10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline. Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. In general, men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches, women if greater than 35 inches.
2. Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity — such as 150 minutes a week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. It's important to be consistent because if you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again.
3. Eat a healthy diet. Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Consider boosting potassium, which can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure.
4. Reduce sodium in your diet. Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can improve your heart health and reduce blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies among groups of people. In general, limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less. However, a lower sodium intake — 1,500 mg a day or less — is ideal for most adults. Cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.
5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. By drinking alcohol only in moderation — generally one drink a day for women, or two a day for men — you can potentially lower your blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much.
6. Quit smoking. Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Stopping smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. People who quit smoking may live longer than people who never quit smoking.
7. Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine can raise blood pressure up to 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it. But people who drink coffee regularly may experience little or no effect on their blood pressure. To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated beverage. If your blood pressure increases by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of caffeine.
8. Reduce your stress. Chronic stress may contribute to high blood pressure, or lead to stress reactions like eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol, or smoking. Think about what causes you to feel stressed, and consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress. You may have to change your expectations and understand there are some things beyond your control. Make time to relax and to do activities you enjoy. Expressing gratitude to others can help reduce your stress.
9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly. Blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription. Talk to your doctor before you get started.
   10. Get support. Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. 

Source: The Mayo Clinic: mayoclinic.org

When you think of the effects of high blood pressure, you probably think of heart attack and stroke. And for good reason — many patients with high blood pressure develop coronary artery disease or heart failure, and many die as a result. But all parts of the body depend on the circulation, and many organs suffer from the impact of untreated high blood pressure. One of the organs at greatest risk is the brain.

High pressure, short memory A variety of illnesses and medications can contribute to memory loss—and as research continues to come in, it's increasingly clear that high blood pressure takes a toll on the aging brain.

Mild cognitive impairment can be a problem, but it's usually quite manageable. But severe memory loss is a disaster; it causes severe disturbances of memory, reasoning, and judgment.

The details vary from study to study, but the weight of evidence now suggests that high blood pressure increases the risk of mild cognitive impairment, a type of dementia called vascular dementia, and even Alzheimer's disease. Both high systolic (the top number of a blood pressure reading) pressure and high diastolic (the bottom number) pressure take a toll. In general, the higher the pressure and the longer it persists without treatment, the greater the risk.

Most investigations focus on older adults. For example, a study of 2,505 men between the ages of 71 and 93 found that men with systolic pressures of 140 mm Hg or higher were 77 percent more likely to develop dementia than men with systolic pressures below 120 mm Hg. And a study that evaluated blood pressure and cognitive function in people between 18 and 46 and between 47 and 83 found that in both age groups high systolic and diastolic pressures were linked to cognitive decline over time.

Treat blood pressure, prevent dementia? The damage and disability done by dementia cannot be reversed. That makes prevention doubly important. Can treating high blood pressure help prevent dementia?

Yes. Here's some of the evidence:

• European scientists reported that long-term therapy for high blood pressure reduced the risk of dementia by 55 percent.
• One American study linked therapy to a 38 percent lower risk.
• Another reported that each year of therapy was associated with a 6 percent decline in the risk of dementia.
• A study of American men and women linked therapy to a 36 percent reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease. In that study, a type of medication called diuretics appeared to be the most beneficial medication.
• A team of investigators from Harvard and Boston University reported that six months of high blood pressure treatment actually improved blood flow to the brain.
• Never too late It's good to know that blood pressure control can reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction. But what about people who already have mild memory loss? Can treating high blood pressure help stave off further damage?
• Perhaps. Italian scientists studied 80 patients with mild cognitive dysfunction. Over a two-year period, people who were given medications to treat high blood pressure were 80 percent less likely to progress to full-blown Alzheimer's than untreated patients. It's only one study, and a small one at that, but hopefully additional research will back up that finding.
  
  Source: Harvard Medical School: health.harvard.edu