Significance

• High blood pressure puts people at risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney failure and even blindness. Therefore, many people use medication as a way to treat this dangerous condition. Although drugs help control the problem, many come with undesirable side effects. Lifestyle changes can help you lower your blood pressure and may even eliminate the need for medications.
  
  

Healthy Habits

• To lower your blood pressure, develop healthy habits:
  Eat more fruits, vegetables and fresh food and less processed food. This can help reduce your intake of sodium, which elevates blood pressure in some people. One reason this happens is because sodium causes the body to retain fluid. This fluid leads to an increased blood volume and the heart has to work harder to pump the blood through the body.
  Incorporate exercise into your day, whether it is a walk, jog or simply being active in a garden or around the house, and maintain a healthy weight.
  Avoid unhealthy habits, such as smoking and excess alcohol consumption. Nicotine constricts blood vessels and raises heart rate which can raise blood pressure. Those who consume excess alcohol have higher blood pressure than those with low-to-moderate intake levels. Limiting your intake could drop your blood pressure by two to four points.
  
  

Effects

• Research shows that simply reducing sodium intake can drop blood pressure by two to eight points. Following a heart healthy diet such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can drop blood pressure by as much as 8 to 14 points. Choosing alternatives, such as a healthy diet, positively influences the cause of high blood pressure so that it can be lowered long term and not just until your next pill. In addition, lifestyle changes not only improve health but can be financially positive by reducing out of pocket costs for medication.
  
  

Considerations

• Elevated blood pressure can also be caused by excess stress. A demanding job, raising a family or a personal crisis can all cause stress and eventually lead to the condition. In addition to taking the alternative steps already mentioned, it is important to learn how to handle stress. Transcendental meditation has been found to be the one of the most effective methods for lowering blood pressure. The technique involves sitting quietly for 20 minutes twice a day with your eyes closed and clearing your mind. This lowers your heart rate and relieves stress, which has a positive influence on your blood pressure.
  
  

Warning

• It is important to consult a medical professional regarding high blood pressure. Dangerously high blood pressure needs to be treated immediately. It may be necessary to take medication while you are making lifestyle changes and then reduce or eliminate the drug after the condition is under control.