Do You Have High Blood Pressure? Here’s What You Can Do to Lower It

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is far from uncommon; it affects nearly 120 million adults in the United States. That’s almost half of the adult population.

Though common, high blood pressure isn’t something you should ignore. Left unmanaged, high blood pressure increases your risk of:

Heart disease
Heart attack
Heart failure
Stroke
Vision problems
Kidney failure
Sexual dysfunction

Many people don’t realize they have hypertension until a medical professional tells them because it doesn’t typically cause symptoms. When you visit Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, at his office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, he measures your blood pressure and can develop a treatment plan with you if it’s high.

If you’ve recently learned that you have high blood pressure, now is the time to make healthy changes to lower it. Here’s what you can do:

Stop smoking

A smoking habit might be hard to kick, but your health will thank you. When you smoke, your blood pressure spikes in the moment and its baseline rises over time. Smoking can also contribute to atherosclerosis, or the narrowing of your arteries, which causes blood pressure to increase.

1. Adjust your diet

Dietary adjustments can make a great difference for your blood pressure and overall health. One important recommendation for those with high blood pressure is reducing your sodium (salt) intake.

You can find excessive sodium in many canned and otherwise processed foods. To lower your sodium, avoid adding table salt to your meals and search the grocery aisles for items labeled “low sodium.”

Potassium in your diet can counteract the harmful effects of sodium. You should aim for a well-balanced diet complete with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products to be sure you get the nutrients your body needs.

2. Make fitness a part of your routine

Exercise is essential to maintain a well-functioning body. Regular exercise can help with weight management while also directly helping to lower your blood pressure.

Aim for around 30 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity every day. Strength training a couple of days a week is also important. By focusing on your physical fitness, you can lower your blood pressure and avoid complications like heart disease and heart failure.

3. Manage your stress

Stress management is critical for blood pressure management, but it’s important to find strategies that don’t further increase your blood pressure. Smoking and drinking alcohol may both help you feel less stressed in the moment, but these habits aren’t good for your blood pressure.

Instead, try managing your stress by reading, exercising, getting enough sleep, or meditating.

4. Take medications as needed

Lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure for many people with hypertension, but sometimes you need medications, too. Dr. Graf may prescribe medications for high blood pressure under certain circumstances. If you have a prescription, be sure to take it as instructed to manage high blood pressure.

You can take control of high blood pressure. To know where you stand and to learn more about high blood pressure and how to avoid or reverse it, call Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, or book an appointment online today.