| The following strategies may help to prevent | | | | also have sleep apnea, in which they stop |
| high blood pressure and organ damage it may | | | | breathing dozens or hundreds of time a night, |
| cause. | | | | snore loudly and suffer from daytime |
| | | | sleepiness. Sleep apnea is linked with high |
| Decrease salt (sodium) intake: Read food | | | | blood pressure. |
| labels so you know the salt content before | | | | |
| you buy a product in the grocery store. | | | | Reduce alcohol consumption: Most men with |
| | | | high blood pressure shouldn't drink more than |
| Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, canned | | | | two drinks per day, and women shouldn't have |
| soups, broths and salad dressings, which are | | | | more than one alcoholic drink per day. A |
| high in sodium. | | | | drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, five |
| | | | ounces of wine or one and a half ounces of 80 |
| Eat more vegetables that are fresh, frozen | | | | proof liquor, |
| without sauce or canned with no salt. Salt | | | | |
| substitutes may work for you, but check with | | | | Talk to your doctor. You and your doctor can |
| your health care professional, as they can be | | | | determine your target weight and the best way |
| harmful if you have certain medical problems. | | | | to achieve it. |
| | | | |
| Increase dietary potassium: an analysis of | | | | Avoid questionable products. Don't be lured |
| several studies indicates that potassium can | | | | by promises of easy fixes with |
| reduce blood pressure. Bananas are naturally | | | | over-the-counter diet products or supplements |
| high in potassium and the mineral can also be | | | | that can actually harm you, such as those |
| purchased in supplement form. For people with | | | | containing ephedra. |
| blood pressure values above optimal levels, | | | | |
| NHBPEP recommends increasing your dietary | | | | Don't use any tobacco. That includes pipes, |
| potassium intake to more than 3,500 mg per | | | | cigars, chewing tobacco and other forms of |
| day - especially important if you have a high | | | | tobacco, not just cigarettes. The combination |
| sodium intake. | | | | of high blood pressure and tobacco use |
| | | | increases your risk of having a heart attack |
| If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. If | | | | or stroke. Once you stop smoking, your blood |
| you have no more than 2 drinks a day, your | | | | pressure may drop by a few points. Although |
| risk of high blood pressure is low. | | | | that might not seem like much, you'll also |
| | | | reap the other health benefits of stopping, |
| Other things too may help prevent | | | | such as reducing your risk of lung cancer. |
| hypertension, like calcium, potassium, fish | | | | |
| oils, magnesium and stress management. | | | | Reduce your stressors. Once you know what's |
| | | | causing you stress, see which stressors you |
| Set aside some time every day to relax. | | | | can eliminate or reduce. For instance, if you |
| Stress can cause blood pressure to rise - in | | | | typically say yes to each favor asked of you, |
| the short-term, at least. | | | | start saying no to some requests. If you get |
| | | | stuck putting in overtime every day, talk to |
| Lose weight: Losing just 10 pounds can help | | | | your supervisor about a more balanced |
| lower your blood pressure. Some obese people | | | | workload. |