The Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association (AHA) both recommend the heart healthy Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet. Developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the DASH meal plan has shown good results in lowering and stabilizing the blood pressure of a wide cross-section of Americans. Healthy individuals and those who have been diagnosed with hypertension or heart disease can all benefit from the DASH diet.
Purpose
Following a stable but diverse meal plan is better for your body than sudden or extreme fad diets. Heart disease patients especially need a consistent supply of the right nutrients in order to manage or improve their conditions. The DASH menu satisfies these needs and offers a low-fat, highly nutritious diet that anyone can follow. DASH was proven to lower blood pressure by up to 14 points in every sector of the population studied by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. DASH is also effective in controlling weight while supplying complete nutrition.
Function
The DASH heart healthy diet works by using food portion sizes that deliver adequate nutrients in a limited calorie count. Four daily calorie intake choices---1,600; 2,000; 2,600; and 3,100---let you tailor meal plans to your body mass index, activity level and weight goals. Average calorie intakes mean that you can eat a little less or a little more on different days and still maintain your weight. Two sodium levels are available, for differing heart disease statuses.
Features
You'll notice multiple small servings in each meal of the DASH eating plan. Variety is a key feature, delivering a wide array of nutrients through several low-calorie and low-fat sources. These include fish, poultry, beans, nuts and seed sources of protein, iron, potassium and other essential nutrients. Fruits and vegetables offer endless variety, and the lack of fat and added sugar in produce lets you sample red meat and sweets occasionally.
Example
This sample 2,000-calorie DASH meal plan emphasizes low-fat protein and high vitamin, calcium, potassium and other nutrient content. Breakfast on a bran muffin, mixed fresh fruit topped with light yogurt and walnuts, nonfat milk and herbal tea. Lunch on a low-fat chicken wrap, baby carrots, a nectarine, some almonds and milk. Dinner includes baked macaroni, a green salad, a wheat roll and a frozen fruit bar for dessert.
Benefits
Watching your calories, fat and salt prevents you from becoming overweight. The DASH plan helps you avoid obesity, a leading risk factor for hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. The DASH heart healthy diet can help you avoid these life-threatening conditions while providing optimum nutrition to fuel your lifestyle.
