Exercise, Maintain a Healthy Diet, and Play Games to Stay Healthy

Enjoy the many benefits of staying healthy by exercising, walking, playing sports, eating more nuts, vegetables, and fruit.  Keep your brain young and healthy with regular exercise to increase blood flow to the brain and keep your heart strong which helps pump blood to the brain to keep it performing optimally.

The things that you eat and drink can have a huge impact on your blood pressure. When you make healthy choices in your diet, you can better control you blood pressure. The key to start a healthy diet is to take baby steps toward improvement.

Which Foods Should I Eat?

Eat heart-healthy foods, like the ones below to control blood pressure:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains (e.g., whole wheat, brown rice, oats or barley)
• Fat-free or low-fat (1% or less) dairy products
• Lean meats (e.g., skinless turkey, chicken or fish)
• Nuts, seeds, beans and peas
• Healthy vegetables oils (e.g., canola, olive or corn oil)

Which Foods Should I Limit?

Limit the foods below to avoid high blood pressure:

• Foods high in saturated fat (e.g., fatty cuts of beef, pork or lamb)
• Pre-packaged, processed and prepared foods
• Foods with added sugar (e.g., beverages, desserts or snacks)
• Foods with added sodium (salt), such as:
  • Breads and rolls
  • Cold-cut/cured meats (e.g., ham, bacon or beef jerky)
  • Pizza and fast food

The American Heart Association (AHA) says that we shouldn’t consume any more than 2300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. Adults with high blood pressure should aim to consume no more than 1500 mg of sodium a day, especially because too much sodium increases blood pressure in many people. That’s why it’s so important to follow the guidelines above to maintain a healthy diet.

Can I Still Drink Alcohol?

While you can still enjoy a drink here and there, drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. The AHA recommends that if you drink, you should limit yourself to:

• No more than two drinks per day if you’re a man
• No more than one drink per day if you’re a woman