If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you may not know that you can make some easy lifestyle changes to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Before turning to medication, you should manage high blood pressure—which is also known as hypertension—through diet and exercise. By successfully following a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay, or reduce the need for medications. Studies have shown that 10 lifestyle changes can help improve blood pressure. They are: Weight Control As weight increases, blood pressure often goes up. Taking control of your weight is one of the most effective lifestyle changes you can make to lower blood pressure. In general, it is possible to reduce blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) with each kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of lost weight. Besides just shedding pounds, take notice of your waistline. Carrying too much weight around the middle can put …