The DASH Diet is much more than a weight loss program. In fact, it is considered by many to be a heart-healthy diet that can help to lower blood pressure. This is worth knowing, because if you have been diagnosed with hypertension, that is, high blood pressure, then the odds are that your doctor has told you that you need to make some lifestyle changes to correct the issue, even if you’ve been given prescription medications to help to control or reduce the problem.
Top among the recommended efforts beyond exercising, is to make sure that your weight is in a healthy range, and to toss the salt shaker, for good. This is where the DASH diet can be particularly beneficial as this diet emphasizes eating a variety of foods and nutrients at the right portion sizes.
The DASH Diet Encourages Healthy Eating to Naturally Lower Blood Pressure
With the help of the DASH diet you can take action to reduce your own blood pressure. For some who follow this diet it is possible to reduce it to the point that they no longer need their medication anymore. Of course, if this should ever occur, it is imperative that you speak with your doctor before going off any medication that you may have been prescribed. Additionally, this diet can also be followed to help people to avoid developing high blood pressure problems in the first place.
Essentially, the DASH diet is designed to show you how to reduce your sodium levels while eating healthy, nutritious, flavorful food, and exercising in a fitness appropriate way to bring your blood pressure levels back under control.
How the Program Works
The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, but it can also help you to prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, and even some cancers.
The premise of the program includes the following:
- Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy
- Eating poultry, fish, and legumes
- Eating only limited amounts of sweets, fats, and red meats – though they are still allowed
- Reducing cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat intake
- Increasing fiber intake, as well as nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium
- Reducing sodium
When followed properly, hunger shouldn’t be a problem for most people. The reason is that the standard DASH Diet gives a follower 2,000 calories every day. When that is made up of fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean protein, you can eat a tremendous amount of food within that calorie limit. For those who want to lose weight, a reduced calorie version is also available.
The diet provides a large number of different types of advice and recommendations to make it easier to follow. This includes:
- Choosing “no salt added” or reduced sodium foods
- Purchasing fresh or frozen vegetables, or canned options with “no salt added”
- Selecting fresh fish, poultry, and lean meat instead of processed, smoked, and canned varieties.
- Limiting the consumption of picked and cured foods
- Limiting the use of condiments that are high in salt such as soy sauce, ketchup, horseradish, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, and mustard.
- Cook pasta, rice, and hot cereals without salting the water.
An Adipex Alternative May Also Assist with Weight Loss
Some who follow the DASH diet for weight loss reasons also find that when they take an Adipex alternative diet pill in combination with this program, that it can help support their efforts to manage their weight. This includes reducing struggles that are sometimes experienced when trying to remain committed to a diet or finding the extra energy required to power through the day and workouts.
Just remember, before following the DASH diet or taking a diet pill, it is always a good idea to first consult with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re doing what is safest and best for your specific health and lifestyle needs as well as weight management goals.
