High Blood Pressure

9. Is there any way I can prevent high blood pressure?

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle. For example:

maintain a healthy weight and lose weight if you are overweight or obese
be physically active for at least 2 and one-half hours a week
follow a healthy eating plan like DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, and whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds, and nuts, and choose and prepare foods with less sodium (salt)
if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation (no more than one drink a day for women; no more than two drinks a day for men)
quit smoking, if you smoke
manage stress.