Understanding High Blood Pressure High blood pressure affects nearly half of all adults in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health. This condition, also known as hypertension, often goes unnoticed because it rarely exhibits noticeable symptoms. However, ignoring it can lead to severe health issues, including kidney disease, damaged blood vessels, heart disease, and stroke. Therefore, it's crucial to get your blood pressure checked by a medical professional if you have any doubts. Taking Control of Your Blood Pressure The good news is that you can take control of your blood pressure through simple lifestyle changes. Two key factors in managing hypertension are diet and exercise. Here's a breakdown of how you can make positive changes: Dietary Choices The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a recommended approach to lower and maintain healthy blood pressure levels. This diet plan shares similarities with the Mediterranean diet a...