You may wonder whether you need to take medication to lower your blood pressure if you have been diagnosed with hypertension. Treatment of hypertension relies heavily on changes in one’s way of life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and controlling blood pressure may help avoid, postpone, or lessen the need for medication. So if you are dealing with high blood pressure McKinney, you can always do something.

Here are some ways to get your blood pressure down:

Move around more

A 2018 meta-analysis of hundreds of research found that regular exercise, even as basic as walking, is equally as effective as routinely used BP medicines for decreasing blood pressure. By building muscle, the heart requires less effort to pump blood. Try to do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise most days. You may keep pushing yourself by increasing your ticker’s time, distance, or weight.

Reduce salt intake

Lowering blood pressure may be as simple as cutting down on salt. Excessive salt intake may cause fluid retention in certain persons. The consequence of this is a dramatic increase in blood pressure. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises keeping your daily sodium consumption to 1,500 to 2,300 mg, or a little more than half a teaspoon of table salt.

Try replacing salt with herbs and spices to cut down on sodium intake. Sodium is often present in high amounts in processed meals. Always check the salt content and opt for lower-sodium options if they are available.

Reduce your alcohol intake

High blood pressure is only one of several chronic health problems that may be made worse by alcohol use. There may be advantages to the heart from drinking alcohol in moderation, but the risks may outweigh this.

One drink per day for women and two per day for men is moderate alcohol intake in the United States. If you find that you drink more than that every week, you may want to cut it down. Drinking alcohol, even in moderation, might cause a dangerous spike in blood pressure.

Get on a nutritious eating plan

As much as 11 mm Hg may help reduce high blood pressure with the help of a diet high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods and minimal in saturated fat and cholesterol. The DASH and Mediterranean diets are two examples of eating programs that may aid blood pressure regulation.

The negative effects of sodium (salt) on blood pressure may be mitigated by increasing dietary potassium intake. Fruits and vegetables, as well as other whole foods, are preferable to potassium supplements. Aim for 3,500 milligrams to 5,000 milligrams daily to achieve a potential 4.5 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) blood pressure reduction. If you want to know how much potassium you should eat, visit your doctor.

Make an effort to reduce your weight

Though easier said than done, this may significantly impact your blood pressure. Reduced resistance to blood flow means less effort required by the heart. You want your heart to be functioning properly, not too hard.

The size of one’s waistline is another indicator of health. If a man’s waist circumference is larger than 40 inches, his risk of hypertension increases, whereas a woman’s risk increases if her waist circumference is greater than 35 inches.

Hypertension that persists for an extended period needs a combination of medical attention and pharmaceutical management, so it is essential to remember that healthy lifestyle modifications like these are only one part of the treatment puzzle. You should see your doctor if you want to know how to reduce your blood pressure.