Manage Hypertension With DASH Diet

DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It focuses on portion size, eating a variety of foods and getting the right amount of nutrients. It is a lifelong approach towards eating healthy so as to treat or prevent hypertension. With increasing cases of hypertension, adopting such measures can turn out to be boon. 

You must also know that because the DASH diet emphasizes on healthy way of eating, it brings along many health benefits other than just lowering your blood pressure. It may also help in preventing osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. 

What to eat in a DASH Diet?

• Eat whole grains rather than refined grains because they have more fiber and nutrients.
• Have a good blend of vegetables everyday as they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. 
• Four to five servings of fruits everyday is not a bad idea. Just make sure that if you choose canned fruit or juice, it has no added sugar. 
• Choose dairy products that are low fat or fat-free.
• When you are having lean meat or poultry products, trim away their skin and fat. Bake, broil, grill or roast them rather than frying in fat.
• You must go for healthy fish like salmon, herring and tuna. These have high amount of omega-3 fatty acids that can be helpful in lowering your total cholesterol.
• Keep a check on your sodium levels, a daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg is recommended.
• Have nuts, they contain healthy types of fat - monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids. Note that they should be eaten in moderation, as they are high in calories.
• When it comes to eating sweets, you don’t have to completely ban yourself from eating them. Eat sweets which are fat-free or low-fat, such as fruit ices, jelly beans, hard candy, graham crackers or low-fat cookies.

The DASH diet also recommends that consumption of alcohol should be avoided as it can increase your blood pressure and likewise for caffeine.