How Can I Prevent High Blood Pressure? Having a balanced and healthy diet with low salt intake, getting regular exercises, maintaining an ideal body weight and not smoking Consider these tips:

• Stop Smoking: Contact your health professional to help you QUIT
Stop Smoking.
• EAT HEALTHY:A healthy diet is an important step in keeping your blood pressure normal. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) emphasizes adding fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet while reducing the amount of sodium. DASH diet makes it easier for you to eat less salt and sodium.
• MAINTAIN YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT: Being overweight increases your blood pressure, therefore losing excess weight with diet and exercise will help lower your blood pressure to healthier levels.
• CUT DOWN ON SALT: The recommendation for salt in your diet is to have 1.5g salt a day (equal to about one teaspoon). To prevent hypertension, you should keep your salt intake below this level. Most fast food, processed food and restaurant foods will contain high levels of salt.
• EXERCISE: Avoid being physically inactive. Simple exercises such as stretching, walking, can help lower your blood pressure (and your weight
• LIMIT ALCOHOL: Reduce your alcohol consumption and only drink occasionally if needed