Hypertension and Lifestyle

There are a variety of lifestyle factors that may influence your blood pressure. These include your nutrition and diet, level of physical activity, your alcohol intake and whether or not you are a smoker.

Nutrition – Eating a healthy diet is an important step in managing your blood pressure. You may be advised to follow the DASH or a DASH-like diet that is:

• Low in sodium (salt),
• High in fresh fruits and vegetables, dietary fibre, non-animal protein (e.g., soy, tofu) and more fish , poultry, legumes, nuts, seeds and low-fat dairy products
• Low in red meat
• Low in saturated fat and cholesterol
• Low in sweets, sugar and alcohol
• High in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium

Sodium intake - Reducing sodium intake is a necessary step in lowering blood pressure.

• Choose lower sodium or no salt versions of foods
• Reduce the amount of processed food in your diet including smoked or cured meats
• Use smaller portions of toppings such as mustard, ketchup, relish, BBQ sauce, and soy or teriyaki sauce
• Rinse canned vegetables to lower salt content
• Limit your intake of sea salt
• Check food labels carefully; salt may also be listed as monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium, garlic salt, or celery salt

Note: Before using salt substitutes, check with your doctor or ask your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist if the salt substitute is safe for you to use. Many salt substitutes contain potassium which may be beneficial for some and harmful for others.

DASH Diet – There is good evidence that shows that following the DASH or a DASH-like diet can help to lower blood pressure. Examples of recommended foods for a diet that includes 2,000 calories per day are listed in the table below. If your daily calorie requirements are lower or higher, your daily number of servings would also be lower or higher.

 ^{Adapted from Dietitians of Canada}

Exercise – You should try to be physically active for 30 to 60 minutes at least four days of the week. Activities to consider include walking, swimming, or biking, in addition to your regular daily activities (e.g., house cleaning or gardening). Be sure to check with your doctor before you start any new exercise regimen, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time

Weight management – It is important to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. A healthy weight may be measured as a body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m². Click here for more information about BMI and how to calculate your BMI. Another measurement that is used to determine healthy weight is waist circumference. A waist circumference of less than 94 cm for men and less than 80 cm for women is considered a “healthy” waist circumference. (Note- the easiest way to measure your waist is to place a piece of string around your waist and then measure!)

Minimize alcohol intake – Moderate drinking of alcohol is acceptable for most people with hypertension. This means consuming no more than 2 drinks per day for a total weekly intake of fewer than 14 standard drinks for men and fewer than 9 standard drinks for women.

Quit smoking – If you are a smoker it is essential that you quit smoking. Your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist can help you be a successful quitter.

Reduce stress – Managing stress using relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, or exercise programs that include yoga or tai chi may be helpful in reducing your stress. Cognitive behaviour therapy with a trained professional may also be helpful if it is personalized to meet your specific needs.

Use your Heart Health Profile Logbook – It is helpful to keep track of your blood pressure readings. A logbook to record your daily blood pressure readings can be very useful for discussions with healthcare providers and to compare your results over time. Keeping track of your cholesterol and other lab results is also a good idea.