What was the result? For children and teens, the bllood care maintenwnce compares the blood pressure reading to what is normal for other kids who are the same age, height, and gender. Blood pressure measurement.

Heart-healthy habits for blood pressure maintenance -

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You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Why is regular exercise good for you? Having additional body weight puts a strain on the heart and the cardiovascular system.

This can raise blood pressure. If your body mass index BMI is 25 or over, losing 5—10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure.

It can also lower the risk of other health problems. Get some tips on losing weight here. Restricting sugar and refined carbohydrates may help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure. People with overweight or obesity who followed low carb and low fat diets saw their diastolic blood pressure fall by an average of about 5 mm Hg and their systolic blood pressure by 3 mm Hg after 6 months.

What is the difference between diastolic and systolic blood pressure? Is it safe to follow a no-carb diet? Increasing your potassium intake and cutting back on salt can help lower your blood pressure. A high salt intake can increase the risk of blood pressure, while reducing salt intake lowers it.

Potassium helps the body eliminate salt and eases tension in your blood vessels. High potassium foods include:. However, a high potassium intake may be harmful to people with kidney disease , so talk with your doctor before increasing your potassium intake.

Nutrition labels can help you decide which foods to eat and which to avoid. What effects does potassium have on the body? The National Institutes of Health recommend the DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension as a heart-healthy option.

The DASH diet emphasizes:. What are some heart-healthy foods? Processed foods are often high in salt, added sugar, and unhealthy fats. They may lead to weight gain.

All these factors can contribute high blood pressure. Foods labeled low fat may be high in salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of fat. Fat is what gives food taste and makes you feel full. Eating less processed food will help you eat less salt, less sugar, and fewer refined carbohydrates.

All of this can result in lower blood pressure. Smoking can affect your all-around health, including your blood pressure. One study showed that nonsmokers in areas with smoke-free restaurants, bars, and workplaces had lower blood pressure than nonsmokers in areas without smoke-free policies.

Get some tips here for stopping smoking. Finding ways to manage stress is important for your health and your blood pressure.

Ways of relieving stress depend on the individual but can include:. Get some tips here for relieving stress. Cacao contains flavonoids, an antioxidant that may help lower blood pressure. These flavonoids may help dilate, or widen, your blood vessels.

However, the American Heart Association notes that while eating a little dark chocolate is unlikely to be harmful, the amount a person is likely to eat per day will probably not provide enough flavonoids to produce health benefits.

Does dark chocolate have other benefits? Some herbal medicines may help lower blood pressure. However, more research is needed to identify the doses and components in the herbs that are most useful. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements.

They may interfere with your prescription medications. Learn more about herbal remedies for high blood pressure. Sleep deprivation may increase the risk of high blood pressure. Tips for sleeping well include :. Get some tips on sleeping well.

Fresh garlic or garlic extract may help lower blood pressure. One review found that for people with high blood pressure, garlic supplements reduced their systolic blood pressure by up to about 5 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure by up to 2.

Can you eat raw garlic? Previous studies had already suggested that consuming protein may lower blood pressure in the short term. High-protein foods include:. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods.

Find healthy, seasonal recipes on the Million Hearts ® Recipes for a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle page. People with overweight or obesity have a higher risk for heart disease. Carrying extra weight can put extra stress on the heart and blood vessels.

Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. For adults, the Surgeon General recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking or bicycling, every week. Children and adolescents should get 1 hour of physical activity every day.

Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your doctor can suggest ways to help you quit. If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you can take steps to lower your risk for heart disease.

Your health care team should test your blood levels of cholesterol at least once every 4 to 6 years. If you have already been diagnosed with high cholesterol or have a family history of the condition, you may need to have your cholesterol checked more often. Talk with your health care team about this simple blood test.

If you have high cholesterol, medicines and lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk for heart disease.

High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so have it checked on a regular basis. Your health care team should measure your blood pressure at least once every 2 years if you have never had high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, your health care team will measure your blood pressure more often to make sure you have the condition under control.

Talk with your health care team about how often you should check your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, your health care team might recommend some changes in your lifestyle, such as lowering the sodium in your diet; your doctor may also prescribe medicine to help lower your blood pressure.

If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels carefully.

Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida Hsart-healthy Minnesota and at Maintenacne Clinic Health System locations. By making these 10 blod changes, you can Hydration and skin health your blood pressure Heart-heqlthy Hydration and skin health Boosting athletic performance naturally risk of heart disease. If you have high blood pressure, you may wonder if medication is necessary to bring the numbers down. But lifestyle plays a vital role in treating high blood pressure. Controlling blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle might prevent, delay or reduce the need for medication. Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep sleep apneawhich further raises blood pressure. Sleep, stress, and diet maintenancce play Hydration and skin health important Heart-healthy habits for blood pressure maintenance in treating hypertension. Hypertensionor high Targeted fat burning exercises for specific areas pressure, is prssure the prressure of many pressyre. Bhalla says. But what we use to get there depends on the person. Maintaining a healthy blood pressure for life will require multiple steps, he adds. Sodium, or salt, increases blood pressure by causing the body to retain fluid, which puts strain on the heart and blood vessels, according to the American Heart Association AHA.