Having high blood pressure can be prevented by eating healthily, maintaining a healthy weight, taking regular exercise, drinking alcohol in moderation and not smoking.
Diet
Cut down on the amount of salt in your food and eat a low-fat diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Alcohol
Regularly drinking alcohol above what the NHS recommends will raise your blood pressure over time.
Caffeine
Drinking more than four cups of coffee a day may increase your blood pressure.
Weight
Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body which can raise your blood pressure.
Exercise
Being active and taking regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition.
Relaxation therapies
Therapies like stress management through meditation or yoga or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) or biofeedback can help reduce blood pressure.
- If you are concerned about high blood pressure, see your GP.
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