High blood pressure: Using the DASH dietIntroduction
The DASH diet is an eating plan that is
low in fat but rich in low-fat dairy foods, fruits, and vegetables. DASH stands
for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Hypertension is high blood
pressure. Following the DASH diet may lower blood pressure. The DASH diet may
also help you prevent high blood pressure if you have prehypertension (your
blood pressure is between 120–139 over 80–89).1 DASH also recommends eating whole grains, fish, poultry, nuts,
seeds, and dried beans (legumes) as part of a balanced diet.
DASH is one of several lifestyle changes your doctor may recommend to lower
your
high blood pressure. Your doctor may also want you to
decrease the amount of
sodium and sodium-rich prepared foods in your diet.
Lowering sodium while following DASH has been proven to lower blood pressure
even further than just DASH alone.2 You can cut down
on your salt (sodium) intake by using a
salt substitute. Talk to your doctor before trying a
salt substitute. Key points: - Eating fewer processed foods, such as snack
items, luncheon meats, and canned soups, will reduce the amount of sodium in
your diet and help you lower your blood pressure.
- A diet high in
calcium,
potassium, and
magnesium may lower your blood pressure.
- A
diet
high in sodium may cause high blood
pressure.
- To increase the potassium in your diet, fruits and
vegetables are excellent sources of this nutrient. Dairy products are high in
calcium and magnesium. DASH recommends that you eat 8 to 10 servings of fruits
and vegetables and 3 servings of low-fat dairy products each
day.
- Eating a diet low in both
saturated fat and total fat will also help lower your
blood pressure. Only 30% of your total calories should be from fat, with only
7% to 10% of your fat calories from saturated fat. Saturated fat is found in
meats, cheeses, butter, poultry, snack foods, and other processed
foods.
- In general, vegetarian diets reduce blood pressure. The
DASH diet could easily be a vegetarian diet if legumes were substituted for
meat. Vegetarian diets tend to be higher in potassium, magnesium, and calcium,
as is the DASH diet. Vegetarian diets also are higher in fiber and unsaturated
fat than other diets.
- Controlling your weight, increasing your
physical activity, and reducing sodium in your diet will help reduce your blood
pressure even more when combined with the DASH diet.
 What can I do to incorporate DASH into my lifestyle?
 Why does adding more fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products to my diet help me lower my high blood pressure?
 How can I make sure I stay with the DASH eating plan?
 Where to go from here
More information about high blood pressure can be found
in the topic: Return to topic:
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