Are you interested in lowering your high blood pressure without using any medications – prescribed or non-prescribed? Are you looking for a way to lose those last few pounds without any exercise? Or perhaps you are looking for a way to control your diabetes or even act to prevent diabetes. Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and obesity are exactly the problems that the DASH diet is designed to attack and solve and that is why you should stay with us and find out everything that there is to know about this popular diet. Perhaps we should mention the fact that the DASH diet has been announced the best diet plan 8 years in a row according to the US News & World Report.
What is the DASH diet exactly?
The term DASH diet is actually short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension which explains the reason for its existence. The idea behind the DASH diet is to encourage the patient to change eating habits so that he/she can make a difference and lower his/her blood pressure. As we already know, hypertension is a serious medical issue that can easily lead to a number of difficult health risks such as heart problems and heart attack, as well as, stroke among other problems. The DASH diet is a diet plan that focuses on reducing the amount of sodium that you normally intake through your everyday diet by eating a variety of foods which are rich in certain nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium that are known to act to lower and prevent high blood pressure.
What are the health benefits of the DASH diet?
We already mentioned the main health benefit of the DASH diet which is treatment and prevention of high blood pressure and with that lowering the risk of the various medical issues that high blood pressure and lead to. By following the DASH diet you get the chance to lower your high blood pressure by a few points in just two weeks which is amazing taking in consideration that there are no diet pills or medication involved in this diet plan. The DASH diet also creates a chance for you to manage your diabetes and may even prevent diabetes which can be of a vital importance for those of you who might have a family history involving diabetes and high blood pressure.
The various health benefits of the DASH diet also include treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, cancer, stroke, heart attack and reduced cholesterol levels. Weight loss is also a huge benefit of the DASH diet. Since you are removing sugars and fats from your diet and eating more fruits and vegetables as well as dairy products, you give your body what it needs in order to function well and get rid of those extra pounds. The DASH diet has been proven especially beneficial for those who are suffering from obesity, by lowering the risk of the medical issues that obesity is directly linked to.
What does the DASH diet include?
There are two versions of the DASH diet that you can choose to follow. The standard DASH diet limits your sodium intake to 2,300 mg a day. On the other hand, the lower sodium DASH diet limits your sodium intake to 1,300 mg a day. You can consult your doctor on which version you should choose.
The DASH diet includes 6 to 8 servings of grains in the day which means that you can choose from whole-wheat bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. It also includes 5 to 6 servings of vegetables – both frozen and fresh with an accent on vegetables which are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and green vegetables among other choices. Fruits are also included with 4 to 5 servings per day including fresh and frozen fruits, as a snack or a drink.
Dairy products are included as well – milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products play a vital part in the DASH diet especially because they are filled with calcium, Vitamin D, and protein. Meat is not left out of the DASH diet. You eat no more than 6 ounces of meat per day so that there is a little more space left for vegetables, dairy products, and fruits.
Nuts and seeds are also important so you will have to focus on introducing at least 4 to 5 servings per day mixing almonds, sunflower seeds, peas, kidney beans and so on. And last but not least – sweets. Sweets are not totally banned from this diet program, however, its intake is limited to 4 to 5 servings per week, which is very important for you to remember. And whenever you do intake sweets, at least make sure that you are choosing low in sugar, low in fats sweets such as jelly beans, jam, and hard candy.
Conclusion
High blood pressure is a medical issue that needs to be solved as soon as possible, thinking about all the risks that are being directly linked. And what is a better way to do so than by following a healthy, low-sugar, low-fat and most importantly low in sodium diet? We have gladly introduced you to what has been announced the best diet plan for high blood pressure, eight years in a row – the DASH diet. Make the decision today to improve your life and feel better each minute you spend following the DASH diet!
Contributed by Evlin Symon
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