Dietary and Lifestyle Modification for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension

Purpose of Review To examine the evidence for nonpharmacologic dietary and lifestyle interventions to lower blood pressure. Recent Findings In addition to aerobic exercise, resistance exercise training also significantly reduces blood pressure, especially when performed using large muscle groups and among persons with hypertension. Plant-based diets such as the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet and intermittent fasting are associated with blood pressure improvement similar to or greater than the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Nontraditional lifestyle approaches for blood pressure lowering such as meditation, sauna use, and yoga have shown promising results but need further study. Mobile health technology may be a useful tool to promote medication adherence and blood pressure lowering. Summary The incorporation of dietary and lifestyle interventions can significantly improve blood pressure, especially among persons with hypertension, and potentially reduce the number and/or dose of blood pressure medications.