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The DASH Diet for Curbing High Blood Pressure

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While there are many heart-healthy diets, the DASH diet, short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, has some of the strongest science behind it. The plan, which is heavy on fruits and vegetables but low in fat and sodium, can reduce systolic blood pressure (the upper number) by about 12 points and diastolic pressure (the lower number) by about six points. It has been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels by about 7%.

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 This diet is also linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.²

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 can lower blood pressure even further than just DASH alone. 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.