High blood pressure can increase the risk of heart disease; the good news is that changing your diet and lifestyle can lower it.
What can you do?
Have a good food diet such as:
- Fish, nuts and chicken
- Low fat dairy or some soy products
- Fruits and vegetables such as baked beans (salt reduced)
- Wholegrain, cereals, bread, rice and pasta
Eat less salt with food such as when:
- Choose low salt products
- Choose food with no added salt
- Don’t add salt while cooking or while eating
- Don’t eat foods with high salt
- Limit foods with salt in them
Drink less alcohol:
When you drink alcohol it increases your blood pressure, but it is also high in calories and low in nutrients. Instead of drinking alcohol you could drink fruit juice, vegetable juice, plain water and mineral water.
Watch your weight:
Extra body weight increases the risk of developing serious health problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Controlling your weight balance between intake and output is input; any energy that you don’t burn off will lead to weight gain.
Reduce energy intake:
Reducing the fat from your diet is important to lose weight. Fat has twice as many kilojoules/calories as protein or carbohydrates.
Be active:
Exercise for 30 minutes a day so you burn off what fat you eat. You can also try physical activities like, AFL, NRL, tennis, netball, squash aerobics, speed walking and jogging.
Avoid smoking:
If you have high blood pressure and smoke, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack or smoke, compared to if you don’t smoke.
Relax:
Take time to relax everyday from the stress of a busy lifestyle.
See your local GP for information. | 
