High blood pressure,or hypertension, has few to no symptoms According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 74.5 million people in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. With a doctor's approval, before exploring medication or in addition to medication, you could change your diet in an attempt to help lower your blood pressure.
Risks
Blood pressure is a measurement of the actual pressure on the walls of the arteries created as the heart pumps blood. Blood pressure is measured in two stages: systolic is the pressure created as the heart pumps blood, and diastolic is the pressure when the heart is resting between beats. There are many health risks associated with high blood pressure. Including heart attack, stroke, heart disease, kidney damage, vision damage and angina.
The DASH Diet
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is commonly recommended by physicians to those with high blood pressure, and it is endorsed by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the American Heart Association. An April 17, 1997, article in the "New England Journal of Medicine" concluded that the DASH diet "can substantially lower blood pressure. This diet offers an additional nutritional approach to preventing and treating hypertension."
DASH Diet Foods
A typical day on the DASH eating plan is to aim for four to five servings of vegetables, four to five servings of fruit, two to three servings of fat free or low-fat milk products and six or less servings of lean protein. In addition, add four to five servings of nuts, seeds and legumes a week.These servings are based on a 2,000 calorie diet; adjust the amounts based on caloric needs. Focus on whole grains, as they have more nutrients and fiber. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Trim off all fat from meats and poultry and take the skin off poultry. The goal is to limit unnecessary fats, so watch added fats while cooking. These recommendations are made by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH.
DASH Diet Limits
As important as what to eat more of on the DASH diet is what to avoid or limit. Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH, recommends limiting servings of fats and oils to two to three servings a day, and sweets and sugars to five or fewer servings a week. Because of the high cholesterol content of egg yolks, limit servings to four a week. In addition, it recommends limiting alcohol consumption and keeping sodium levels under 1,500 mg per day.
References
- American Heart Association: About High Blood Pressure
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with Dash
- American Heart Association: What is High Blood Pressure
- American Heart Association: Why Blood Pressure Matters
- "New England Joural of Medicine": A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure: Lawrence John Appel, et. al.: April 17, 1997
- American Heart Association: Managing Blood Pressure with a Heart-Healthy Diet
