What is the DASH diet?
The DASH diet is a balanced eating plan recommended by the NHLBI. This diet doesn’t have a lot of food restrictions or rules. Instead, it aims to meet simple nutritional goals on a daily basis. There are no special foods required and it is very flexible making it suitable for everyone. The goal of the DASH diet is to lower blood pressure rather than lose weight, although participants would most likely lose weight also.
Health Benefits of the DASH diet
Since this diet is recommended by the NHLBI, it is safe to assume that it has a lot of health benefits, especially for the heart. The NHLBI took a scientific approach to the diet by conducting clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of the diet. They began with the DASH trial which formulated the base for the diet.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. As the name suggests, the primary focus of the diet is to control high blood pressure with the DASH diet. According to the American Heart Association, around 100 million adults in the United States suffer from hypertension. Over 1 billion adults worldwide suffer from the condition. With hypertension being so prominent in healthcare problems, the DASH diet methods are welcomed solutions.
When following the DASH diet, the participant doesn’t have to remove entire food groups from their daily eating habits. They can simply add healthier foods to their diet and reduce sodium intake. The simplicity makes the diet easier to stick with.
How the DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure
The DASH diet helps to lower blood pressure because it incorporates low-sodium foods and/or substitutes into a person’s regular diet. For example, it limits fatty meats such as pork. This meat is also high on sodium, so limiting the intake of pork subsequently limits the intake of sodium which is one of the biggest culprits in high blood pressure. If the participant closely follows the DASH diet, it will be very easy for them to control high blood pressure with the dash diet.
How the DASH Diet Lowers Cholesterol
The DASH diet incorporates more whole grains into a person’s daily diet. Whole grains have a higher fiber content and having a diet high in fiber has been proven to lower cholesterol levels. By following the DASH diet participants can easily lower their cholesterol levels with any additional effort.
How the DASH Diet Aids in Weight Loss
Depending on the participant’s goals, weight loss can be achieved by reducing the amount of calories that is eaten daily to less than what is burned daily. Since the diet incorporates healthy choices, chances are that the participant will already be reducing calories compared to what they were eating before starting the diet. By putting in a bit of additional effort in managing caloric intake, the DASH diet methods can be as effective for shedding pounds as it is for controlling high blood pressure.
Follow the DASH Diet for a Healthier Life
Through clinical trials the DASH diet has been proven to have a significant positive impact on people’s lives. It is a very simple, non-restrictive diet that is easy to follow. For people who want to improve their blood pressure, the DASH diet is a great choice.
