Key Components of Dash Diet For Blood Pressure

The results of the first Dash Diet for blood pressure was published by the Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trial in 1997. This study was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and was carried out at four university medical centers that involved four hundred and fifty-nine adults with untreated high and normal blood pressure to mild hypertension.

The group was made up of males and females and 60% of the individuals were African-American with an average age of 44.6 years, that had systolic readings with less than 160 mm Hg and diastolic readings between 85 to 90 mm Hg and they were divided into three groups for this high blood pressure diet.

One group ate a typical high fat American diet, another group ate a typical high fat diet but increase their intake of fruits and vegetables, and the last group ate the DASH I diet which included lots of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and foods reduced in saturated fat.

I remember hearing this saying "You are what you eat," and I read where Hippocrates once said, "Food is your best medicine," and these saying have never been more relevant, especially when high blood pressure can be made much worse by a poor diet.

The Result of Dash Diet I

Anyway after eight weeks the adults on the Dash Diet for blood pressure combination experienced an average lowering blood pressure of 111.4 mm Hg systolic and 5.5 mm Hg diastolic. The researchers also compared the effects of this diet with the effects of drug therapy using one anti-hypertensive medication, and they concluded that the combination diet could serve as an alternative to drug therapy for individuals with mild hypertension.

Dash Diet II

After seeing such great results, the researchers decided to do a second study that was a combination of the DASH diet plus sodium restriction against the standard American diet.

This study showed significant decreases in the lowering of blood pressure.

Danger of Severely Lowering Sodium

On average the typical American sodium daily intake of sodium is between six to ten grams, which is equivalent to about three to five teaspoons of salt. Your body can function on 500 mg per day, and you need more if you exercise heavily, because you lose sodium through your perspiration. But if you lower your sodium intake severely you can become dehydrated. So please keep your daily sodium intake between 1,500 mg and 2,000 mg.

Did You Know That

• Salt: 75% of our sodium intake comes from processed foods and the rest from salt added to our food in cooking and at the table. (Try substituting potassium chloride for salt.)


• MSG: Found in ketchup and in restaurant food. (Just add more spices if you want more taste.)


• Baking Powder of sodium aluminum sulfate: You can substite potassium bicarbonate for baking powder.

What To Look Out For

Try and limit your consumption of foods that contains:

• Disodium phosphate
• Sodim alginate
• Sodium benzoate
• Sodium hydroxide
• Sodium propionate
• Sodium saccharin
• Sodium sulfite

High Sodium Medications

Even medications contains high levels of sodium. You may not realize this but a lot of over the counter medications is guilty of this and their are low sodium equivalents available, so check with your doctor or your pharmacist for recommendations. So read the labels.

Whats Left To Eat

I know you are thinking so what can I eat on this dash diet for blood pressure that is tasty and not full of sodium. Well they are plenty of delicious foods out there.

Start by choosing cereal, grains and pasta that are unsalted grains or noodles, shredded wheat, and yeast breads.

Eat fresh or frozen vegetables and if you are choosing canned product make sure it is without added salt.

Fruits is major part of lowering blood pressure but remember to have it first, at least half an hour before eating your meal. Fresh is better but frozen is also acceptable, but if eating canned make sure it is without added salt or sugars.

Since you are lowering the amount of salt you are adding to your foods, increase your seasonings by using lots of herbs, garlic, lemon juice, onion, pepper, peppermint and scallion.

Begin With One Step

Don't worry you do not have to become a perfect eating machine overnight just start slowly.

Begin your dash diet for blood pressure by increasing your servings of fruits, vegetables and grains and lower your intake of fats.

Gradually cut back on your intake of sodium and replace your sodium with potassium choloride. Over time you are going to find that your food is actually tastier, and that fresh fruits and vegetables have subtle but great delicious flavors that you were not aware of before.

Remember the dash diet for blood pressure is for your life and is a marathon, not a sprint.

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Your Own Diet For High Blood Pressure

Write your own story about a diet that lowered your high blood pressure.

Share your secrets on the foods that has helped you in treating your high blood pressure, and I will publish your diet secrets.

Give us an idea of what you ate and drank. Did you eat steak, fish or did you go vegan? Did you snack on fruits or nuts, and if so how much?

Could this way of eating be maintained for a lifetime?

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