High blood pressure is a health condition that demands attention. It is also a dangerous condition because it forces the heart to work hard and can lead to heart disease, stroke or kidney disease. It's important to be checked for high blood pressure because it has no outward signs. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure quickly without taking medication.

Healthy Diet

Modifying your diet is one of the most proactive things you can do when it comes to lowering your blood pressure. Controlling your diet is simplified with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet. This diet focuses on vegetables, fruit, whole grains and low-fat or nonfat dairy products, working to reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Make sure you get enough potassium, as this helps control high blood pressure, according to MayoClinic.com.

Lower Your Salt Intake

Sodium elevates blood pressure and it's recommended that if you have high blood pressure, your daily sodium intake should not go over 1500 mg. If your intake has been high, this change alone should have a dramatic effect on your blood pressure, advises the Mayo Clinic website. Pay particular attention to the sodium content in packaged and processed foods; many seemingly harmless foods are perilously high in sodium.

Make Exercise Part of Your Life

Another thing that can lower your blood pressure is exercise. You don't have to exercise like a triathlete, either. The most important thing to remember is to be physical whenever you can. Thirty minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week is recommended by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Moderate exercise can be anything like washing the car, gardening, raking leaves or walking stairs. Walking two miles in 30 minutes, doing aerobics for 30 minutes or swimming laps for 20 minutes all qualify.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Being overweight can increase your blood pressure while losing weight can lower it. Losing just 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure. A healthy diet is only part of the prescription for lowering your blood pressure naturally. Weight loss through diet and exercise is another.

Manage Your Stress

Stress can increase your blood pressure. It's important to take care of your mental health as well as your physical health. As much as possible, avoid stressful situations and practice positive coping techniques, such as relaxation and deep breathing. Meditation and visualization are techniques you can incorporate into your routine. Yoga and tai chi are exercises that promote calmness and peace. Include plenty of sound sleep as part of your stress reduction.

Limit Alcohol and Don't Smoke

Alcohol can raise the blood pressure of a healthy person, so it's best to drink carefully. In addition, smoking increases the rate at which your blood vessels harden and it also injures your blood vessels.

Source:

Mayo Clinic: Lowering Blood Pressure

Treatment of High Blood Pressure

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Controlling High Blood Pressure