Lifestyle Changes

The Centers for Disease Control recommends doing the following to prevent high blood pressure: [5]

• Choose healthy meals and snacks that include fresh fruit and vegetables and avoid foods high in salt.

• If you smoke, try quitting. Smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. If you’re struggling to quit, talk to your health care provider for help.

• Make a habit of checking your blood pressure at the Higi Station. High blood pressure often occurs with no symptoms, so only blood pressure readings will tell you if your blood pressure is on the rise.

• Get active and stay at a healthy weight. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise – like a brisk walk – every week. That’s about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Other types of exercise you could try are jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing.

• Don’t drink too much alcohol. Men should have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, and women should have no more than 1 alcoholic drink a day.