With the new year in full swing, many people are making resolutions to get healthier. BIDMC primary care physician Stephen Juraschek recommends the DASH diet — which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease risk factors.
The NHLBI guide breaks the DASH diet into specific meal patterns and describes caloric goals. It also includes one-day sample menus that follow a 2300 mg sodium restriction and a 1500 mg sodium restriction, as well as recipes.
What Is the DASH Diet?
The DASH Diet stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.” It is a healthy eating plan that has been shown in studies to help lower high blood pressure (hypertension) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease. It is rich in vegetables, fruits, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, whole grains and fish while being limited in salt and added sugars.
The diet was developed by the DASH Diet Collaborative Group, a world-class team of doctors, registered dietitians and PhD nutrition researchers including Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. George Bray, Donna Ryan and Catherine Champagne RD, LD. The results of their work was published in 1997 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The DASH diet was later adopted as a heart-healthy eating pattern by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and included in the USDA’s MyPyramid nutritional guidance.
Today, the DASH Diet is endorsed by the American Heart Association, The National Kidney Foundation and other leading health organizations. It is also ranked in the top 2025 Best Diets by U.S. News & World Report, as a top heart-healthy diet and a top diet for diabetes and kidney disease.
In addition to helping to manage blood pressure, the DASH diet is rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. The diet also provides healthy sources of protein such as lean meats, beans and nuts while being low in saturated fat and trans-fat.
The DASH diet is a balanced eating plan that does not restrict any food groups or rely on calorie counting. People on the diet can follow a variety of meal plans based on their individual calorie needs, as recommended by their health care provider. The NHLBI website offers guides and eating plans for different calorie levels; a one-day sample menu following a 2,300 mg/day sodium restriction, which agrees with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans; and a database of DASH recipes. People with food sensitivities may need to make modifications to the diet, such as replacing dairy foods with nondairy alternatives and substituting nuts with seeds if they are allergic or have other medical issues like lactose intolerance or food allergies.
Benefits of the DASH Diet
The DASH Diet has been shown to lower blood pressure in multiple studies. It has also been shown to improve lipid panels, help people lose weight and reduce the risk for other health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and gout. The National Institutes of Health, including the NHLBI, recommends following a DASH-like eating plan for the general population to help reduce blood pressure and improve overall health.
The NHLBI’s “Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure with DASH” is a free online publication that helps you learn more about the DASH diet and offers tips, a sample menu for each day of the week that follows a 2300mg sodium restriction, and recipes. The DASH diet is low in saturated fat and high in fiber. Some people may experience gas and bloating at first as they increase their fiber intake from whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Slowly adding these foods and drinking plenty of fluids can minimize discomfort.
In addition to reducing salt, the DASH Diet also emphasizes potassium-rich foods. Potassium helps the body’s vessels relax, further lowering blood pressure. Several studies have shown that people who follow the DASH diet can significantly reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure by improving systolic and diastolic levels. The DASH diet has also been found to decrease cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as decreasing the incidence of heart failure in some studies.
While the DASH diet is a healthy way to eat for anyone, it is especially important for people with chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. The DASH diet can be customized for individuals by adjusting calories and adding or subtracting foods as necessary. For example, a person with high blood pressure might need to add more protein or fat from meat and beans while someone who is trying to lose weight might need to reduce carbohydrate consumption.
A registered dietitian can help you create meal plans that are best suited for your specific health needs and goals. In addition to advising on how the DASH diet can benefit you, a dietitian can offer tips and strategies for making the changes you need to succeed. They can also help you figure out how many calories you need per day and recommend appropriate serving sizes, and provide resources to make it easier for you to track your food intake.
What Do You Eat in the DASH Diet?
The DASH diet focuses on whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and lean meats. It is rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, which help to lower blood pressure naturally. It is also low in sodium, sugary beverages and saturated fats. The DASH diet is recommended by a number of health organizations and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The original DASH diet was designed to help reduce high systolic blood pressure, which is the force on the artery walls when your heart beats. The diet was shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by 27%, and also reduce blood levels of LDL cholesterol, which is associated with heart disease. It is an excellent choice for anyone with high blood pressure, but it can also be used to prevent and treat heart disease and other chronic conditions.
DASH is similar to the Mediterranean diet, which is also recommended for treating high blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease. However, the DASH diet is more structured in that it outlines specific servings for different food groups and limits salt and added sugars. The DASH diet also recommends eating more oily fish, which is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and it allows for low-fat or nonfat dairy.
To follow the DASH diet, it is important to plan meals ahead of time. It is also important to slowly increase the amount of fiber you consume as too much can cause GI distress. The NHLBI offers helpful guides and an online database of DASH-friendly recipes to make it easier to follow the diet. The NHLBI also provides a one-day sample menu following a 2300 mg daily sodium restriction, and a week’s worth of recipes following a 1500 mg daily sodium restriction. This information can be used to create your own meal plans that fit your calorie level and lifestyle. The DASH diet can be safely followed by people with kidney disease, but individuals on dialysis should consult their doctor and dietitian before making any dietary changes as these individuals have special nutrient needs that need to be considered.
Does it Work for Everyone?
Unlike many diets that require drastic changes in macronutrient intake (such as low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets) or severely restrict calories, the DASH Diet allows healthy foods and beverages within a calorie level determined by a person’s estimated daily calorie needs. This makes it a safe, sensible approach to healthier eating for people of all ages and activity levels.
The DASH diet was developed to help reduce high blood pressure, but it also has been shown to improve other health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even gout. It has been endorsed by a variety of groups, including the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association and recommended by the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic.
Studies have shown that the DASH diet reduces blood pressure more effectively than a control diet that was similar in nutrients to the typical North American diet. This reduction in blood pressure was especially pronounced for those with mild to moderate hypertension. The DASH diet also reduced total and low-density lipoprotein (“bad”) cholesterol, which is another risk factor for heart disease.
A more recent study found that following the DASH diet can improve asthma symptoms for people with poorly controlled or chronic conditions. A new study funded by NHLBI is investigating whether following the DASH eating plan can improve asthma in adults with poor dietary habits and uncontrolled asthma.
While the DASH diet can be a challenge to stick with, it is easy to make small changes gradually over time. This helps prevent GI distress, which can be common when increasing fiber too quickly. For example, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet will increase the amount of fiber you consume, so try these additions slowly to avoid digestive problems. You can also get tips and tricks from your healthcare provider to support your efforts to follow the DASH diet.