be harmful if you have certain medical problems.
Increase dietary potassium: an analysis of several studies indicates that potassium can reduce blood pressure. Bananas are naturally high in potassium and the mineral can also be purchased in supplement form. For people with blood pressure values above optimal levels, NHBPEP recommends increasing your dietary potassium intake to more than 3,500 mg per day - especially important if you have a high sodium intake.
Replace use of regular table salt with natural mineral salt (which contains 41 percent sodium chloride, 41 percent potassium chloride, 17 percent magnesium salts and one percent trace minerals)
Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, and low in saturated and total fat.
You can make all your lifestyle changes at the same time. Studies find the best results come from adopting the DASH diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy products.
Studies suggest that the following may also reduce blood pressure:
- 500 mg per day of vitamin C
- Magnesium supplements (20 mmol per day)
- Relaxation therapy
- Soy milk and other soy products
- A high-fiber diet
- Garlic (one to two cloves of raw garlic per day, one 300 mg dried garlic powder tablet (standardized to 1.3 percent alliin or 0.6 percent allicin yield) two to three times per day, or 7.2 grams of aged garlic extract per day).
However, government guidelines warn that some widely publicized approaches have less proven or uncertain efficacy. Fish oil (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) and calcium supplements lower blood pressure only slightly in those with hypertension. Additionally, herbal and botanical supplements, which get very little scrutiny from the US Food and Drug Administration, have not been proven to safely lower blood pressure and may, in fact, dangerously interact with some medications.
Finally, if you have high blood pressure, be sure to inform your health care professional about all medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs. It is particularly important that you mention drugs such as steroids; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen; nasal decongestants and other cold remedies; appetite suppressants; cyclosporine; erythropoietin; antidepressants; and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors.
You should take care when choosing over-the-counter drugs for colds. Many cold remedies contain decongestants that may raise your blood pressure. These medicines can also interfere with your blood pressure drug's effectiveness. Check with your health care professional before taking any over-the-counter drug if you have high blood pressure.
