(Bethesda, MD, Tuesday, January 25, 2022) – With January coming to a close – and the pandemic surging – many Americans are ditching their New Year’s resolutions and are instead looking for more sustainable ways to live their best, healthiest lives.

This includes exercising, not smoking, aiming for healthy weight, getting enough sleep – and managing blood pressure.

Controlling or lowering blood pressure can help prevent or delay serious health problems such as chronic kidney disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

High blood pressure is often called “the silent killer” because there are no obvious symptoms. In fact, many people don’t even know they have it.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has developed a heart-healthy plan called DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) that is scientifically proven to help people lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

With this flexible and balanced eating plan, you can enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, beans, nuts, whole grains and low-fat dairy. There are no special foods or hard-to-follow recipes required.

Research has also shown that following DASH could even help you lose weight if it is combined with increased physical activity and watching your caloric intake.

Many factors raise your risk of high blood pressure. Some risk factors, such as unhealthy lifestyle habits, can be changed. Other risk factors, such as age, family history and genetics, race and ethnicity, and sex, cannot be changed. A healthy lifestyle can lower your risk for developing high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is more common in African American and Hispanic adults than in white or Asian adults. Compared with other racial or ethnic groups, African Americans tend to have higher average blood pressure numbers and get high blood pressure earlier in life. Experiencing discrimination has been tied to high blood pressure. In addition, some high blood pressure medicines may not work as well in African Americans.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): NHLBI is the global leader in conducting and supporting research in heart, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders that advances scientific knowledge, improves public health, and saves lives. For more information on high blood pressure, visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-pressure.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.