For many, blood pressure is not a daily concern. Between waking and sleeping, the strength and speed with which our hearts pump and the resulting impact on our arteries and overall health goes mostly overlooked. However, for close to one billion people around the world with high blood pressure, or hypertension, it is of great importance and something that everyone could stand to pay more attention to.

Simply put, blood pressure is the force of your pumping blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Measuring the blood vessels during a heartbeat and the moment of relaxation in between provides a dual reading known as systolic and diastolic pressure. Statistics reveal that people who have normal blood pressure even into their early 50s still have a 90 percent likelihood of developing high blood pressure in their lifetimes. Affecting nearly 50 million Americans at present, the chance of developing high blood pressure is too large to ignore.

High systolic pressure, especially in people over the age of 50, carries a number of significant health risks. Heart disease, stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure and even death are linked directly to prolonged hypertension. As frightening as that may sound, a confirmation of high blood pressure does not have to be the beginning of the end. Lowering the systolic pressure is necessary and several methods exist to accomplish this and control high blood pressure.

In most cases, a number of lifestyle changes are required. Dietary adjustments can be of great benefit in lowering high blood pressure and many health-care providers encourage their patients to increase their daily intake of fruits, vegetables and fiber. Decreasing fatty foods, dairy products, salt and red meats are also counseled. This nutrition program is generally referred to as the DASH plan, meaning Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

Other approaches to healthier living go hand in hand with the DASH plan, such as limiting alcohol consumption and not smoking. Exercise is of obvious benefit and aerobic activity in the form of swimming, walking, jogging or cycling for 30 minutes every other day will not only lead to a more appropriate body weight and lower blood pressure, but will allow any medication required to assist in controlling high pressure to be that much more efficient.