context: By starting a few new food habits, including counting calories and watching portion sizes, you may be able to lower your blood pressure and reduce the medications you need to control high blood pressure. Here's how. Some people are not aware of how many calories they eat and drink each day. They may underestimate how much they eat and wonder why they can't lose weight. var s_context; s_context= s_context || {}; s_context['wb.modimp'] = 'vidfloat'; Video Transcript American Heart Association: " Saturated Fats," " The Salty Six Infographic. "<br> Mount Sinai: " High Blood Pressure and Diet. "<br> University of California San Francisco: " Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet. "<br> Mayo Clinic: " DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure. "<br> Audio Jungle SPEAKER: Whether you have high blood pressure or want to avoid getting it, cut back on these types of foods to make your heart happier. If it's full of saturated fat take a step back. Eat less butter, whole cheese, regular salad dressing, fried goodies, and fatty meat. Also steer clear of foods with artificial trans fat. This lab-made flavor booster is bad for your heart. Check the label for word like hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Next, avoid sodium overload. There can be lots of it hiding in foods that may not taste super salty, such as bread, cake, and canned veggies. Watch out for the usual sodium suspects too, like pizza, soup, cold cuts, and fast food. Finally, sip smartly if you drink alcohol. Limit yourself to one drink a day if you're a woman and two if you're a man. To take the next step toward better blood pressure, fill up on whole grains, fruits, veggies and lean protein. if(webmd.useragent && webmd.useragent.ua.type === 'desktop'){ webmd.ads2.disable Initial Load(); webmd.ads2.disable Ads Init = true; $(function() { webmd.p.pim.increment(); $('.responsive-video-container').insert After('.module-social-share-container'); require(['video2/1/responsive-player/video-loader'], function(video Loader) { video Loader.init({ autoplay: webmd.useragent.ua.type === 'desktop' && ! !s_sensitive, chron ID: $('article embeded_module[type=video][align=top]:eq(0)').attr('chronic_id'), continuous Play: true, cp Options: { flyout: true }, display Ads: true, mode: 'in-article', sticky: true }) }); }); } else { $(function(){ $('.responsive-video-container').remove(); }); } Writing down the foods you eat, including the portion sizes, can let you see the truth about your food intake. You can then start cutting back -- reducing calories and portions -- to lose weight and manage your blood pressure. Be aware, too, of alcohol intake. Alcohol can increase your blood pressure, as well. A high-sodium diet increases blood pressure in many people. In fact, the less sodium you eat, the better blood pressure control you might have. To lower the sodium in your diet, try these suggestions: Use a food diary to keep track of the salt in the foods you eat. Aim for less than 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon of salt) each day. Ask your doctor if you should go lower, to 1,500 milligrams. Read the nutritional facts label on every food package. Select foods that have 5% or less of the â Daily Valueâ of sodium. Avoid foods that have 20% or more Daily Value of sodium. Avoid canned foods, processed foods, lunch meats, and fast foods. Use salt-free seasonings. Potassium, magnesium, and fiber, on the other hand, may help control blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber, and they're low in sodium. Stick to whole fruits and veggies. Juice is less helpful, because the fiber is removed. Also, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean meats, and poultry are good sources of magnesium. To increase the amounts of natural potassium, magnesium, and fiber you take in, select from the following: apples apricots bananas beet greens broccoli carrots collards green beans dates grapes green peas kale lima beans mangoes melons oranges peaches pineapples potatoes raisins spinach squash strawberries sweet potatoes tangerines tomatoes tuna yogurt (fat-free) Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension ( DASH) is an eating plan rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy. These foods are high in key nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, fiber, and protein. The DASH diet can lower blood pressure because it has less salt and sugar than the typical American diet. The DASH diet cuts out desserts, sweetened beverages, fats, red meat, and processed meats. Women who followed the DASH diet for several years reduced their risks of coronary artery disease and stroke. To start the DASH diet, follow these recommendations (based on 2,000 calories a day): Grains: 7-8 daily servings (serving sizes: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta, 1 ounce dry cereal) Vegetables: 4-5 daily servings (1 cup raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup cooked vegetable) Fruits: 4-5 daily servings (1 medium fruit, 1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 6 ounces fruit juice) Low-fat or fat-free dairy products: 2-3 daily servings (8 ounces milk, 1 cup yogurt, 1.5 ounces cheese) Lean meat, poultry, and fish: 2 or fewer servings a day (3 ounces cooked meat, poultry, or fish) Nuts, seeds, and legumes: 4-5 servings per week (1/3 cup nuts, 2 tablespoons seeds, 1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas) Fats and oils: 2-3 daily servings (1 teaspoon vegetable oil or soft margarine, 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons light salad dressing) Sweets: less than 5 servings per week. (1 tablespoon sugar, jelly, or jam) Ask your doctor or a dietitian to help you start the DASH diet. They can tell you how many calories you need each day to maintain or get to a healthy weight. And then they can help you plan meals with foods you enjoy that meet the DASH guidelines.