Many times the most important step that can be taken to reduce morbidity and mortality from common medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease is to focus on lifestyle and/or risk factor modification. A 45-year-old, healthy nonsmoking woman with a normal BMI (24) has been found on two occasions to have a blood pressure of 145/95. She has no family history of premature coronary artery disease. For this patient, choose the most important step to take next.