1. Manage your weight
People who fall in the categories of overweight or obesity are at higher risk of health issues, including diabetes. Managing your weight can help lower your blood pressure. A healthy weight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) reading between 18.5 and 24.9.
Striving to keep your BMI in this range can also help improve diabetes. In fact, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), losing as little as 5 to 10 pounds can help lower high blood pressure.
2. Reduce salt intake
Salt can cause your body to hold on to extra fluid. And this can cause blood pressure to creep up in some people. The AHA recommends most adults consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium (salt) daily to help lower blood pressure.
You can keep track of your salt intake by checking the sodium content on nutrition labels. Packaged and restaurant-prepared foods make up 70% of the sodium we eat. So, eating fresh foods and preparing your own meals can help lower your daily salt intake.
3. Follow the DASH diet
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a set of recommendations to help lower blood pressure. The diet recommends:
Plenty of fruits and vegetables
Fiber-filled foods, such as whole grains
Decreased fat intake, especially saturated fats
Decreased salt intake
Research shows that following the DASH diet can lower systolic blood pressure — the top number — over 11 mmHg in people with high blood pressure.
4. Keep active
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