Are you someone who struggles with high blood pressure? Have you ever wondered if medication the only way to bring the numbers down? While for some medication might be necessary, your lifestyle can play a vital role in treating high blood pressure.

By making changes to how you live your life, you may be able to prevent, delay or even reduce the need for medication when it comes to lowering your blood pressure. Here are some lifestyle changes that can lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

Lose the extra pounds and watch your waistline.
Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes you can do for controlling your blood pressure. If you are overweight or have obesity, losing even a small amount of weight can help reduce blood pressure.

Exercise regularly.
Regular physical activity can lower high blood pressure, but it is important to keep exercising to keep your blood pressure from rising again. A good goal would be to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you suffer from elevated blood pressure, exercise can keep your blood pressure from turning into hypertension.

Eat a Healthy Diet.
Eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fat and cholesterol can lower high blood pressure. Even a small reduction of sodium in your diet can improve heart health and reduce high blood pressure.

Monitor your blood pressure at home and get regular checkups.
By monitoring your blood pressure at home you can keep tabs on your blood pressure and helps you to see if your medications or lifestyle changes are working. Regular visits with your provider is also key to controlling blood pressure.

Talk to your primary care provider if you are concerned about high blood pressure, they can connect you with resources to understand your risk of developing high blood pressure or other forms of heart disease.

Don’t have a primary care provider?
Riverside Healthcare has over 40 primary care providers to choose from, find a provider today at riversidehealthcare.org/primarycare