DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and it's one diets clinically proven to reduce blood pressure, as well as your risk of heart attack, stroke and other diseases. The DASH Diet places an emphasis on decreasing your sodium intake and eating an abundance of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy foods.
History of DASH
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a clinical study of the DASH Diet, in conjunction with the National Center for Research Resources and the Office of Research on Minority Health, indicated that the DASH Diet can help prevent and treat high blood pressure. Results were published in the April 1997 issue of "The New England Journal of Medicine."
Lowering Sodium
There are two versions of the DASH Diet, both which limit sodium intake. The regular DASH Diet lets you eat 2,300mg of sodium each day. There's also a lower-sodium version of the DASH Diet which permits only 1,500mg of daily sodium, notes MayoClinic.com. Compared to the amount of sodium that most people consume each day -- which can be more than 3,500mg -- the standard DASH Diet keeps dieters at intake levels recommended by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. However, the NHLBI notes that people who follow the lower-sodium version of the DASH Diet are more successful at lowering their blood pressure.
DASH Diet in Brief
Not only does the DASH Diet focus on introducing more vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy products, says the NIH; it also places emphasis on eating less total and saturated fats, cholesterol and sugar. Whole-grain foods, fish, poultry and nuts have a place in the DASH Diet. However, you should eat less red meat and fewer sugary treats and beverages. According to the NIH, there's a lot of fiber in the DASH Diet -- as well as foods rich in the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium.
What To Eat
The DASH Diet isn't a starvation diet; you consume 2,000 calories a day. The diet includes seven to eight servings of whole-grain foods a day, such as whole-wheat bread and oatmeal. You eat four to five servings of both fruit and vegetables, like carrots, turnip greens, kale, sweet potatoes, oranges, apricots, peaches and melon -- valuable sources of potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber. Two to three servings of low-fat or nonfat milk products are allowed, such as milk, buttermilk and yogurt -- these give you calcium and protein. Two or fewer servings of lean meat, fish or poultry are allowed on the DASH Diet, as well as four to five weekly servings of nuts, seeds and legumes.
Benefits
The DASH Diet, with its decreased sodium content, is most helpful for middle-aged adults or those in the African-American population who already suffer from high blood pressure, according to MayoClinic.com. After two weeks on the diet, your blood pressure may drop by a few points, while sustained adherence to the diet can cause it to fall eight to 14 points. Either version of the DASH Diet yields health benefits for people with an eye toward lowering blood pressure. However, if you don't know which version of the diet is best for you, talk to your doctor.
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