Limit alcohol consumption. The recommendation, if you drink alcohol, is no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Exercise and get your heart pumping. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, running, biking, and swimming, will strengthen the heart and promote cardiovascular fitness. If you have tried and failed, try again until you succeed.
Smoking speeds up hardening of the arteries.
Decrease saturated fat and cholesterol. Drink low fat milk, take the skin off poultry and limit red meats. Hot dogs and luncheon meats are often high in fat and sodium. Use liquid oils when possible. If these changes do not lower blood pressure, drug therapy will be necessary.