In this article, learn more about DASH Diet Against High Blood Pressure. Diet number one of Americans. Why?.
The DASH diet has gained popularity among people with disease in the United States . The regimen is designed specifically to help control high blood pressure and is widely recommended by the US National Institute of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Health, ie it is officially approved by the relevant expert level.
The regime has gained popularity as the ideal food program for Americans. It is useful not only for lowering blood pressure but also as a preventive measure against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis .
The diet was created by a solid team of nutrition experts, endocrinologists, cardiologists and others, even psychologists, and analyzed 29 professional regimens for their effect and safety for health in their application in the short and long term .
The diet in this diet emphasizes the consumption of many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, as well as fish, nuts, legumes and meat. Oils, red meat, sweet drinks and products are allowed, but their quantity is limited to a minimum. The amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol are negligible.
The diet is based on controlling the amount of food ingested, eating a variety of products and obtaining the necessary nutrients for the body. It reduces the amount of salt and increases the intake of magnesium, calcium and potassium, which is beneficial for lowering blood pressure.
The DASH program includes more than recommendations for consuming appropriate food and quantities . It builds habits in favor of good health and gives alternative proposals for the replacement of harmful foods and semi-finished products.
Adherence to the regimen shows that in patients with hypertension , a reduction in systolic blood pressure by 6 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 3 mm Hg is achieved. Improvements in blood values are noticeable after the first two weeks of following the regimen.
In those with hypertension, even better results were registered - a decrease of 11 mm Hg and 6 mm Hg, respectively. It is important to note that these results are achieved without a change in body weight and daily caloric intake in the range of 1700 - 3100 kcal per day.
Naturally, one of the important points in the regimen is to limit salt intake , and according to the disease, consumption of up to 2.3 g or 1.5 g of sodium per day is allowed, depending on the values of high blood pressure.
The norm, which is usually recommended to be observed by healthy people, is up to 5 years on the recommendation of Bulgarian experts. However, in our daily lives we consume much more salt, and in a study last year for Bulgarians the level reached 9 g, which has a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system. For Americans, salt consumption has been widespread for decades.
Limiting salt intake in people over the age of 40 has proven benefits in the control of blood pressure and this fact is used in the DASH diet.