And the higher the pressure, the shorter the fuse. High blood pressure is common among U.S. adults. As we age, our blood pressure tends to creep up. It should come as no surprise that heart disease and stroke are two of the top three killers in the United States. The good news is that medication and lifestyle changes can treat and often delay or prevent high blood pressure.
Prevention is the best solution.
Although your genes are important in determining your risk for high blood pressure, all of us, regardless of our race, age, sex or heredity, can lower that risk even further. High Blood Pressure month is a good time to make changes in your eating habits and lifestyle to help lower your risk of becoming a blood pressure statistic. If you're overweight, even a small weight loss can make a big difference in reducing or preventing high blood pressure. Be more physically active. Physical activity helps you lose weight and lowers other risk factors associated with heart disease, such as blood cholesterol levels.