The DASH approach to eating is an effective way to lower your blood pressure and increase your overall health and well-being.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low fat dairy products could substantially lower blood pressure which could reduce heart disease by 15% and strokes by 27%. The DASH diet works as well for women as men and blood pressure began to drop within 2 weeks on the diet!
There are 3 key nutrients that you can get from the foods you eat and these nutrients could lower your blood pressure by an average of 6 mmHg systolic and 3 mmHg diastolic pressure. For example, your blood pressure could drop from 160/95 to 154/92.
The 3 key nutrients you need from your diet are magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
| Magnesium-rich foods (aim for 500 mg per day |
| The target amount used in the study is 500 mg magnesium. |
| flax seeds, ¼ lb or 4 oz |
500 mg |
| Branbuds cereal, 1 cup |
270 mg |
| dried, blanched almonds, slivered, 1/3 cup |
150 mg |
| avocado, medium |
100 mg |
| wheat germ, ¼ cup |
90 mg |
| canned split-pea soup, 1 cup |
50 mg |
| spinach, cooked, ½ cup |
80 mg |
| mixed, dry-roasted nuts, ¼ cup |
80 mg |
| artichoke, boiled, 1 medium |
70 mg |
| canned navy beans, ½ cup |
60 mg |
| potato, 1 medium, baked |
60 mg |
| molasses, 2 tbsp |
60 mg |
| apricots, dried then cooked, 1 cup |
60 mg |
| Potassium-rich foods (aim for 4,700 mg per day) |
| The target amount of potassium used in the study is 4,700 mg potassium. Tip:high-potassium foods tend to be orange in color. |
| apricots, dried, 1 cup |
2,200 mg |
| sultana raisins, 1 cup |
1,280 mg |
| papaya, 1 raw |
800 mg |
| potato, 1 medium, baked |
640 mg |
| mackerel, cooked, 3 oz |
550 mg |
| melon (cantaloupe), 1 cup |
480 mg |
| broccoli, cooked, 1 cup |
450 mg |
| molasses, 2 tbsp |
440 mg |
| spinach, cooked, ½ cup |
420 mg |
| orange juice, 1 cup |
400 mg |
| chicken roasted, 3 oz |
200 mg |
| salmon, cooked 3 oz |
350 mg |
| mango, 1 medium |
320 mg |
| Calcium |
| The target amount of calcium used in the study is 1,240 mg. Remember it must be low fat (1% milk fat (M.F.) or less). |
| One theory is that eating plenty of high calcium foods may help to lower blood pressure by increasing the calcium in the cells of smooth muscles like blood vessels. That causes the smooth muscle to relax which means the blood vessels are more elastic or flexible so
blood pressure drops. |
Putting it all together
The DASH way of eating is healthy because it gets you to eat more fruits
and vegetables. You can easily follow the DASH diet by using national
food guides.
Recommended daily servings
- 7 to 7½ breads and cereals
- 8½ to 9½ fruits and vegetables
- 3 low fat dairy products
- 1½ meat/alternates
- 1 serving nuts
Don't remain unaware and silent about high blood pressure. Get your blood pressure checked regularly by either your family doctor or at local blood pressure clinics. Learn your blood pressure number. Finally, practice the 5 healthy lifestyle recommendations:
- eat less salt
- lose weight if you're heavy
- drink less alcohol
- exercise and follow the DASH diet - one that has plenty of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
