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1. Eat less salt

If you haven’t been diagnosed with hypertension, there’s debate about whether your salt intake actually impacts your blood pressure. If you’ve already been diagnosed with hypertension, though, listen up!

“Cutting your salt intake is probably the most important way to lower your blood pressure,” Dr. Laffin says. “In fact, studies show that a low-sodium diet has the same effect as one and a half to two blood pressure medications.”

The average American consumes 3,500 mg of sodium a day, which is more than double the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendation of no more than 1,500 mg (or about one teaspoon) of salt per day. Because this amount is so strict, though, Cleveland Clinic providers set the limit at 2,300 mg.

“The AHA recommendation is an aspirational goal,” Dr. Laffin says. “If you can get there without changing your diet a radical amount and being miserable, that’s great — but getting to 2,300 milligrams or less can go a long way.”

Sodium is hidden in many foods, so avoiding it can be difficult, but it’s doable. Choosing smart salt substitutes like potassium chloride can help. It takes about 10 to 14 days to adjust to a low-sodium diet, and then some foods will begin to taste too salty for you.

IMPACT: Lowering your sodium intake from a whopping 3,500 mg to a much more moderate 2,300 mg should drop your blood pressure by 2 to 3 mmHg. Limiting your sodium intake to the AHA’s recommend stricter 1,500 mg a day should drop your blood pressure by 5 or 6 mmHg.

2. Consume more potassium

Potassium can help lower your blood pressure because it gives your kidneys an assist in getting rid of excess sodium. And as you’ve just learned, lower sodium levels mean lower blood pressure levels.

“Potassium is the inverse of sodium,” Dr. Laffin explains. “Too much sodium increases blood pressure, and too little potassium increases blood pressure.”

A diet that’s high in fast food, processed food, carbohydrates, potatoes and meat is a diet that’s likely to be low in potassium, which contributes to high blood pressure. Instead, try to take in 3,000 to 3,500 mg of potassium per day by eating foods like:

• Bananas.
• Tomatoes.
• Avocados.
• Cantaloupe.
• Carrots.
• Grapefruit.
• Kiwi.
• Lima beans.
• Nectarines.
• Spinach.

There’s a big caveat here, though: If you have kidney disease, be careful not to consume too much potassium, as your kidneys may not be able to get rid of it.

IMPACT: If you have hypertension, increasing your potassium intake to recommended levels should drop your blood pressure by 4 to 5 mmHg.

3. Adopt the DASH diet

The DASH diet — which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — was created specifically to lower blood pressure. In fact, the research into this diet is so positive that it’s now considered one of the most important non-pharmaceutical measures for controlling hypertension.

“The DASH diet is a really balanced diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and can be done in combination with a low-sodium diet,” Dr. Laffin says. “It can be really helpful in lowering your blood pressure, especially when you work with a dietitian or nutritionist to drill down on the basics.”

People who adopt the DASH diet usually meet low-sodium and high-potassium guidelines, and may lose weight, too.

IMPACT: Following the DASH diet can drop systolic pressure up to 11 mmHg — and it can do it in just a few weeks. And that’s not the only major benefit: It could also lower your risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer and metabolic syndrome.

4. Get physical

Darn it, desk jobs. “Being sedentary — meaning you’re not physically active — can increase blood pressure,” Dr. Laffin warns. So cue up the Olivia Newton-John because it’s time to get physical!

Exercise, especially aerobic activity, is incredibly effective in reducing blood pressure. It forces your blood vessels to expand and contract, which keeps them flexible. It also increases blood flow and encourages the creation of new blood vessels, among other benefits.

Other options include dynamic resistance exercises (like bicep curls with weights) and isometric resistance exercises (like wall push-ups). They have the potential to lower your blood pressure by 4 to 5 mmHg, but it depends on how often you do them, how many repetitions you do and, with dynamic resistance exercises, what weights you use.

IMPACT: Doing 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week can lower blood pressure by 5 to 8 mmHg. And don’t be alarmed if you see your blood pressure rise immediately after you’ve worked out. “Blood pressure increases as we exercise, but is significantly lower following exercise,” Dr. Laffin notes. “That’s normal.”