The 2026 Healthy Blood Pressure Guide

Free guide · Updated for 2026
The 2026 Healthy Blood Pressure Guide

Your numbers, how to measure them at home, and 8 everyday habits from the latest American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology guideline. Free to read, print and share.

Alistrol blood pressure support capsules, 180 capsules

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In this guide

  1. Why blood pressure matters
  2. Know your numbers: the 2025 chart
  3. How to measure at home
  4. 8 everyday habits that support healthy blood pressure
  5. Working with your doctor
  6. About Alistrol

1. Why blood pressure matters

High blood pressure is very common, and it usually has no symptoms. That is why it is often called a "silent" condition. According to the CDC, nearly half of US adults (48.1%, about 119.9 million people) have high blood pressure, and only about 1 in 4 of them have it under control. About 1 in 6 don't know they have it.

The good news: the steps that make the biggest difference are simple, everyday ones. Knowing your numbers is the first step.

2. Know your numbers: the 2025 blood pressure chart

A blood pressure reading has two numbers. The top number (systolic) is the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number (diastolic) is the pressure when your heart rests between beats. These are the adult categories used in the 2025 AHA/ACC guideline:

Category Top number Bottom number
Normal Less than 120 and Less than 80
Elevated 120 to 129 and Less than 80
High blood pressure, stage 1 130 to 139 or 80 to 89
High blood pressure, stage 2 140 or higher or 90 or higher
Severe high blood pressure Higher than 180 and/or Higher than 120

Numbers are in mm Hg. Older guides used 140/90 as the line for high blood pressure; current US guidelines use 130/80. Your doctor will decide what your numbers mean for you.

When to act fast: if a reading is higher than 180/120, wait a few minutes and measure again. If it stays that high, contact your health care professional. If you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, weakness, vision changes or trouble speaking, call 911.

3. How to measure at home

Home readings, taken the same way each day, give your doctor a much clearer picture than a single reading at the clinic. The American Heart Association recommends:

  1. No smoking, caffeine, alcohol or exercise for 30 minutes before.
  2. Use a validated upper-arm monitor with the right cuff size. Empty your bladder first.
  3. Sit quietly for at least 5 minutes, back supported, feet flat, legs uncrossed. Don't talk.
  4. Rest your arm on a table at heart level, cuff on bare skin just above the elbow.
  5. Take at least two readings, one minute apart, and write them all down.

Use our free printable blood pressure log to record two weeks of morning and evening readings, and read the best time to check your blood pressure.

4. 8 everyday habits that support healthy blood pressure

The 2025 AHA/ACC guideline puts healthy habits first, for everyone, whether or not they take medication.

1. Cut back on sodium

Aim for less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, moving toward an ideal of 1,500 mg. Most sodium comes from packaged and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker, so reading labels makes the biggest difference.

2. Eat more potassium-rich foods

Fruits, vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy are good sources. The 2025 guideline also recommends potassium-based salt substitutes for many adults. If you have kidney disease or take medicines that raise potassium, ask your doctor first.

3. Follow a DASH-style eating pattern

Plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish and poultry, with less red meat, sugar and saturated fat. See our simple guide to the DASH diet.

4. Move most days

The guideline suggests 75 to 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking), resistance training, or both. Start slowly and check with your doctor if you're new to exercise.

5. Work toward a healthy weight

For adults with overweight or obesity, losing at least 5% of body weight is a meaningful goal.

6. Limit alcohol (or skip it)

Not drinking is best. If you drink, the guideline advises no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women.

7. Manage stress

Regular exercise, meditation, slow breathing and yoga are all suggested ways to manage everyday stress.

8. Sleep well and don't smoke

Good sleep and a smoke-free life support your whole cardiovascular system. If you snore loudly or wake up tired, ask your doctor about sleep apnea.

5. Working with your doctor

Under the 2025 guideline, whether you need medication depends on your numbers and your overall heart risk, which your doctor can estimate. Bring your home log to every visit, ask what your personal target is, and never stop or change a prescribed medication on your own. If you are thinking about any supplement, including the one below, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

6. About Alistrol

AlistrolCLE Holistic Health

This guide is provided free by CLE Holistic Health, the Vancouver, Canada company that makes Alistrol. Alistrol is a Health Canada-licensed herbal supplement (NPN 80047013), made in Canada with daikon radish seed, holly leaf and aged garlic extracts. It supports healthy blood pressure and helps maintain cardiovascular health as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, and it has been studied in an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. It is not a replacement for medication or the habits above.

Learn about Alistrol →

Alistrol: consult a health care practitioner before use if you have diabetes, a medical condition or take prescription medications; do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding; stop use if an allergy occurs.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

CLE Holistic Health, 125A-1030 Denman St, Suite 345, Vancouver, BC V6G 2M6, Canada · 1 604 715 4286 · www.alistrol.com