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How to Prevent High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common problem in the United States. With as many as one in four Americans possessing the condition, preventing high blood pressure is an important goal.

Steps to Preventing Hypertension
There are several steps that you can take to prevent high blood pressure. These include:

  • Eating healthy foods
  • Exercising
  • Losing weight
  • Quitting smoking
  • Reducing sodium intake

Healthy Eating
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is one eating plan that tackles the problem of preventing hypertension. It focuses on eating whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts and reducing fats, red meats, sweets and sugared beverages. The following is a list of the particular foods you should eat on the DASH diet:

  • Grains and grain products (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, etc.): 7-8 servings per day
  • Vegetables (raw, leafy and cooked vegetables as well as vegetable juices): 4-5 servings per day
  • Fruits (fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and fruit juices): 4-5 servings per day
  • Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.): 2-3 servings per day
  • Meats, poultry and fish (cooked meats, fish and poultry): 2 servings or less per day
  • Nuts, seeds and dry beans (nuts, seeds, dry beans and peas): 4-5 servings per week
  • Fats and oils (soft margarine, low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing, vegetable oil, etc.): 2-3 servings per week
  • Sweets (sugar, jelly or jam, jelly beans, lemonade, etc.): 5 servings per week

Reducing Salt
Americans often struggle with having too much sodium or salt in their diets. It is recommended that you consume only about one teaspoon of salt per day. Here are some tips on how to prevent hypertension by reducing salt in your diet:

  • Purchase fresh, plain, frozen or canned vegetables with no salt added.
  • Use fresh poultry, fish or lean meat instead of the canned and processed varieties.
  • Use herbs, spices and salt-free seasoning blends for cooking and seasoning.
  • Cook rice, pasta and hot cereals without salt. Limit flavored rice, pasta and cereal mixes.
  • Choose prepared foods that are lower in salt. Limit frozen dinners, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths and salad dressings.
  • Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some salt.
  • Try to buy low-sodium, reduced-sodium or no-salt versions of foods.
  • Choose breakfast cereals lower in sodium.

Lowering your sodium intake helps in preventing high blood pressure.

Losing Weight
Many Americans also battle weight issues. Losing weight is key in preventing hypertension. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat. If you want to lose weight and not have it return, you must institute behavior changes. How do you lose weight and keep it off?

  • Set the right goals. Focus on dietary and exercise changes that lead to long-term weight changes.
  • Develop short-term goals that lead you to the big goal.
  • Reward yourself for meeting goals with a CD, movie, outing, etc.
  • Monitor your caloric intake and keep track of the foods you are eating each day.
  • Learn your eating triggers and try to change the indicators.
  • Learn to eat slower.

Physical Fitness
Exercise is another step in preventing hypertension. Taking 30 minutes each day to exercise is important. Some exercises you can try are walking, bicycling and gardening. You can break down your 30-minute exercise routine into three 10-minute periods too.

Other moderate-level physical activities you can try include:

  • Washing and waxing a car
  • Washing windows or floors
  • Raking leaves
  • Shoveling snow
  • Playing volleyball
  • Jumping rope
  • Dancing
  • Swimming laps

Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is another key in preventing high blood pressure. In addition to preventing hypertension, quitting smoking:

  • Reduces your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
  • Reduces your chances of getting lung cancer, emphysema and other lung diseases.
  • Increases your lung capacity, allowing you to climb stairs and walk without losing your breath.
  • Improves your skin.

Do you need an action plan to stop smoking so you can take a step toward preventing high blood pressure? Try these suggestions:

  • Mentally prepare yourself to quit smoking.
  • Survive the first day.
  • Determine what gives you the desire to smoke.
  • Find new habits.
  • Keep busy.
  • Know what to expect.
  • Ask for help.
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