10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication

10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
By Mayo Clinic staff

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Article:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00027/?utm_source=FeaturedTopic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HouseCall&pubDate=May%2010,%202010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Causes (1)Stress and high blood pressure: What's the connection?Complications (5)Brain aneurysmObesityEnlarged heartsee all in ComplicationsLifestyle and home remedies (9)10 ways to control high blood pressure without medicationStress and high blood pressure: What's the connection?Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressuresee all in Lifestyle and home remediesPrevention (1)Main attraction: 10 vegetable main dishesRisk factors (2)HyperparathyroidismBirth control pill FAQ: Benefits, risks and choicesSymptoms (1)Symptom CheckerTests and diagnosis (3)Blood pressure chart: What your reading meansBlood pressure testMicroalbumin testTreatments and drugs (10)Alpha blockersCentral-acting agentsBeta blockerssee all in Treatments and drugsMayo Clinic Health ManagerGet free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started FreeE-NewslettersSubscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters
HousecallAlzheimer's caregivingLiving with cancer close window About our e-newslettersFree e-newslettersMayo Clinic expertiseWe do not share your e-mail addressHousecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.

Housecall Archives RSS Feeds close window Mayo Clinic HousecallStay up to date on the latest health information.What you getFree weekly e-newsletterMayo Clinic expertiseRecipes, tools and other helpful informationWe do not share your e-mail addressSign upView past issues
10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
You don't always need prescription medications to lower your blood pressure. By making these 10 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.
By Mayo Clinic staff

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure — the top number — of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure — the bottom number — of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down.

Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline
Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing just 10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, the more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure. Losing weight also makes any blood pressure medications you're taking more effective. You and your doctor can determine your target weight and the best way to achieve it.

Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. In general:

■Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters, or cm).
■Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88 cm).
■Asian men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 36 inches (90 cm).
■Asian women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 32 inches (80 cm).
2. Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity — at least 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). And it doesn't take long to see a difference. If you haven't been active, increasing your exercise level can lower your blood pressure within just a few weeks.

If you have prehypertension (systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89), exercise can help you avoid developing full-blown hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Your doctor can help determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 10 minutes at a time, such as walking and light strength training, can help.

But avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity isn't a good strategy. Those sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky.

3. Eat a healthy diet
Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:

■Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
■Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you.
■Be a smart shopper. Make a shopping list before heading to the supermarket to avoid picking up junk food. Read food labels when you shop, and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.
■Cut yourself some slack. Although the DASH diet is a lifelong eating guide, it doesn't mean you have to cut out all of the foods you love. It's OK to treat yourself occasionally to foods you wouldn't find on a DASH diet menu, like a candy bar or mashed potatoes with gravy.
4. Reduce sodium in your diet
Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. Most healthy adults need only between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. But if you have high blood pressure, aim for less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:

■Track how much salt is in your diet. Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day.
■Read food labels. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy.
■Eat fewer processed foods. Potato chips, frozen dinners, bacon and processed lunch meats are high in sodium.
■Don't add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices, rather than salt, to add more flavor to your foods.
■Ease into it. If you don't feel like you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.
5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for men. Also, if you don't normally drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure. There's more potential harm than benefit to drinking alcohol.

If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications.

■Track your drinking patterns. Along with your food diary, keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns. One drink equals 12 ounces (355 milliliters, or mL) of beer, 5 ounces of wine (148 mL) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor (45 mL). If you're drinking more than the suggested amounts, cut back.
■Consider tapering off. If you're a heavy drinker, suddenly eliminating all alcohol can actually trigger severe high blood pressure for several days. So when you stop drinking, do it with the supervision of your doctor or taper off slowly, over one to two weeks.
■Don't binge. Binge drinking — having four or more drinks in a row — can cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems.
6. Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke
On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high.

You should also avoid secondhand smoke. Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

7. Cut back on caffeine
The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in your blood pressure, but it's unclear whether the effect is temporary or long lasting.

To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.

Regardless of your sensitivity to caffeine's effects, doctors recommend you drink no more than 200 milligrams a day — about the amount in two cups of coffee.

8. Reduce your stress
Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation. If self-help doesn't work, seek out a professional for counseling.

9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and make regular doctor's appointments
If you have high blood pressure, you may need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learning to self-monitor your blood pressure with an upper arm monitor can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before getting started.

Regular visits to your doctor are also likely to become a part of your normal routine. These visits will help keep tabs on your blood pressure.

■Have a primary care doctor. People who don't have a primary care doctor find it harder to control their blood pressure. If you can, visit the same health care facility or professional for all of your health care needs.
■Visit your doctor regularly. If your blood pressure isn't well controlled, or if you have other medical problems, you might need to visit your doctor every month to review your treatment and make adjustments. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have.
10. Get support from family and friends
Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of high blood pressure.

If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

See AlsoHand Scheduled
Section Focus Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?Stress and high blood pressure: What's the connection?Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressureHigh blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?Weightlifting: Bad for your blood pressure?Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?Get the most out of home blood pressure monitoringLow-sodium recipesVideo: What is blood pressure?Video: How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitorVideo: How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitorDASH diet: Top 5 tips for dining outShaking the salt habitWater softeners: How much sodium do they add?DASH diet: Top 5 tips for shopping and cookingHealthy chocolate — Dream or reality?Blog: Pass the salt, pleaseSample menus for the DASH eating planDASH diet: Guide to recommended servingsDASH diet recipesDASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure
Related Links Secondary hypertensionPrehypertension
Related Guides
Children High blood pressure in children
Parent
References

•Chobanian AV, et al. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. New England Journal of Medicine. 2003;289:2560.•Flint AJ, et al. Body mass index, waist circumference, and risk of coronary artery disease: A prospective study among men and women. Obesity Research and Clinical Practice. In press. Accessed March 16, 2010.•Your guide to lowering blood pressure with DASH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf. Accessed March 9, 2010.•Forman JP, et al. Diet and lifestyle risk factors associated with incident hypertension in women. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009;302:401.•Haskell WL, et al. Physical activity and public health: Updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2007;116:1081.•Chase NL, et al. The association of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity with incidence of hypertension in men. American Journal of Hypertension. 2009;22:417.•Reduce salt and sodium in your diet. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/sodium/sodium.htm. Accessed March 16, 2010.•Quitting smoking. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/q_smoke/q_smoke.htm. Accessed March 16, 2010.•Jefferis BJ, et al. Secondhand smoke (SHS) is associated with circulating markers of inflammation and endothelial function in adult men and women. Atherosclerosis. 2009;208:550.•Limit alcohol intake. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/sodium/sodium.htm. Accessed March 16, 2010.•Sparrenberger F, et al. Does psychosocial stress cause hypertension? A systematic review of observational studies. Journal of Human Hypertension. 2009;23:12.•Uiterwaal CS, et al. Coffee intake and incidence of hypertension. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;85:718.•Home blood pressure monitoring. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=576. Accessed March 9, 2010.HI00027
May 1, 2010

© 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
Print Share Reprints
close window E-mail this page* Required fields
* Recipient's e-mail address * Your name * Your e-mail Clicking "send" signifies that you have read and agree to our privacy policy.

Share this on ...StumbleUponDiggdel.icio.usFacebookMySpace
Link to this pageTo link to this page, copy this HTML and paste it onto your Web page. 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
Guidelines for sites linking to MayoClinic.com Advertisement
Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.

Try Mayo Clinic Health Letter free!Mayo Clinic Essential Guide to Prostate HealthMayo Clinic Preventing & Treating OsteoporosisGet your free trial issue of Women's HealthSource!NOW AVAILABLE! — The Mayo Clinic Diet book
Advertising and sponsorship policyAdvertising and sponsorship opportunities


MayoClinic.comAbout this siteSite helpContact usE-newsletterBlogsPodcastsSlide showsVideosSite mapReprints and permissions
Find Mayo Clinic onFacebookTwitterYouTubePrivacy policy (Updated April 8, 2010) Terms and conditions of use policy (Updated April 8, 2010)
LEGAL CONDITIONS AND TERMS OF USE APPLICABLE TO ALL USERS OF THIS SITE. ANY USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES YOUR AGREEMENT TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE.
© 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.


MayoClinic.comMay 11, 2010
return to home
Appointments|Jobs| About Mayo Clinic
MayoClinic.com BookstoreMedical ServicesHealth InformationEducation and Research
Text Size: smaller largerlarger