In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleIt’s Not a Big DealProcessed Foods Raise ItFocus on SodiumMedication Is All You NeedFamily History is Most ImportantIt Only Impacts People with Higher BMIsStrategies That Work
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
It’s Not a Big Deal
Processed Foods Raise It
Focus on Sodium
Medication Is All You Need
Family History is Most Important
It Only Impacts People with Higher BMIs
Strategies That Work
Close
Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Blood pressure is a crucial indicator of our overall health and well-being. Prolonged high blood pressure, orhypertension, can lead to severe complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and vision loss.Yet millions of Americans are living with elevated blood pressure, and many don’t even know it.
Even though maintaining healthy blood pressure is crucial, there are many myths surrounding high blood pressure. These misconceptions can be dangerous, as they downplay the need for regular monitoring and proactive management.
What are the biggest myths about high blood pressure? And what can you do to prevent or manage hypertension? To find out, we reached out to experts. Here’s what they told us.
5 Sneaky Reasons Your Blood Pressure Is High, According to a Dietitian
1. High Blood Pressure Isn’t a Big Deal
High blood pressure is often dubbed the “silent killer” because it typically doesn’t present any symptoms until serious damage has occurred.“Although high blood pressure typically causes no symptoms and people may feel perfectly well, long-term high blood pressure has been conclusively shown to damage internal organs, particularly those sensitive to blood pressure, such as the brain, eyes, heart and kidneys,” saysIan Del Conde Pozzi, M.D., a cardiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute. “Elevated blood pressure not only raises the risk of serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes, but it also decreases life expectancy.”
2. Processed Foods Raise Blood Pressure
Yes, many ultra-processed foods (think doughnuts, candies and hot dogs) are not the best choices for our health. However, there are a surprising number of processed foods that may actually benefit heart health, including blood pressure.
“Processed foods like canned beans, tofu and oats can be great additions for heart health, as they are high in fiber and plant-based proteins, nutritional components we often don’t get enough of in our everyday diet,” saysPatricia Kolesa, M.S., RDN, founder of Dietitian Dish LLC.
3. A Low-Sodium Diet Is All You Need
Even though high sodium intake is linked to elevated blood pressure, it’s not the only mineral to focus on.
“Eating morepotassiummay be more powerful than eating less sodium when it comes to blood pressure control,” saysJen Hernandez, RDN, CSR, LDN, founder of Plant-Powered Kidneys. “In fact, eating more potassium can help offset a higher-sodium diet when it comes to blood pressure control.”Why? Potassium relaxes the blood vessels, allowing a reduction in blood pressure, explains Hernandez. To prevent or treat high blood pressure, the American Heart Association recommends aiming for 3,500 to 5,000 mg of potassium per day.Top sources include fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, fish, shellfish, beans and tempeh.
4. Medication Is All You Need
“When it comes to high blood pressure, sometimes medication is necessary to improve numbers, but that doesn’t mean lifestyle changes don’t matter,” saysKarman Meyer, RD, author ofThe Everything DASH Diet Meal Prep Cookbook.
One proven way to manage blood pressure along with your meds is the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This eating pattern is low in sodium and saturated fat yet rich in blood pressure-lowering nutrients like potassium, calcium and fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy, says Meyer.If that sounds good to you,these tipscan help you get started.
30 Days of DASH Diet Recipes
5. You’re Only at Risk If You Have a Family History
“A common myth is that you will not develop high blood pressure if you do not have a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease,” saysMarjorie Nolan Cohn, M.S., RD, LDN, a registered dietitian and director of clinical services for Berry Street. “Lifestyle plays a significant role in this condition.” Things like smoking, vaping, a less-than-healthy diet, hydration, stress, sleep and exercise all significantly impact your blood pressure, she says.
6. If You Have a Normal BMI, You Don’t Have to Worry
There’s a common assumption that weight alone is a reliable indicator of overall health, saysMascha Davis, M.P.H., RDN, a dietitian and author ofEat Your Vitamins. However, this belief can be misleading, asBMIdoesn’t differentiate between muscle and fat, and it doesn’t account for factors like genetics, age, sex and body fat distribution, says Davis.
While there is a relationship between higher BMI and hypertension, one study found that 45% of people with a normal BMI had hypertension.While this rate is lower than that of people with higher BMIs, it clearly demonstrates that hypertension can occur even in those with a healthy body weight, says Davis.
Whether you’re living with high blood pressure or just want to reduce your risk, these strategies can help.
The Bottom Line
Blood pressure myths can create unnecessary fear that may send you down the wrong path in managing your condition. By arming yourself with valuable information—like understanding that high blood pressure can target anyone, regardless of their BMI or family history—you’re already taking a significant step toward empowerment.
Rest assured, high blood pressure doesn’t have to take control of your life. With a few targeted lifestyle adjustments, you can get a handle on your blood pressure and navigate it on your terms!
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Health Threats from High Blood Pressure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Blood Pressure Facts.American Heart Association.What is High Blood Pressure?American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.Huang, L., Li, Q., Wu, J. H., et al.The contribution of sodium reduction and potassium increase to the blood pressure lowering observed in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study.J Hum Hypertens. 2024;1–9. doi:10.1038/s41371-024-00896-4American Heart Association.How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure.Onwuzo C, Olukorode JO, Omokore OA, et al.DASH Diet: A Review of Its Scientifically Proven Hypertension Reduction and Health Benefits.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44692. doi:10.7759/cureus.44692Landi F, Calvani R, Picca A, et al.Body Mass Index is Strongly Associated with Hypertension: Results from the Longevity Check-up 7+ Study.Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1976. doi:10.3390/nu10121976American Heart Association.Getting Active to Control High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Managing Stress to Control High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Smoking and High Blood Pressure.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Health Threats from High Blood Pressure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Blood Pressure Facts.American Heart Association.What is High Blood Pressure?American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.Huang, L., Li, Q., Wu, J. H., et al.The contribution of sodium reduction and potassium increase to the blood pressure lowering observed in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study.J Hum Hypertens. 2024;1–9. doi:10.1038/s41371-024-00896-4American Heart Association.How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure.Onwuzo C, Olukorode JO, Omokore OA, et al.DASH Diet: A Review of Its Scientifically Proven Hypertension Reduction and Health Benefits.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44692. doi:10.7759/cureus.44692Landi F, Calvani R, Picca A, et al.Body Mass Index is Strongly Associated with Hypertension: Results from the Longevity Check-up 7+ Study.Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1976. doi:10.3390/nu10121976American Heart Association.Getting Active to Control High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Managing Stress to Control High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Smoking and High Blood Pressure.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Health Threats from High Blood Pressure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Blood Pressure Facts.American Heart Association.What is High Blood Pressure?American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.Huang, L., Li, Q., Wu, J. H., et al.The contribution of sodium reduction and potassium increase to the blood pressure lowering observed in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study.J Hum Hypertens. 2024;1–9. doi:10.1038/s41371-024-00896-4American Heart Association.How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure.Onwuzo C, Olukorode JO, Omokore OA, et al.DASH Diet: A Review of Its Scientifically Proven Hypertension Reduction and Health Benefits.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44692. doi:10.7759/cureus.44692Landi F, Calvani R, Picca A, et al.Body Mass Index is Strongly Associated with Hypertension: Results from the Longevity Check-up 7+ Study.Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1976. doi:10.3390/nu10121976American Heart Association.Getting Active to Control High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Managing Stress to Control High Blood Pressure.American Heart Association.Smoking and High Blood Pressure.
American Heart Association.Health Threats from High Blood Pressure.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Blood Pressure Facts.
American Heart Association.What is High Blood Pressure?
American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.
Huang, L., Li, Q., Wu, J. H., et al.The contribution of sodium reduction and potassium increase to the blood pressure lowering observed in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study.J Hum Hypertens. 2024;1–9. doi:10.1038/s41371-024-00896-4
American Heart Association.How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure.
Onwuzo C, Olukorode JO, Omokore OA, et al.DASH Diet: A Review of Its Scientifically Proven Hypertension Reduction and Health Benefits.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44692. doi:10.7759/cureus.44692
Landi F, Calvani R, Picca A, et al.Body Mass Index is Strongly Associated with Hypertension: Results from the Longevity Check-up 7+ Study.Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1976. doi:10.3390/nu10121976
American Heart Association.Getting Active to Control High Blood Pressure.
American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.
American Heart Association.Managing Stress to Control High Blood Pressure.
American Heart Association.Smoking and High Blood Pressure.
