50% of americans adults have high blood pressure:
New guidelines mean you might have high blood pressure – Nutrition Action
Diet & Exercise
“Far from recommending that everyone who has hypertension get a drug, we have gone to great lengths to say that, first and foremost, the approach has to be dealing with the underlying problem, which is lifestyle,” Whelton explains.
And everyone, regardless of their blood pressure, should adopt a healthy lifestyle.
That starts with a
DASH-like diet—eating more fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, and less refined grains, salt, sugar, and red meat.
And it means moving more. “All forms of exercise, including weight lifting, will lower blood pressure,” says Whelton, “but the best evidence is for aerobic activity.” Aim for 90 to 150 minutes a week of either aerobic activity or resistance (strength) training, or a combination. (Click
here for printer-friendly tips on how diet and exercise can help lower your blood pressure.)