BY JACKIE JONES
BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM

Nearly every African-American knows someone with high blood pressure who is on medication. What a lot of people don’t know, however, is that everyone with hypertension isn’t automatically sentenced to a lifetime of pill-popping.

In a number of cases, exercise and simple adjustments in diet can eliminate the need for medication.

Cut the sodium

About 44 percent of Black women have high blood pressure, and African-Americans overall are more likely to have hypertension than Whites.

By simply cutting back on the salt (sodium) in the diet, you can take a huge step toward controlling your pressure. That means not adding salt to restaurant or processed foods – the source of about 77 percent of the sodium Americans consume.

Get accurate reading

If it runs in your family, get your blood pressure checked, and monitor it regularly. While having a health professional at a clinic or in the doctor’s office is the best way to get an accurate read, blood pressure cuffs and monitors, available at most drugstores, can give you a sense of the range your blood pressure is in.

Stop smoking

If you smoke, quit, and if you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. For women, that means one alcoholic beverage a day and two drinks per day for men.

Take the meds

Most importantly, if you are on medication, take it as prescribed. If you feel your health habits have improved enough to warrant a reduction in or elimination of medication, consult with your doctor. Don’t take matters into your own hands.

For more information about hypertension, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.