DASH Diet: The High Blood Pressure Diet

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was created to assist in lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol.

It can also prevent high blood pressure where people are susceptible to the condition. One of the primary aims is to reduce sodium (salt) intake. The diet offers two levels of sodium intake – 2400mg down to 1500mg.

The DASH diet has now been reformulated in an easier to follow format by author, Marla Heller, who has been working with the diet as a dietitian for over 10 years. In her book, she outlines the high blood pressure diet in the easiest way to follow allowing for the most successful results.

Dash Diet Basics

While the basic Dash eating plan is 2000 calories, it does allow for calorie consumption levels of between 1,600 calories and 3,100 calories per day. This is allowed for by varying number of servings. It is a balanced high-fiber plan, with medium levels of proteins, and higher levels of whole carbohydrates.

The DASH diet is designed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol without the use of medication.

This blood pressure lowering diet contains the following components:

• DASH healthy recipes and grocery lists
• Easy to use tools that allow the DASH Diet Action Plan to be personalized for guaranteed success
• 28 days of meal ideas at varied calorie levels
• Eating out tips.
• Exercise and diet advice for no matter what a person’s lifestyle.

The diet is high in the essential nutrients, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Recommended foods

Fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, whole grains, lean poultry, nuts, low fat and fat free dairy, olive oil

Sample Blood Pressure Lowering Meal Plan

Exercise Recommendations

Exercise is an important part of the DASH diet since exercise can lower blood pressure, strengthen the heart, and improve circulation.

Program Expenses

The DASH Diet Action Plan: Proven to Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Without Medication retails for $22.99.

Effective for Weight Loss and Lower BP

This is a highly effective and recommended program for anyone suffering with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol.

The US NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) sponsored a serious of clinical trials, and determined that the DASH diet was successful in bringing down high blood pressure.

In fact, results would happen within as little as 2 weeks. The author has many years of experience dealing with hypertension and dieters will be benefited by her expertise.

See Also

The original DASH Diet can be downloaded here.

By Mizpah Matus B.Hlth.Sc(Hons)

References:
• Sacks, F. M., Svetkey, L. P., Vollmer, W. M., Appel, L. J., Bray, G. A., Harsha, D., … Cutler, J. A. (2001). Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. New England journal of medicine, 344(1), 3-10. abstract
• Vollmer, W. M., Sacks, F. M., Ard, J., Appel, L. A., Simons-Morton, D. G., … Karanja, N. Effects of diet and sodium intake on blood pressure: subgroup analysis of the DASH-sodium trial. Annals of internal medicine, 135(12), 1019-1028. abstract
• Appel, L. J., Champagne, C. M., Harsha, D. W., Cooper, L. S., Obarzanek, E., Elmer, P. J., … Young, D. R. (2003). Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on blood pressure control: main results of the PREMIER clinical trial. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association. abstract

Last Reviewed: March 26, 2017