If you're interested in lowering your blood pressure, controlling your weight and preventing heart disease, a heart-healthy diet is right for you. People of any age and physical condition, but especially those diagnosed with or at risk for hypertension, can benefit. Because an eating plan designed for heart health is low in calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium, it supports a wide variety of medical conditions as well as normal good health.
Significance
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average American diet routinely contains too many calories and not enough of the other essential nutrients needed for proper body function. When one area or system of the body is malnourished, it can damage others. For instance, high cholesterol and salt can harm blood vessels over time. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to heart disease and medical emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks. An eating plan that counteracts hypertension is considered a good heart-healthy diet.
Function
A heart-healthy diet limits nutrients that can be harmful and encourages those that improve cardiovascular function. Excessive sodium levels raise your blood pressure. A carefully designed eating plan both limits salt and adds nutrients that help you excrete the salt that you do ingest, preventing or stabilizing hypertensive conditions.
Features
In addition to limiting the overconsumption of calories, fat and salt, a diet to regulate hypertension relies on a variety of nutrient-dense foods. The USDA recommends a heart healthy diet created by the National Institutes of Health. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a meal plan proven to lower blood pressure. Whole grains replace refined grains, healthy oils replace saturated fat, and vitamins and minerals are gleaned from several different fruit and vegetable sources in each day of the DASH diet.
Time Frame
Once you begin an eating plan such as the DASH diet, consider staying on it for life. The four-tiered calorie structure lets you lose, gain or maintain your weight at any age while still getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals. Stay interested in low-fat foods by choosing among fruits, fish, poultry vegetables, nuts and dairy products that are high in flavor, but low in calories. The DASH plan will keep you motivated with its flexible average calorie limits, daily healthy snacks and a wide variety of delicious foods.
Benefits
If you use the DASH diet to address cardiovascular health, avoiding or mitigating heart disease will be your reward. According to the American Heart Association, using DASH to lose weight or keep from gaining weight will also make you less likely to get diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer---and more likely to stay healthy and live longer.
