WHAT IS THE DASH DIET?
Just like the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet is one of the two diets approved and recommended by the American Heart Association. DASH is an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It started being recommended after observing that high blood pressure was much less common among people who followed a plant-based diet.
ADDRESSING A CONCERNING SITUATION
High blood pressure is a health issue that affects 1 in every 3 Americans. It can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney diseases. Not surprisingly, 25% of Americans die from heart attacks, and another 25% have suffered a stroke. Preventing or correcting the issue by aiming at the root of it is the most affordable approach, and therefore can save many lives.
It has been said before that we are what we eat. In fact, an important portion of our health is determined by our food choices, resting time, physical activity, and stress levels.
In other words, our health depends on our lifestyle.
The amount of sodium recommended by the FDA, for a 2000 calories diet, is 2300 milligrams a day. The average American consumes 3600 milligrams, which is 150% of the recommended amount. The DASH diet is actually a guideline recommendation to lower the consumption of sodium, and consequently lower the blood pressure.
THE GUIDELINE
Aim to eat a diet rich in:
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole-grains
Low-fat dairy products
Skinless poultry and fish
Nuts and legumes
Non-tropical vegetable oils
Restrict the consumption of:
Saturated and trans fats
Sodium
Red meat (if you do eat red meat, compare labels and select the leanest cuts available)
Sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages
WHAT DOES SODIUM DO?
Sodium plays a key role in regulating blood pressure. Sodium holds water, which controls the levels of liquid in the bloodstream. By consuming too much sodium, the body may hold onto extra water, increasing the volume of the blood. After the blood vessels can’t expand any further to accommodate the increased volume, the pressure starts building up.
Sodium is also crucial for the functioning of muscles and nerves. They require electrical currents to function correctly. These electrical currents are controlled by the flow of electrically charged molecules, including sodium. When an electrical current is needed, cells can allow the positively charged sodium ions into the cell, generating a positive electrical current.
THE BENEFITS
As explained here, the DASH diet aims to help lower high blood pressure, anyways, by eating healthy and exercising, it is expected to lose weight as well, even when it wasn’t the primary goal of the diet, but rather a side-benefit of it.