Best Diet for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common disorder that affects more than 73 million people in the United States alone. As high blood pressure is a harbinger of other cardiac complications--such as heart disease, heart attack or stroke--keeping hypertension in check with a healthy diet is key to avoiding these life-shortening ailments. Fortunately, science has identified the triggers behind high blood pressure, so the only thing stopping you from seeing results is you.

High Blood Pressure and Disease

• Hypertension is largely a silent killer which rarely manifests with noticeable symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they can be easily misconstrued as anomalies, allowing hypertension to often go many years without being detected. Some symptoms include nosebleeds, fatigue, pain in the chest, and irregular heartbeat. If you experience any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment to get yourself tested for hypertension as soon as possible.

The DASH Diet

• The DASH diet--short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension--is one of the best ways to combat hypertension, as it was custom designed for the task. The DASH diet comes recommended by The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, The American Heart Association, The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the US Guidelines for the Treatment of High Blood Pressure.

DASH Diet Theory and Benefits

• The DASH diet works by regulating trouble foods, allowing you reduced access to them to combat hypertension. These hazardous foods are replaced with healthy, blood pressure lowering alternatives, resulting in a reduction in overall hypertension within the first two weeks. As an added benefit, the generous quantities of fruits and vegetables in the DASH diet can help ward off other life-threatening conditions like cancer.

DASH Diet Rules

• To follow the DASH diet, consume at least six servings of whole grains per day, four servings of fruit, four servings of vegetables, two servings of low fat or nonfat dairy, no more than 2.5 servings of meat, fish or chicken, and no more than four servings of fats or sweets. Additionally, consume between three to six servings of seeds, nuts or legumes throughout the week to bolster fiber intake.

Implementing the DASH Diet

• The best implementation strategy for the DASH diet is a gradual approach. To do this, begin by consciously replacing servings of meat in your regular diet with servings of fruits or vegetables, slowly increasing your daily intake over the course of several weeks. In addition, replace most of your snacks or desserts with fruit or vegetables as well. Although the DASH diet is not specifically designed to help you lose weight, fat loss will certainly be a pleasant side effect of this plan.