Reducing Blood Pressure

Despite Advances in drug treatment, hypertension (high blood

pressure) continues to be a major health problem for Americans and

people in other industrialized countries. More than 25% of all

people in the U.S. who are over 30 have high blood pressure and

more than half of the total U.S. population 60 years old have

hypertension. This disorder has reached epidemic rates for men and

women of all ethnic groups.



Recent research underscores the importance of a healthful lifestyle

including a fitness regimen for both the prevention and treatment

of hypertension. Often, changes in diet and exercise habits are

enough to control blood pressure without medication, especially for

people with mild to moderate blood pressure elevations. Sometimes

diet and exercise can even reduce the need for medication, and

thereby reduce side effects and lower costs.



If you are already taking medication for hypertension, it's

important to discuss your lifestyle changes with your doctor, and

continue taking your medication as prescribed. If lifestyle changes

result in improved blood pressure, your doctor will want to work

closely with you to reduce your dosage in a safe and effective

manner. Following are some of the most important things you can do

to prevent and control hypertension.



Reducing your sodium intake is a major factor. Many people with

hypertension find that reducing sodium intake reduces blood

pressure as well. Learn which foods are high in sodium, and avoid

them as much as possible.



Regular exercise is the most important hypertension-prevention

habit for three reasons:



First, it helps prevent and control hypertension. Formerly sedentary people who begin exercising regularly experience, on average, a drop of six or seven points in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.



Second, active people have lower death rates than their sedentary

friends, even when they have the same blood pressure. Research has

shown that exercise reduces risk for cardiovascular and other

disease. Exercise also helps prevent obesity, another hypertension

risk factor.



Third, regular exercise provides the foundation for successful

behavior change programs. Exercise makes you feel good and feel

positive about yourself. Stress reduction is one of the greatest

benefits of exercise. Stress not only raises blood pressure, but it

makes you less inclined to stick to your positive eating plan, your

smoking cessation program or your decision to cut down on your

alcohol intake.



Eating more fruits, vegetables and grains increases your intake of

important minerals such as calcium and potassium, not to mention

vitamins and fiber. One study found that volunteers consuming a

diet high in these foods and low in fats (such as the diets created

by our on-staff nutritionist) reduced systolic blood pressure by

four points, and diastolic by three points. This small but

significant reduction was accomplished with diet alone. Add

exercise, stress management and weight loss for people who are

overweight, and blood pressure reductions often improve much more.



Eating well and exercising regularly are the cornerstone.



Deprivation programs are out! Don't focus on weight loss; focus on

a healthy lifestyle. A little weight loss may occur by cutting down

on "junk food," eating more fruits, vegetables and grains, and

increasing physical activity. Even a relatively small loss, such as

5 to 10 pounds, can reduce blood pressure. The most important goal

is the development of healthful habits that stay with you for a

lifetime, so that the weight stays off. Weight cycling (repeatedly

losing and regaining weight) may raise your blood pressure and be

harmful to your health.



Reducing stress is another lifelong task. Take a stress management

workshop, develop your sense of humor and read some good books.

Develop coping techniques that increase your resistance to

stress related illness. And don't forget the importance of exercise

for stress reduction.



Limiting your alcohol and caffeine intake will make a profound

difference in your health. You should strive to drink alcohol and

caffeine in moderation, if at all.