Hypertension and the DASH Diet
As we go on about our day, our blood pressure naturally rises and falls. Like when people honk in standstill traffic (seriously, what’s the point in that?), or when your server doesn’t use a notepad for your order and gets your order wrong. Whatever gets you worked up, your blood pressure is likely elevated. It’s when your blood pressure remains high, is when you should be concerned.
High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension is defined as a blood pressure at or above 130/80 mmHg. The top number is your systolic blood pressure which is the amount of force your blood is pushing against your arteries’ walls when your heart contracts. The bottom number, or diastolic blood pressure is that same force when your heart is relaxed. Managing and treating hypertension is crucial as it puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke - the leading causes of death in the United States.
Some risk factors of hypertension are unfortunately out of our control - such as age and genetics. On the other hand, there are many risk factors that we can manage with lifestyle changes. These include smoking, excessive alcohol intake, obesity, kidney disease, endocrine disorders, excessive salt intake, lack of physical activity and stress.
Studies that looked into diet and blood pressure concluded that reduced sodium intake but increased potassium, magnesium, calcium, and fiber intake are realistic approaches to both the treatment of hypertension and the prevention of other diseases. This is known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or the DASH diet. Along with other modifications like weight management, increasing physical activity, and limiting alcohol consumption are impactful changes as well. Most importantly, if you’re a smoker, smoking cessation may be the most critical change you can make to lower the risk of not only hypertension but all forms of heart disease.
Below are some suggestions on how to incorporate DASH diet components
Try to consume no more than 2400 mg of sodium/day. For example, let’s say you have 3 meals and 2 snacks, 480 mg should be your maximum sodium intake per meal and snack.
Reduce the sodium when cooking by using more herbs and spices (fresh or dried) - rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, cilantro, garlic powder, ginger, paprika, cumin, salt free seasonings.
Be familiar with the high salt terms (pickled, cured) and be wary of frozen meals as salt is added for preservation
Make it a goal to have 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. If this seems unrealistic for you, slowly increase week by week.
Go for the low-fat or fat-free dairy products to get your calcium with little fat intake.
Physical activity is very beneficial for heart health. It’s recommended to get at least 30 minutes/day or most days of the week.
Increased alcohol intake and risk of hypertension has been shown to coincide. Men should have no more than 2 drinks/day and women should have no more than 1 drink/day. One drink is defined as 12 oz of beer, 5oz of wine, or 1.5oz of 80-proof liquor.
References
Nelms, M.N., Sucher, K., Lacey, K., & Roth, S.L. (2016). Nutrition therapy and pathophysiology.(3rd ed.). Belmont, CA:Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.
