Ways to Control High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is known as the silent killer because it increases the risk for stroke, diabetes and heart disease. It is imperative to maintain your blood pressure at a healthy rate. Simple but non-drastic lifestyle changes can help push hypertension away and keep you out of the hospital.

Exercise Regularly

• Just 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day can help lower your blood pressure. It does not have to be strenuous exercise, either. Sixty minutes of power walking or 30 minutes of jogging or stair stepping is enough to keep you in good health. If you can drop at least 10 lbs., you will not only look better, but your blood pressure will reduce significantly.

Eat a Healthy Diet

• Introduce more fruits and vegetables into your life and throw out those processed foods. Processed foods are infamous for empty calories and an abundance of sodium. The more sodium you ingest every day, the higher your blood pressure will climb. Instead of flavoring your meals with salt, try adding other herbs and spices to the mix. Your food will be healthier and tastier.

  Always read the label before you purchase food. Foods with high-sodium levels are discouraged. Look for foods high in potassium, which lowers the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Bananas are a great source of potassium; eat one every day at breakfast.

Avoid Tobacco and Alcohol

• Tobacco and alcohol products increase your blood pressure and your risk of cancer and other serious health complications. Taper off your consumption instead of quitting cold turkey. Quitting completely increases the chance that you'll come back to the stuff on a binge.

Relax

• How stressed you are plays an important role in your blood pressure level. The higher your stress level, the higher your blood pressure will go. Pinpoint what stresses you out the most and either eliminate it from your life or take measures to reduce its effect on you. If work stresses you out, keep a stress ball in your desk to squeeze whenever you're feeling anxious. Put up pictures of loved ones to help calm you down. Don't bring your work home with you if possible. Create a clear cutoff point from work in your day. Tell yourself that when you're done for the day, you are done for the day.