Dash Diet Plan

It is known that proper diet plan does influence conditions of hypertension and certain diet plans can help in lowering the elevated blood pressure. This strict dietary approach to controlling hypertension is called DASH, the short form of "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension". The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet is an effective weight loss plan geared toward eating in a moderate and sensible way. This approach is becoming more popular as it focuses on a real world approach to eating well. People can actually eat out and enjoy themselves without having to count every calorie in their food if they follow their advice. For the various road warriors out there, fast food is even ok with this type of diverse approach of the diet.

A lot of modern restaurants even help those on diets by using icons on the menus to allow diners to identify low-fat dishes. Diners also are given more liberty in choosing how their meals are cooked. Studies made on this issue supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute or the NHLBI, were conducted to evaluate effects of nutrients, as they occur together in food, on blood pressure. This study was the actual basis for DASH diet. The research and study showed that a diet which was low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol and rich in low-fat dairy products, vegetables and fruits dramatically reduced the elevated blood pressures. Incidentally this type of diet plan is rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, as well as fiber and protein.

In the medical tests and reports, the DASH diet, which is rich in vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy foods but low in amounts of saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, brought down systolic blood pressure on an average by about 6 mm Hg and the diastolic blood pressure by about 3 mm Hg. In case of patients with high calorie and blood pressure the diet worked even better; 11 mm Hg drops in the systolic and about 6 mm Hg in the diastolic pressure. Significantly these types of considerable reductions came about within 2 weeks of starting the DASH diet! The DASH diet plan is normally rich in many nutrients. It is beneficial not only in the condition of overweight or high blood pressure but for general good health also. If people follow the recommended 2000 calories a day diet plan, their body will be getting 500 mg of magnesium, 1240 mg of calcium and 4700 mg of potassium; these amounts are 200% to 300% of what most Americans get in their normal diet.

Relation between hypertension or high blood pressure and being overweight has been known for long. Therefore it is quite common to find that the diet suggested for reducing blood pressure has shades of a diet normally associated with natural cure for weight loss. Many other components of the DASH diet plan such as low amount of saturated fat, total fat and use of a large amount of low-fat dairy products, vegetables and fruits which include fiber and proteins are similar to a natural weight loss diet plan. It is quite simple thing to adapt the DASH diet plan for weight loss or fast weight loss by selecting the suggested DASH diet for calorie intake which is less than what one is already taking.

• Cassandra Bagley
• 23/03/2009, 4:59 PM
• 0 Comments