We all know that one needs to eat the right amounts and right balance of food to maintain a healthy weight. Everyone is looking for healthy diet that is going to help them be successful in improving their health. Some people are looking to reduce weight while others are looking to reduce their risk factors for developing disease.
Hypertension, a term that is used to identify high blood pressure, affects millions of people around the world and is commonly treated by a range of antihypertensives. For years, if your blood pressure was a bit on the high side, your doctor would most likely tell you to "Cut out the salt." While keeping your sodium intake in check is a brilliant idea, there's more you can do to lower your blood pressure and reduce your chances of having a stroke. The newest approach to lower blood pressure is the DASH diet.
What is DASH diet?
Based on the Mediterranean diet and research from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the DASH diet was developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
The DASH diet is an eating plan that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy foods. The diet include foods that are high in fiber, calcium, magnesium and potassium — all of which have been associated with lower blood pressure. It is also low in sodium, saturated fat and total fat. According to recent research by the NIH, the DASH diet has been proven to lower blood pressure in just 2 weeks!
A DASH study involving 459 adults found that people with normal blood pressure reduced their blood pressure by an average of about 6 mm Hg for systolic (maximum) and 3 mm Hg for diastolic (minimum) after following the DASH eating plan. It worked even better for those with high blood pressure - the systolic dropped by an average of about 11 mm Hg, and the diastolic by about 6 mm Hg. Furthermore, the blood pressure reductions came fast — within 2 weeks of starting the eating plan.
A follow-up study examined whether reducing salt could enhance results even more. This study found that the DASH diet combined with salt reduction was superior to either strategy alone.
How do I implement this diet?
The DASH eating plan calls for a certain number of daily servings from various food groups. The number of servings you need may vary, depending on your caloric need. If you eat about 2,000 calories a day on the plan, here is how you need to consume these calories:
- Whole grain products: A daily serving of 1 slice bread, 1/2 cup dry cereal and 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal adds fiber to your diet and gives you energy. Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as they are a good source of fiber and nutrients. The fiber binds with the bad cholesterol and throws it out of the system.
- Vegetables: A daily serving of 1 cup raw leafy vegetable, 1/2 cup cooked vegetable and 180 ml (about 6 oz.) vegetable juice. Preferable vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes and beans. They add potassium and magnesium to your diet which are essential to regulate blood pressure.
- Fruits: A daily serving of 180 ml (about 6 oz.) fruit juice, 1 medium fruit and 1/4 cup dried fruit will also add potassium and magnesium to your diet. The fruits of choice would be apricots, bananas, dates, oranges, grapefruit, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, prunes, raisins and strawberries.
- Dairy: A daily serving of 1 cup milk or yogurt and 42 gm (about 1.5 oz.) cheese will give you the required intake of calcium. Choose skim or low fat milk.
- Nuts, seeds, and legumes: A daily serving of 42 gm (about 1.5 oz.) or 1/3 cup nuts, 14 gm (about 1/2 oz.) or 2 tbsp seeds and 1/2 cup cooked legumes will add magnesium, potassium, protein, and fiber to your diet. Sources should be almonds, filberts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans and lentils.
- Meats, poultry, and fish: 85 gm (about 3 oz.) cooked meats, poultry or fish is a good way to add protein to your diet. Make sure you select only lean meat and trim away visible fats.
Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure. The DASH diet recommends that men limit alcohol to two or fewer drinks a day and women one or less. The diet also recommends physical activity as it helps lower your blood pressure and can help you lose more weight.
The DASH plan recommends more daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains than you may be used to eating. To get used to the new eating plan, gradually increase your servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Some days you may eat more than what's recommended from one food group and less of another, but make sure that the average of several days or a week comes close to what's recommended.
The DASH diet gives you a great deal of freedom in planning your diet. Just remember to use fruit and vegetables as the basis of your diet and build upon that and you cannot go far wrong.
