According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, 1 in 3 adults, or 31 percent of the American population has high blood pressure. High blood pressure will cost Americans more than $76 million in 2010 in missed days, health care services and medications. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, has proven effective in lowering blood pressure.
Lower Sodium
The low sodium version of the DASH diet requires that people consume less than 1,500 mg of salt daily. By lowering sodium intake, the body is less likely to hang on to excess fluid which can cause high blood pressure. According to MayoClinic.com, this version of the DASH diet is particularly effective in middle- aged patients, African Americans and high-blood pressure patients. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website states, study participants who followed the low sodium version of the DASH diet had significant decreases in blood pressure after just two weeks on the plan. Those participants with the highest blood pressures saw the greatest benefit.
Lower Cholesterol
Since the DASH diet emphasizes lots of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains there is a considerable effect on cholesterol. Lowering cholesterol can slow the progression of atherosclerosis, the depositing of fatty substances in the arteries. By decreasing atherosclerotic plaques, the heart does not have to pump as hard against stiff and blocked arteries, thereby lowering blood pressure. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website released a press release in June 2001 noting that participants in the study reduced their overall cholesterol by 7.3 percent and their bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol by 9 percent. However, patients with high triglycerides did not have any significant change in triglyceride levels. The reduction in cholesterol was the same for both Caucasian and African American participants. Another finding in the study showed that the DASH diet lowered homocysteine levels, a substance associated with heart disease risk.
Weight Loss
According to Mayo Clinic website, the DASH diet was not designed to be a weight loss diet; however, it promotes healthy weight loss. Obesity is a recognized cause of hypertension, and losing weight can lower blood pressure. The DASH diet is based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. MayoClinic.com recommends that if weight loss is also a goal, cutting the calories to 1,600 per day will assist in healthy weight loss. As part of any weight loss program daily exercise for 30 minutes at least 5 days per week should be included.
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