High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Lifestyle changes can help you prevent high blood pressure. These changes are especially important for people who have risk factors for high blood pressure that cannot be changed, including family history, race, or age.

Lifestyle changes include:

• Staying at a healthy weight, with a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24.9.
• Reducing sodium in your diet to less than 2,300 mg a day, which is about 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Exercising, such as brisk walking, that raises your heart rate. Aim for at least 2½ hours of moderate exercise a week.
• Limiting alcohol drinks to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women.
• Following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, with reduced amounts of saturated and total fats. For more information, see:

  High blood pressure: Using the DASH diet.