Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

The typical North American diet can contain a whopping 3,500 mg of sodium or more a day – more than human body needed. Diets with high sodium content consistently have been cited as a cause of hypertension, confirmed in both animal and human studies.

High sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart attack, among other serious health problems. Blood pressure can be unhealthy even of its stays only slightly above the normal level of less than 120/80 mmHg.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a dietary approach designed to help treat or prevent a high blood pressure.

Dietary patterns based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy foods, with reduced saturated and total fat, together with a reduction in dietary sodium, may help in the management of hypertension.

General principles of the DASH Eating Plan:
*Low in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat
*Emphasizes high in fruits, vegetables and fat-free or low-fat dairy products
*Includes whole grain products
*Includes lean meats, fish and poultry and nuts
*Reduced in lean red meat, sweets and sugared beverages
*Rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium, as well as proteins and fiber

The DASH diet is low in cholesterol; high in dietary fiber, potassium, calcium and magnesium; and moderately high in protein.

The DASH eating plan follows heart healthy guidelines to limit saturated fat and cholesterol.

It focuses on increasing intake of foods rich in nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure, mainly minerals (such as potassium, calcium and magnesium), protein and fiber.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

Low sodium diet

Sodium is a mineral, and most of the sodium in foods comes from salt. Too much sodium in human diet makes human body holds on to too much fluid. This fluid can collect where it shouldn’t: in hands, legs, ankles, belly, and lungs. This may cause problems for people who have liver, heart, or kidney disease.

On average, American adults eat more than 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day, which is significantly higher than the recommended limit. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that Americans consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium each day as part of a healthy eating pattern. The majority of the sodium Americans consumes—more than 70%—is found in processed food and restaurant meals.

Choosing and preparing foods that are lower in salt and sodium may help prevent or lower high blood pressure. High blood pressure can raise the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Dishes with many ingredients — like pizza, casseroles, burgers, tacos, and sandwiches — tend to have ingredients that are high in sodium. When making these dishes, limit ingredients that are often high in sodium:
•Processed meats, poultry, and seafood — like deli meats, sausages, pepperoni, and sardines
•Sauces, dressings, and condiments
•Instant products like flavored rice, instant noodles, and ready-made pasta

Depending on the food choices, it doesn’t take much to consume more sodium than recommended.
*One slice of bread can contain anywhere from 80 to230 mg of sodium, and a slice of frozen pizza can contain between 370 and 730 mg.
*Some breakfast cereals contain 150 to 300 mg of sodium before milk is added.

Low sodium diet

How important is DASH?

Studies have found that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) menus containing 2,300 milligrams of sodium can lower blood pressure and that an even lower level of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, can further reduce blood pressure.

Research shows that high blood pressure can be prevented—and lowered—by following the DASH eating plan, which includes eating less sodium.

Research findings showed that blood pressures were reduced with an eating plan that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat and that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

The DASH eating plan is rich in fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds, and nuts. It also contains less sodium; sweets, added sugars, and beverages containing sugar; fats; and red meats than the typical American diet.

The DASH eating plan follows heart healthy guidelines to limit saturated fat and cholesterol. It focuses on increasing intake of foods rich in nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure, mainly minerals (like potassium, calcium, and magnesium), protein, and fiber.

It is a Mediterranean diet full of nutrients that are good for heart and good for body health. This eating plan is for 1,800 calories per day.

How important is DASH?

Healthy eating diet for people with high cholesterol

Being health conscious is more important now than ever before. When people neglect their body by eating high fat foods and not exercising people will run the risk of a whole host of health issues, including obesity and heart disease. Many people don't pay any attention to what they eat until their doctor tells them that their cholesterol level is too high. In most cases, if it's only moderately high the physician will suggest one of the diets for high cholesterol. If it's alarmingly high, medication may also be prescribed to lower it quickly.

One reason people are a little standoffish about the medications used to lower bad cholesterol is because some of them are allegedly causing liver damage. This is why doctor may simply tell to change the way people eat. A diet to lower cholesterol can be really effective if the person is serious and sticks to it. Although we have to change the way we view food, and give up certain foods, the benefits are well worth it.

Common sense plays a big part in healthy meal planning. If we're trying to get in better shape, there are many fatty foods that we need to avoid. Diets for high cholesterol suggest staying away from things like red meat and heavy cream sauces. Eggs are also another source of cholesterol so be sure to limit the number we eat each week.

Whole grain foods are something we'll need to get used to when we want to follow a meal plan like this. They have a positive impact on cholesterol in a short period of time. It's easy to make the change to whole grains and many of the diets for high cholesterol suggest eating whole grain cereals and making sandwiches from seven grain bread.

Fruits and vegetables are really the staple of any diet that is designed for optimum health. Fruit flavored yogurt is also found in many diets for high cholesterol but do be careful to avoid any that are sweetened with sugar.

Drink a lot of water each day. This is a good rule of thumb for everyone. If get tired of plain water, try adding a little juice of lemon or lime to it. Once we adjust our palate and become accustomed with the new way of eating, for sure we’ll never want to switch back to the French fries and burgers.
Healthy eating diet for people with high cholesterol

Soft Drinks and Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the top five chronic health disorders suffered by American adults.

In one study a woman’s risk of developing hypertension increased steeply when caffeine was consumed in soft rinks – even with sugar free diet colas.

There are strong positive association between cola beverage intake and hypertension risk.

Fructose consumption has been on explosive rise and has paralleled the epidemics of hypertension. The yearly intake of high fructose corn syrup as an added sugar to be as high as 62.4 pounds per person.

Soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup such as colas and fruit drinks are the primary source of sugar in the American’s diet.

One the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease is high blood pressure. High blood pressure have also have been linked to high amount of sodium in diet. Incidentally, diet drinks generally contain more sodium than regular soft drinks.

In populations with low sodium intakes, hypertension is rare. Sodium is present in many beverages including soft drinks. Americans consume about two teaspoons of salt per day, most of which is hidden in prepared foods, preservatives and flavorings.

Soft drinks also contain caffeine. Caffeine induces hypercalciuria, affects hydration and may aggravate hypertension.

Apart from hypertension caffeinated soft drinks also linked to depression, bone fracture, and neurological damage.
Soft Drinks and Hypertension

Hypertension, Diet and Nutritional Supplement

Hypertension, Diet and Nutritional Supplement
There is a suggestion to recommend diets that consist of 30% fats, 20% - 25% protein and 45% - 50% carbohydrates. The fats should come from fish such as salmon, mackerel, Greenland halibut, cod and blue fish. This is o basically the so-called Mediterranean diet.

One study conducted in 1980s, investigating the rate of heart attacks over a ten year period for individual in European nations, revealed that the island of Crete reported no heart attacks as a cause of death, even though many of the residents had dangerously high cholesterol levels, a presumed risk factor for heart disease.

According to expert, the Mediterranean diet, rich in monounsaturated fat (olive oil) and antioxidants, has proved to be crucial in cardiovascular protection. This diet is low in saturated fats (such as dairy products and meats), high in fiber and antioxidants (vitamin C, beta carotene, and vitamin E) from fresh fruits and vegetables, and high in essential fatty acids, found in fish, flaxseed oil and other omega-3 oils.

Avocado and asparagus, commonly eaten in this diet, are rich in L-glutathione, an amino acid that can scavenge for harmful free radicals. An olive oil is the healthiest of oils as expert said. Also garlic and other members of the onion family (prominent in this diet) help because the significantly reduce blood pressure.
Hypertension, Diet and Nutritional Supplement

Salt, Sodium and High Blood Pressure

Salt, Sodium and High Blood Pressure
Table salt is sodium chloride: it is the sodium which is important for your blood pressure, not the chloride. High blood pressure is unknown among those peoples of the world which normal diet contains about 20 times less sodium than a normal Western diet, and even very high blood pressure can be controlled by reducing sodium intake to this level. The diet required for this consists entirely of rice, fruit, and vegetable and would be intolerable to most people.

The usual daily diet contains much more salt than anyone needs, it certainly does no harm to reduce sodium intake by not adding salt to cooked meals, and by reducing or avoiding high sodium processed foods (crisps, sausages, sauces, tinned meats and beans and ‘convenience’ food generally), Chinese take-away (which contain huge quantities of sodium glutamate) and strong cheeses. Salt can be found in the most unexpected foods for example, both milk and bread contain salt in amounts which would surprise most people.

There is no convincing evidence that the roughly one third reductions in sodium intake you can achieve by these dietary changes is an effective alternative to drug treatment for severe high blood pressure. Reducing fat in your diet by about a quarter reduces the potential complications of high blood pressure much more effectively than reducing your salt intake by about half. Most people find it difficult to reduce fat and salt at the same time, and fat reduction deserved a higher priority (especially as cutting down in fats will help you lose weight).

However, people whose blood pressure is high enough for them to need to take drugs for it may manage on lower dosage of their tablets if they reduce their sodium intake, and very heavy salt eaters should try to cut down.
Salt, Sodium and High Blood Pressure

Barriers of Prevention Hypertension

Barriers of Prevention Hypertension
Clinical evidence solidly indicates that hypertension increases the mortality and morbidity associated with coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and end stage kidney disease. Therefore, early identification of patients at risk for hypertension and therapy to prevent hypertension are ever more important.

The most important causal important factors for development of hypertension include obesity, excessive dietary salt consumption, reduced physical activity, excess alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, and inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables and potassium. Fewer than 20% of Americans engage in regular exercise, and only 25% consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Mean sodium intake is approximately 4100 mg per day for men and 2750 mg per day for women, most of which comes from processed foods. A healthier lifestyle could dramatically decrease the risk for developing hypertension.

The major barriers for effective prevention of hypertension include insufficient attention to education by health care providers and perhaps more important, lack of reimbursement for health education services. Many restaurants serve increasingly large helpings and patients often rapidly consume their food, both of which result in a substantial caloric intake. There is lack of availability of healthy food choices in many school, work sites, and restaurants. Salt is added to food by industry and restaurants to enhance taste and flavor, and foods lower in salt and calories are frequently more expensive. These factors confound public health, clinician and patient effort to reduce blood pressure though diet.
Barriers of Prevention Hypertension

Atherosclerosis and Food Diet

Atherosclerosis and Food Diet
Atherosclerosis is used to describe several pathological processes occurring in a number of arteries and is responsible for coronary heart disease, stroke and diseases of the peripheral circulatory system. Atherosclerosis is a disease characterized by deposition of a fatty material on the walls of the arteries. Their material consists essentially of cholesterol, triglycerides fats, fibrous tissue and red blood cells. As the deposit continues to build, it restricts blood flow through the artery. When the coronary artery is involved, heart attack and death may follow.

Human studies have indicated a link between atherosclerosis and diet exists. The intake of saturated fat s and cholesterol increases the likehoods of having elevated serum cholesterol which is associated with arthrosclerosis. Other factors in addition to diet are associated with the occurrence of atherosclerosis. Among them are obesity, hypertension, diabetes, sedentary living, cigarette smoking, and high blood cholesterol levels. The latter may be cause by diet or be of hereditary origin. Although diet does appear to be involved, it must be emphasized that its relative importance in contributing to atherosclerosis is not entirely clear. Since cholesterol, a sterol found in all animal tissues, eggs, milk and other foods of animal origin, is a component of the atherosclerosis deposit, it has been reasonable to hypothesize that foods high in cholesterol can contributed to atherosclerosis. Such food may increase the level of cholesterol in the blood. But other components of diet especially large quantities of saturated fats and sugars – also can result in high levels of blood cholesterol.

Furthermore, some investigators find that high levels of blood triglycerides correlate even more closely with coronary disease than do high levels of blood cholesterol. High levels of blood triglycerides also result from the consumption of large quantities of saturated fats and sugars. Whereas consumption of large quantities of saturated fats can increase levels of both cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, liberal quantities of polyunsaturated vegetable oils tend to decrease blood cholesterol.
Atherosclerosis and Food Diet

Vegetable and Blood Pressure

Vegetable and Blood Pressure
Vegetables are plant foods that include various edible parts such as leaves, shoots, roots, tubers, flowers, and stems. They normally do not include fruit. However tomatoes and olives which are technically fruit are included, because their culinary role is related more to vegetables than the fruits. Vegetables belong to an important class of foods that supply us with many nutritive requirements, including nutrients, starches, fats, minerals, sugars, and vitamins. Vegetables also supply bulk to the diet, as well as a large variety of flavors and odors that provide the knowledgeable chef with repertoire of culinary tricks.

There are news that vegetable protein could prevent hypertension and the related disease. There are a number of common vegetables and spices have beneficial effects in controlling hypertension. Among them:
Tomato
Broccoli
Carrot
Saffron
The results were consistent with the recommendations that a diet high in vegetable products be part of a healthy lifestyle for prevention of high blood pressure and related diseases. Previous research also showed that blood pressure was better controlled with a vegetable diet. Vegetable contain less salt and more antioxidant vitamins, are low in calories, high in fiber and also help to control diabetes.
Vegetable and Blood Pressure