The researchers urged that people with hypertension adopt the diet, and, in a more controversial recommendation, said that healthy people should follow it, too, to prevent hypertension.

"According to several surveys we've taken, people would rather get their cholesterol-lowering elements or prevent osteoporosis or hypertension through tasty foods instead of pills," he said.

Dietary approaches to prevent and treat hypertension: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

The third main factor in preventing hypertension, regular physical activity, can also help control the second, being overweight.

In order to reduce blood pressure, and prevent hypertension and CVD, Cook et al. recommend reducing sodium intake by 25 - 30% from current levels.

And they therefore raise the same old problem: is absence of salt in the diet the critical feature of premodern life that prevents hypertension?

Studies show that modest weight loss can prevent hypertension by 20% in overweight people with prehypertension.

Garlic prevents hypertension induced by chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis.

Weight loss of as little as 10 lbs (4.5 kg) reduces BP and/or prevents hypertension in a large proportion of overweight persons, although the ideal is to maintain normal body weight.

Regular physical activity helps prevent cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis.