Eat more fruits, vegetables and grains.

Eating more fruits, vegetables and grains increases your intake of important minerals such as calcium and potassium, not to mention vitamins and fiber. One study found that volunteers consuming a diet (the DASH diet) high in these foods and low in fats reduced systolic blood pressure by four points, and diastolic by three points. This small but significant reduction was accomplished with diet alone, and no weight loss. Add exercise, stress management and weight loss for people who are overweight, and blood pressure reductions often improve more.

Eat well and exercise regularly.

Deprivation programs are out! Don't focus on weight loss; focus on a healthy lifestyle. A little weight loss may occur by cutting down on "junk food," eating more fruits, vegetables and grains, and increasing physical activity. Even a relatively small loss, such as 5 to 10 pounds, can reduce blood pressure. The most important goal is the development of healthful habits that stay with you for a lifetime, so that the weight stays off. Weight cycling (repeatedly losing and regaining weight) may raise your blood pressure and be harmful to your health.

Reduce stress.

Reducing stress is another lifelong task. Take a stress-management workshop, develop your sense of humor and read some good books. Develop coping techniques that increase your resistance to stress-related illness. And don't forget the importance of exercise for stress reduction.

Limit alcohol and caffeine intake.

Drink alcohol and caffeine in moderation, if at all. Moderation generally means no more than one drink a day for women, or two drinks a day for men. Caffeine increases feelings of stress for many people, and can also cause a transient rise in blood pressure.

Control other cardiovascular risk factors.

Since hypertension increases risk for cardiovascular disease, it makes sense to make an extra effort to control other cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes.