To get started on the DASH eating plan, check out two awesome resources here and here.Įveryone should strive for 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise weekly. Here’s a handy list for reference when planning to hit your DASH micronutrient goals: While it may be easier to figure out which foods contain the DASH macronutrients of interest, it’s more difficult with micronutrients. Check out this Beginner’s Guide to Low-Sodium Eating for more practical tips. Eating more of these electrolytes can help balance the effects of sodium. Sodium matters, but so does potassium, calcium and magnesium. The downside is Americans are used to eating 3,400 milligrams per day, so easing back on sodium can deal a drastic blow to the taste buds.
The DASH eating plan caps sodium at 2,300 milligrams, and even suggests going as low as 1,500 milligrams daily for better results. Research shows it may help reduce blood pressure better than some medications.Īll of the above nutrients count, but sodium deserves a special callout as the nutrient most of us associate with high blood pressure. In short, the DASH eating plan is sodium-controlled and emphasizes sensible food choices. You can enter these goals into the MyFitnessPal app and start tracking:Ĭhart adapted from the DASH Eating Plan Guide by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Even if you’re already taking high blood pressure medications, following this eating plan can enhance your success.Ĭheck out this chart for a daily breakdown of DASH macronutrient and micronutrient goals.
The theory is these nutrients work together synergistically to regulate blood pressure. The DASH eating plan calls for less sodium, saturated fat and added sugar and more potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber and lean protein. READ MORE > ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LOSING WEIGHT Factors that affect blood pressure include weight, stress, hydration, activity level, temperature and diet. Experts agree that high blood pressure, which affects 1 in every 3 adults, increases your risk for heart attack or stroke. You want blood pressure to be just right: high enough to circulate blood efficiently, but low enough that it doesn’t damage delicate blood vessel walls. A healthy, normal blood pressure is about 120 mmHg/80 mmHg or less. When it contracts or relaxes, blood moves along the blood vessel walls exerting a force your doctor measures with a blood pressure cuff. Your heart pumps blood, oxygen and other nutrients to every cell in your body. Because DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, its goal is focused on eating foods that help decrease blood pressure and reduce heart disease risk.Ĭomplicated acronym aside, it is precisely what most nutrition experts have been preaching all along:īefore we dive into DASH, here’s why it matters in the first place. News & World Report, the DASH diet was ranked as the “best diet all around” for the eighth year in a row.
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