Using fresh vegetables with strong flavours also helps. Besides making you feel and look better, walking for half an hour a day can help reduce blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight. Physically active people are less likely to develop high blood pressure or heart and artery disease. This may also be because exercise and activity can help reduce stress - some doctors believe that too much stress can also increase the risk of high blood pressure. Quit smoking This can add years to your life.
Smoking is one of the main risk factors for both stroke and heart disease.
Be Careful with Alcohol and Medication. Binge drinking and excessive drinking will increase blood pressure. Some drugs such as those for hayfever, colds and other minor problems may also cause blood pressure to rise - ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Now is a good time to start changing your lifestyle, that's if you haven't already. It's also a good opportunity to ask your doctor to check your blood pressure if you haven't done so recently.