High blood pressure can be a very serious condition. Alone, it can lead to kidney damage, eye damage, aneurysms, or even stroke. Or it could be a sign of heart disease or blood clots.

There are a number of things doctors will typically recommend to patients with high blood pressure, aside from medication. How well these work depend on the individual.

Diet: By now, we all know that eating rich foods, high in fat and cholesterol, can lead to high blood pressure and heart problems. Cheeseburgers, pizza, ice cream and other foods may be delicious and hard to resist, but they also may be the root of many people’s heart problems. A diet consisting of more fruits and vegetables and whole grains may be the answer for some people with high blood pressure.

Exercise: In today’s busy, hectic world, finding time to get exercise can be difficult. But getting active is one of the best things someone can do for their health. Not only does it help with weight loss and energy, but it can help lower blood pressure.

Stress: Another result of the hectic lives we lead is high stress. Our jobs, dealing with difficult people, and the world around us can cause anxiety, which can cause our blood pressure to rise. By taking time to decompress each day, people can reduce their stress and their blood pressure.

How do you know what works?

As we noted above, different methods work for different people. How will you know what works for you? The only way to see what behaviors have the greatest effect is to monitor your blood pressure. Unfortunately, going to the doctor every day is not affordable, let alone practical.

But for as little as $35, you can have a home version of the blood pressure monitors used in doctors’ offices. This will allow you to get instant feedback to see what elevates and reduced your blood pressure, take multiple readings per day to get an accurate, overall average, and generate reports you can take to your doctor for evaluation.

By monitoring blood pressure at home, you can keep a closer eye on your health and make better decisions about how to manage it.