1. Eat Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Yogurt – People who ate one or more 6 oz. servings of yogurt twice a week over 14 years were about 31% less likely to develop high blood pressure than people who didn’t eat yogurt.

2. Lift Weights – Women who pumped iron cut systolic blood pressure (the first number) by 5 points and diastolic (the second number) by 9 points – and the effects lasted longer after the workout than for women who did cardio.  Get the best of both worlds by doing both kinds of exercise, alternating days.

3. Drink Faux Red Wine – Non-alcoholic red wine lowers blood pressure after 4 weeks. But – any antioxidant-rich food or beverage will do.

4. Enjoy a Little Sun – Keeping up your levels of vitamin D by exposing your face, arms, and legs to the sun about 15 minutes 3 days a week might lower your blood pressure if you’re deficient.

5. Hand with Pals – Loneliness boosts systolic blood pressure an average of 3 points a year over 5 years.

Tisch Center for Women’s Health and University of Chicago | Prevention.com December 2013