Dash diet: Healthy eating to control hypertension

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force that is exerted against the walls of the arteries when the heart pumps blood in the human body.

Having high blood pressure (hypertension) puts your health at risk and increases your risk of heart disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education and research, blood pressure is measured by two values:

Upper value (systolic pressure). The first, or top, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.

Lower value (diastolic pressure). The second, or lower, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.

Blood pressure ranges

A normal blood pressure is when the blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg, most of the time.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is when one or both blood pressure numbers are greater than 130/80 mm Hg, most of the time.

If the value of the upper number of your blood pressure is between 120 and 130 mm Hg, and the value of the lower number is less than 80 mm Hg, it is called high blood pressure.

The person who has hypertension does not present symptoms, even if they register a blood pressure with exaggeratedly high levels, which puts the patient’s life at risk. “It is estimated that around 20% of the Western adult population may have hypertension. More than 50% do not know it”, explains Sanitas, a health entity.

Therefore, it is important to carry out regular medical examinations to verify the state of health. According to WHO data, worldwide 46% of hypertensive adults are unaware that they have this disease and “it is estimated that there are 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years with hypertension in the world”. Likewise, it also mentions that this condition is one of the main causes of premature death in the world.

Healthy diet

A healthy diet is essential to avoid health complications, especially those related to blood pressure. For this reason, the World Health Organization places special emphasis on “keeping salt intake below 5 grams per day (equivalent to less than 2 g of sodium per day) helps prevent hypertension and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke in the adult population.

Medline Plus website of the National Library of Medicine of the United States, explains the characteristics of the “DASH” diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is intended to help lower blood pressure.

It should be noted that before starting this diet, you should consult a doctor and a nutritionist to receive the appropriate professional advice and have medical supervision in case it is a healthy option, depending on the case of each person.

This diet includes foods that are higher in potassium, calcium, and magnesium and lower in salt than the typical daily diet. Medline Plus mentions that the goals of the DASH diet are:

Reduce sodium to no more than 2,300 mg per day. The ideal is to consume only 1,500 mg.
Decrease saturated fat to 6% and total fat to 27% of daily calories. It is important to include low-fat dairy products, as they can be a healthy option for lowering systolic blood pressure.
When choosing healthy fats like olive oil and canola oil.
Choose whole grains over white flour or pasta products.
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
Eat nuts, seeds, or legumes (beans or peas) every day.
Choose moderate amounts of protein.
Reduce carbohydrates to 55% of daily calories.
Lower cholesterol to 150 mg.
Get at least 30 grams of fiber daily.