What you eat impacts your odds of developing high blood pressure. Recent studies prove that blood pressure tends to be lowered by simply following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet plan. This in conjunction with eating a reduced amount of salt provides the largest benefit and may even prevent the development of high blood pressure.

The DASH eating plan incorporates: Consuming more whole grains, seafood, chicken, and nuts; Minimizing foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats; Consuming more whole grain products, fish, chicken, and nuts; Minimizing less meat (specifically processed meats) and sweets; Consuming foods rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

Getting started with the DASH Diet

The DASH food program involves consuming a specific quantity of servings every day from a number of recommended food groups. The quantity of servings you require may vary, depending on a person's caloric needs. When beginning the diet, ease into it and make progressive modifications. Take into account taking on a diet regime that enables 2,400 mg of salt every day (approximately 1 teaspoon). Subsequently, after your body has adjusted to the diet, further decrease your salt intake to 1,500 mg per day (about 2/3 teaspoon). These amounts include all salt eaten, including salt in food products as well as in what you cook with or add at the table.

Here are some ideas to get you going on the DASH diet: Add a portion of veggies at lunch and dinner; Add a offering of fruit to your meals or as a snack food; Use only half your regular serving of butter, margarine, or salad dressing. And try to use low-fat or fat-free condiments; Substitute low-fat or skim dairy whenever you would ordinarily use whole milk or cream; Minimize beef to 6 ounces a day. Have a few vegetarian meals as an alternative; Add more vegetables and beans into your diet. Instead of typical snacks with a lot of salt, eat the unsalted versions or opt for unsalted nuts, raisins, fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted plain popcorn without butter, and raw vegetables; Examine food labels mindfully to buy products that are lower in sodium.

The DASH Eating Plan is so effective, it is recommended by: - The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (one of the National Institutes of Health, of the US Department of Health and Human Services) - The American Heart Association (AHA) - US guidelines for treatment of high blood pressure - The Mayo Clinic

The DASH diet not only helps lower blood pressure. A study from 2010 found that regular exercise combined with the DASH diet increased mental activity in overweight adults by 30%.