In this article we're going to discuss in detail lifestyle changes that should be made for people who have high blood pressure. Not all of these will apply to everyone.

Because everyone is different not all of the changes listed below will apply. However, these are the most common problems associated with high blood pressure that most likely could have been avoided if only the patient kept these things in check or eliminated them completely. Not only will eliminating these things help reduce their blood pressure but it will also help their blood pressure medication work better.

The first thing is alcohol. People who drink alcohol in excess (over 2 drinks per day) have a one and a half to two times higher change of developing high blood pressure. When the alcohol consumption exceeds five drinks per day this number goes up significantly. Also, the correlation between alcohol and high blood pressure is dose related, meaning the more alcohol that is consumed the higher the blood pressure and the more likely the person is to have high blood pressure. By lowering the amount of alcohol consumption per day (under two drinks) a person can greatly increase his chances of lowering his blood pressure.

Next is smoking. Even though smoking does not significantly raise a person's blood pressure by itself, the risks of cardiovascular disease are greatly increased and this in turn will ultimately raise a person's blood pressure. Smoking itself will produce a slight temporary rise in blood pressure of about 5 mm hg but nothing significant. In actuality, smokers have a lower blood pressure than non smokers because the nicotine causes them to lose their appetite which in turn lowers their weight which then in turn lowers their blood pressure.

Coffee is another thing that contributes to high blood pressure in people who drink over 5 cups per day. The rise is slight in elderly people who already have high blood pressure but is still noticeable. It doesn't affect people who have normal blood pressure.

Salt is another contributing factor to high blood pressure. A person should have less than six grams of salt in their diet each day. People with high blood pressure already should have less than four grams of salt. A person should refrain from adding salt to their food which most likely already has more than enough salt in it.

Another contributing factor to high blood pressure is obesity. Obesity is what determines the overall rise in blood pressure as a person gets older. Obesity contributes to high blood pressure in several ways. It causes a greater flow of blood because more blood is needed to feed the extra tissues in the body. Also, obese people have greater stiffness in their arteries which also raises blood pressure. Also obese people's kidneys have a greater tendency to retain salt which in turn causes a rise in blood pressure. By lowering your weight in almost all cases your blood pressure will go down.

Finally, a regular exercise program of 30 to 45 minutes per day will help reduce your blood pressure for several reasons. First of all, if you're overweight you'll lose weight which in turn will lower your blood pressure. Also, exercise helps blood flow easier which also in turn will lower your blood pressure.

By following the tips above a person with high blood pressure has an excellent chance of lowering it significantly.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to High Blood Pressure
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