1) Make healthy food choices

Studies show that increasing your intake of potassium, fibre and protein, can directly reduce your blood pressure. Make sure you're also getting a good amount of fresh fruit and veggies daily to boost your overall health.

It's also important to reduce the amount of saturated fats in your diet. Saturated fats lead to high LDL (bad) cholesterol and high blood pressure, so stay away from saturated food and aim to eat more fresh food.

For many people, making these healthy choices can help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels low, therefore protecting against heart disease and stroke.

2) Maintain a healthy weight

Blood pressure often increases as weight increases, and being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnoea), which further raises blood pressure!

To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often calculate your body mass index (BMI). Health professionals sometimes also use waist and hip measurements to assess body fat.

Speak to your pharmacy team about ways to reach a healthy weight, including choosing healthy foods and getting regular physical activity.

3) Keep active

Physical activity can help keep you at a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure. Your pharmacist recommends about 2.5 hours a week of physical activity as a minimum (30 mins a day).

For the activity to make a difference to your health, it should elevate your pulse and get your heart pumping! Try going for a brisk walk every day, or mix it up with some swimming, cycling, dancing, sports, and more.

If you have limited mobility, look out for chair exercise classes in your area to get your heart pumping and have fun without pushing your limits.

4) Sleep well

Poor sleep quality — getting fewer than six hours of sleep every night for several weeks — can contribute to hypertension and is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

If you're struggling to get a good night's sleep on a regular basis, try getting into some good habits:

• Stick to a sleep schedule - go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
• Create a relaxing space - relax before bed without screens and create a calm, cool, dark atmosphere
• Watch your diet - avoid large meals or going to bed hungry, and avoid caffeine in the latter half of the day.
• Limit naps - Naps may prove helpful, but limit them to 30 mins to avoid sleep disruption.

5) Reduce stress

More research is needed on the effects of stress reduction techniques to find out whether they can reduce blood pressure. However, it can't hurt to determine what causes stress and find ways to reduce it.



• Don't overload yourself - take the pressure off a little, don't try and do too much
• Focus on what you can control - and make plans to resolve stressful situations (work/family/money/etc.)
• Avoid stressful situations/triggers - if you can't avoid them, try a different perspective (e.g. if unavoidable traffic stresses you out, think of it as an opportunity to listen to a podcast you like)
• Set aside time to relax - you deserve it! Put it on your to-do list so you are reminded to take a break.
• Practice gratitude - write down people, places, objects, memories, or events you're grateful for. Practicing gratitude can improve health and happiness and therefore reduce stress.

6) Do not smoke

Smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke.



If you do not smoke, do not start.

If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease.

Your pharmacist can suggest ways to help you quit.

For more information about tobacco use and quitting, visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

Download the app to track your progress, track your savings and more!

7) Limit your alcohol

Having more than three drinks in one sitting temporarily raises blood pressure. Repeated binge drinking can lead to long-term increases in blood pressure. Drinking can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.

To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level if you drink most weeks:

• men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units* a week on a regular basis
• spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week
• if you want to cut down, try to have several drink-free days each week

(Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calculating-alcohol-units/)

If you're finding it hard to quit or reduce the amount of alcohol you drink,

speak to your pharmacist or visit the Dry January website.

*(14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 7 glasses of wine.)

8) Reduce salt

Even a small reduction of sodium in the diet can improve heart health and reduce high blood pressure.

To reduce sodium in the diet:

• Read food labels - Look for low-sodium versions of foods and beverages.
• Eat fewer processed foods - Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing.
• Don't add salt - Use herbs or spices to add flavour to food.
• Cook - Cooking lets you control the amount of salt in your food.

9) Monitor your BP at home

Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure, and can help prove whether your medications and lifestyle changes are working.

Home blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription. Ask a member of Prestwich Pharmacy staff about our monitors.

Regular visits with a professional are also key to controlling blood pressure. If your blood pressure is well controlled, ask your pharmacist or GP how often you should check it.

10) Get support

Supportive family and friends are important to good health.

They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the care provider's office or start an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low.

If you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

Your pharmacy is here to support you, please speak to a member of the Prestwich Pharmacy team for help.

Your pharmacy is here to support you through your health journey.