The first line of defense for high blood pressure is through nutrition and diet, exercise and physical activity, and stress reduction. Getting a handle on stress is especially important, because stress influences how effective you will be in implementing your positive lifestyle change program. Stress unloads sugar and triglycerides into your blood and pumps up your blood pressure;^[1] this makes it harder to control food cravings and motivate yourself to exercise and get your weight where you want it.

Stress also helps put that fat around your waist by triggering your body to release the stress hormone cortisol. This excess belly fat is a direct threat to your internal organs, including your heart. Some people may need to take medication to help control their blood pressure.