What Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent and Treat High Blood Pressure?
From WebMD.com
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To treat and help prevent high blood pressure:
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Changing Eating Habits
Lifestyle modification is the preferred treatment of metabolic syndrome. Weight reduction usually requires a specifically tailored, multifaceted program that includes diet and exercise. Medications also may be useful.
Diets come and go, but more recently, experts recommend the Mediterranean diet -- one that is rich in "good" fats (olive oil) and contains a reasonable amount of carbohydrates and proteins (such as from fish and chicken).
The Mediterranean diet is palatable and easy to maintain. In addition, recent studies have shown that when compared to a low-fat diet, people on the Mediterranean diet have a greater decrease in body weight and greater improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other markers of heart disease, all of which are important in evaluating and treating metabolic syndrome.
Adopting an Exercise Plan
A sustainable exercise program -- for example, 30 minutes a day 5 days a week -- is reasonable as a starting point, providing there is no medical reason you can't. If you have any special concerns in this regard, check with your doctor first. Exercise has a beneficial effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity, regardless of whether you lose weight. In itself, exercise is helpful in treating metabolic syndrome.
Lifestyle modification is the preferred treatment of metabolic syndrome. Weight reduction usually requires a specifically tailored, multifaceted program that includes diet and exercise. Medications also may be useful.
Diets come and go, but more recently, experts recommend the Mediterranean diet -- one that is rich in "good" fats (olive oil) and contains a reasonable amount of carbohydrates and proteins (such as from fish and chicken).
The Mediterranean diet is palatable and easy to maintain. In addition, recent studies have shown that when compared to a low-fat diet, people on the Mediterranean diet have a greater decrease in body weight and greater improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other markers of heart disease, all of which are important in evaluating and treating metabolic syndrome.
Adopting an Exercise Plan
A sustainable exercise program -- for example, 30 minutes a day 5 days a week -- is reasonable as a starting point, providing there is no medical reason you can't. If you have any special concerns in this regard, check with your doctor first. Exercise has a beneficial effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity, regardless of whether you lose weight. In itself, exercise is helpful in treating metabolic syndrome.