Blood pressure is defined as the force of the blood on the arterial walls. When it is too high, hypertension results, which is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Pre-hypertension is the term used when blood pressure is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as hypertension. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) classifies pre-hypertension as a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg to 139/89 mmHg. Having pre-hypertension means you are likely to develop hypertension in the future; however, there are several ways you can control pre-hypertension and lower blood pressure.
Step 1
Reduce your intake of sodium, which is most often found in packaged or processed foods, fast-foods and table salt. A clinical study analyzing the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan found that reducing sodium intake reduced blood pressure. The greatest results were among those consuming no more than 1,500 mg per day.
Step 2
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. The DASH eating plan suggests consuming four to five servings of fruits and four to five servings of vegetables per day. One serving is equal to 1/2 cup of chopped fruits or vegetables either raw or cooked, or one medium-sized piece of fruit.
Step 3
Choose non-fat or low-fat dairy foods if you are not lactose intolerant. Consult your physician for substitutions based on your health status if you cannot tolerate dairy. The DASH eating plan recommends eating two to three servings of non-fat or low-fat dairy products. One serving is equal to 1 cup of milk or yogurt.
Step 4
Consume a diet lower in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol. Saturated fat and cholesterol come from animal products such as beef, and also packaged baked goods. Reduce your intake of these foods, which will reduce the saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol in your diet. Based on a 2,100-calorie eating plan, the DASH diet recommends no more than 27 percent of calories from total fat and no more than six percent of calories from saturated fat. In addition, cholesterol intake should be no more than 150 mg per day.
Step 5
Lose weight if you are currently overweight or obese. According to the NHLBI, blood pressure increase as weight increases and being overweight increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. Losing a large amount of weight isn't necessary to see improvements in blood pressure; the NHLBI states that losing as few as 10 lb. can help to lower it.
Step 6
Be physically active for 30 minutes most days of the week. Physical activity helps to prevent and control high blood pressure. Choose moderate intensity activities such as walking, biking, gardening and cleaning.
Step 7
Limit your alcohol intake to two drinks per day if you are male and one drink per day if you are female. Excess alcohol intake is associated with elevated blood pressure. One drink is considered 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine or 1.5 oz. of spirits.
Tips and Warnings
- When trying to reduce your blood pressure, the DASH eating plan can be helpful in making decisions on what foods to eat and which foods to reduce or avoid (see References).
- Avoid taking any over-the-counter supplements or herbs which claim to lower blood pressure before discussing them with your doctor. Some of these things can interfere with current medications you may be taking and cause adverse health effects.
