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The DASH Diet to Stop Hypertension
from: Kyle BesserOne lifestyle change to lower high blood pressure is a healthier diet. Doctors recommend:
Eating more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods.
Cutting back on foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat.
Eating more whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts.
Eating less red meat and sweets.
Eating foods that are rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is an example of such an eating plan. In studies, patients who were on the DASH diet reduced their blood pressure within two weeks.
Another diet, the DASH-Sodium diet, calls for reducing salt to 1,500 mg a day, which is about 2/3 teaspoon. Studies of patients on the DASH-Sodium diet significantly lowered their blood pressure.
The DASH diet calls for a certain number of servings daily from various food groups. The number of servings you require may vary, depending on your caloric need. Start slowly and make gradual changes. Consider adopting a diet plan that allows 2,400 milligrams of salt per day (about 1 teaspoon). Once your body has adjusted, further reduce your salt intake to 1,500 mg per day (about 2/3 teaspoon). This includes all salt consumed, including salt in food products, salt used in cooking, and salt added at the table.
Tips to get you started on the DASH diet:
*Add a serving of vegetables at lunch and at dinner.
*Add a serving of fruit to your meals or as a snack. Canned and dried fruits are easy to use.
*Use only half the butter, margarine, or salad dressing and use low-fat or fat-free condiments.
*Drink low-fat or skim dairy products three times a day.
*Limit meat to six ounces a day.
*Try eating some vegetarian meals.
*Add more vegetables, rice, pasta, and dry beans to your diet.
*Eat unsalted pretzels or nuts, raisins, graham crackers, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted plain popcorn with no butter and raw vegetables instead of typical snacks.
*Read food labels carefully and choose products that are lower in sodium.
Food groups and suggested serving amounts for the DASH diet:
Grains: 7-8 daily servings
Vegetables: 4-5 daily servings
Fruits: 4-5 daily servings
Low-fat or fat-free dairy products: 2-3 daily servings
Meat, poultry and fish: 2 or less daily servings
Nuts, seeds, and dry beans: 4-5 servings per week
Fats and oils: 2-3 daily servings
Sweets: try to limit to less than 5 servings per week
How Much Is a Serving?
The following table offers some examples.
SERVING SIZES
Food/amount
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
1 slice bread
1 cup raw vegetables or fruit
1/2 cup cooked vegetables or fruit
8 oz. of milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 ounces cooked meat
3 ounces tofu
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