DASH: How to lower your blood pressure in just two weeks
March 13th, 2008 Posted by: ArthritisQuest
DASH is a set of guidelines created by the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to lower blood pressure. DASH is the result of statistical data, scientific testing, and open studies. Some of it may seem like common sense to you, but it’s the hard facts: following DASH WILL make your blood pressure go down, often in as little as two weeks. Without further ado: The DASH guidelines.Daily Nutrient Goals Used in the DASH Studies (for a 2,100 Calorie Eating Plan)
Total fat: 27% of caloriesSaturated fat: 6% of caloriesProtein: 18% of caloriesCarbohydrate: 55% of caloriesCholesterol: 150 mgSodium: 2,300 mg*Potassium: 4,700 mgCalcium: 1,250 mgMagnesium: 500 mgFiber: 30 g* 1,500 mg sodium was a lower goal tested and found to be even better for lowering blood pressure. It was particularly effective for middle-aged and older individuals, African Americans, and those who already had high blood pressure. g = grams; mg = milligramsThe DASH eating plan follows heart healthy guidelines to limit saturated fat and cholesterol. It focuses on increasing intake of foods rich in nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure, mainly minerals (like potassium, calcium, and magnesium), protein, and fiber. It includes nutrient-rich foods so that it meets other nutrient requirements as recommended by the Institute of Medicine.
The DASH eating plan shown below is based on 2,000 calories a day. The number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed depending on your caloric needs. Use this chart to help you plan your menus or take it with you when you go to the store.
| Food Group | Daily Servings | Serving Sizes | Examples and Notes | Significance of Each Food Group to the DASH Eating Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables | 4-5 | 1 cup raw leafy vegetable1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable1/2 cup vegetable juice | Broccoli, carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, kale, lima beans, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes | Rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| Fruits | 4-5 | 1 medium fruit1/4 cup dried fruit1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit1/2 cup fruit juice | Apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines | Important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products | 2-3 | 1 cup milk or yogurt1 1/2 oz cheese | Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk or buttermilk, fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat cheese, fat-free or low-fat regular or frozen yogurt | Major sources of calcium and protein |
| Lean meats, poultry, and fish | 6 or less | 1 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish1 egg*** | Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or poach; remove skin from poultry | Rich sources of protein and magnesium |
| Nuts, seeds, and legumes | 4-5 per week | 1/3 cup or 1 1/2 oz nuts2 Tbsp peanut butter2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds1/2 cup cooked legumes (dry beans and peas) | Almonds, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, kidney beans, lentils, split peas | Rich sources of energy, magnesium, protein, and fiber |
| Fats and oils**** | 2-3 | 1 tsp soft margarine1 tsp vegetable oil1 Tbsp mayonnaise2 Tbsp salad dressing | Soft margarine, vegetable oil (such as canola, corn, olive, or safflower), low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing | The DASH study had 27 percent of calories as fat, including fat in or added to foods |
| Sweets and added sugars | 5 or less per week | 1 Tbsp sugar1 Tbsp jelly or jam1/2 cup sorbet, gelatin1 cup lemonade | Fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit punch, hard candy, jelly, maple syrup, sorbet and ices, sugar | Sweets should be low in fat |
* Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as a good source of fiber and nutrients.
** Serving sizes vary between 1/2 cup and 11/4 cups, depending on cereal type. Check the product’s Nutrition Facts label.
*** Since eggs are high in cholesterol, limit egg yolk intake to no more than four per week; two egg whites have the same protein content as 1 oz of meat.
**** Fat content changes serving amount for fats and oils. For example, 1 Tbsp of regular salad dressing equals one serving; 1 Tbsp of a low-fat dressing equals one-half serving; 1 Tbsp of a fat-free dressing equals zero servings.
Servings/Day
Food Groups
1,600 calories/day
2,600 calories/day
3,100 calories/day
Grains*
6
10-11
12-13
Vegetables
3-4
5-6
6
Fruits
4
5-6
6
Fat-free or lowfat milk and milk products
2-3
3
3-4
Lean meats, poultry, and fish
3-6
6
6-9
Nuts, seeds, and legumes
3/week
1
1
Fats and oils
2
3
4
Sweets and added sugars
0
less than 2
less than 2
* Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as a good source of fiber and nutrients.
Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing. The table below gives examples of sodium in some foods.
| Food Groups | Sodium (mg) | |
|---|---|---|
| Whole and other grains and grain products* | Cooked cereal, rice, pasta, unsalted, 1/2 cup | 0-5 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 1 cup | 0-360 | |
| Vegetables | Fresh or frozen, cooked without salt, 1/2 cup | 1-70 |
| Canned or frozen with sauce, 1/2 cup | 140-460 | |
| Tomato juice, canned, 1/2 cup | 330 | |
| Fruit | Fresh, frozen, canned, 1/2 cup | 0-5 |
| Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products | Milk, 1 cup | 107 |
| Yogurt, 1 cup | 175 | |
| Natural cheeses, 11/2 oz | 110-450 | |
| Process cheeses, 2 oz | 600 | |
| Nuts, seeds, and legumes | Peanuts, salted, 1/3 cup | 120 |
| Peanuts, unsalted, 1/3 cup | 0-5 | |
| Beans, cooked from dried or frozen, without salt, 1/2 cup | 0-5 | |
| Beans, canned, 1/2 cup | 400 | |
| Lean meats, fish, and poultry | Fresh meat, fish, poultry, 3 oz | 30-90 |
| Tuna canned, water pack, no salt added, 3 oz | 35-45 | |
| Tuna canned, water pack, 3 oz | 230-350 | |
| Ham, lean, roasted, 3 oz | 1,020 |
* Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings.
Food labels can help you choose items lower in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and calories and higher in potassium and calcium. Look for the following label information on cans, boxes, bottles, bags, and other packaging:
| Phrase | What It Means* |
|---|---|
| Sodium | |
| Sodium free or salt free | Less than 5 mg per serving |
| Very low sodium | 35 mg or less of sodium per serving |
| Low sodium | 140 mg or less of sodium per serving |
| Low-sodium meal | 140 mg or less of sodium per 31/2 oz (100 g) |
| Reduced or less sodium | At least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version |
| Light in sodium | 50 percent less sodium than the regular version |
| Unsalted or no salt added | No salt added to the product during processing (this is not a sodium-free food) |
| Fat | |
| Fat-free | Less than 0.5 g per serving |
| Low saturated fat | 1 g or less per serving and 15% or less of calories from saturated fat |
| Low-fat | 3 g or less per serving |
| Reduced fat | At least 25 percent less fat than the regular version |
| Light in fat | Half the fat compared to the regular version |
* Small serving sizes (50 g) or meals and main dishes are based on various weights in grams versus a serving size.
Getting Started
It’s easy to adopt the DASH eating plan. Here are some ways to get started:
Change gradually
- If you now eat one or two vegetables a day, add a serving at lunch and another at dinner.
- If you don’t eat fruit now or have juice only at breakfast, add a serving to your meals or have it as a snack.
- Gradually increase your use of fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products to three servings a day. For example, drink milk with lunch or dinner, instead of soda, sugar—sweetened tea, or alcohol. Choose fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1 percent) milk and milk products to reduce your intake of saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and calories and to increase your calcium.
- Read the Nutrition Facts label on margarines and salad dressings to choose those lowest in saturated fat and trans fat.
Treat meats as one part of the whole meal, instead of the focus
- Limit lean meats to 6 ounces a dayÑall that’s needed. Have only 3 ounces at a meal, which is about the size of a deck of cards.
- If you now eat large portions of meats, cut them back gradually— by a half or a third at each meal.
- Include two or more vegetarian-style (meatless) meals each week.
- Increase servings of vegetables, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and cooked dry beans in meals. Try casseroles, whole wheat pasta, and stir-fry dishes, which have less meat and more vegetables, grains, and dry beans.
Use fruits or other foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, and calories as desserts and snacks
- Fruits and other lower fat foods offer great taste and variety. Use fruits canned in their own juice or packed in water. Fresh fruits require little or no preparation. Dried fruits are a good choice to carry with you or to have ready in the car.
- Try these snacks ideas: unsalted rice cakes; nuts mixed with raisins; graham crackers; fat-free and low-fat yogurt and frozen yogurt; popcorn with no salt or butter added; raw vegetables.
Try these other tips
- Choose whole grain foods for most grain servings to get added nutrients, such as minerals and fiber. For example, choose whole wheat bread or whole grain cereals.
- If you have trouble digesting milk and milk products, try taking lactase enzyme pills (available at drugstores and groceries) with the milk products. Or, buy lactose-free milk, which has the lactase enzyme already added to it.
- If you are allergic to nuts, use seeds or legumes (cooked dried beans or peas).
- Use fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned vegetables and fruits.
