A new eating guide called the DASH diet may help you prevent or lower high blood pressure. And the diet may have other health benefits.
Common Problem
Untreated, hypertension can damage arteries and increase risk for stroke and heart problems. Treatment advice has typically consisted of lifestyle changes – eating healthfully, reducing sodium, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking, exercising, and limiting alcohol – perhaps combined with medication. Recently, the role of diet has drawn more attention.
Diet Comparison
The DASH diet evolved from the study “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.” For eight weeks, participants followed on three diets – a diet that matched the average American diet, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and a combination diet that was reduced in saturated fat and emphasized fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products. Sodium consumption in all three was about 3,000 milligrams a day.
The result: The fruit ands vegetable and combination diets both lowered blood pressure, but the combination diet was most effective.
In that group, the decrease was the greatest for those with high blood pressure – an average drop of 11.4 points in systolic pressure. That’s about the same effect as some medications.
Researchers aren’t sure why the combination diet fared better. However, they believe it’s due to the mixture of nutrients provided, rather than any single ingredients.
Widespread Benefits
If your: Blood pressure is regular, the DASH diet may help you avoid blood pressure problems. If your blood pressure is only slightly elevated, the diet may actually eliminate your need for medication. For more severe high blood pressure, it may allow you to reduce your medication. However, don’t stop or alter your medication without first consulting your doctor.
The DASH diet can’t do it alone, though. It’s important that you take other steps to control or prevent hypertension, including exercising, losing excess weight, not smoking and limiting alcohol.
More than a Hypertension Diet
The DASH diet may improve your health in other ways, too. Fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk for some cancers. The calcium in dairy products can lower risk for osteoporosis. And a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce cardiovascular risk.
An additional plus: The diet is made up of regular foods available at your grocery store.
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