What is the Dash diet?

It is an estimated 68 million adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. Not only is it the leading cause of death, but also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The good news is, there are steps that you can take to prevent high blood pressure and hypertension. It is a highly manageable condition even if your blood pressure has already always been high.

The DASH diet ( Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a dietary approach developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute (U.S. based), and was recently voted the healthiest diet in the U.S. by a panel of independent doctors.  The effectiveness of the diets are rated according to seven categories: safety, ease at which it can be followed, nutritional value, short-term weight loss results, long-term weight loss results, prevention and management of Diabetes as well as several heart diseases.

Endorsed by the American Heart Association, the DASH diet is scientifically proven to noticeably lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, works well to ward off diabetes and reduces the risk of heart disease and strokes. Through its strategic response in the prevention of Hypertension, those on the diet have shown a steady loss of unhealthy weight, which has led to its huge popularity as a weight-loss diet. While not initially designed as a weight loss program, the strategy has shown an average loss of around 5lbs in the first two weeks, with a follow up of between 10 lbs and 35 lbs over the next two months. Results will vary from person to person.

The key to the DASH diet is to focus on having a healthy balance in the intake of foods you prefer but choose lean proteins and healthy fats that makes you feel full, while helping control your appetite so you don’t feel being left unsatisfied. Basically, it’s eating foods we’ve been told all along that are good for you, but in proper portions.  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the meaning of DASH Diet?

DASH Diet stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. This is a combination diet that aims to control blood pressure. For many years, the DASH Diet has been hailed as the best overall diet for 8 years in a row, among many of the more famous and well-endorsed alternatives. It has been championed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) which cites its many benefits including weight loss and better overall health. It has even been compared to some medications when it comes to effectivity.

What is the DASH Diet Plan?

The main idea of the DASH Diet is to eat the right foods to help maintain normal blood pressure, and to steer clear of the ones that aggravate hypertension such as sodium. There are different implementations of the basic idea of the DASH Diet, with some offering 14-day plans and others splitting the whole plan into two phases.

The 14-day plans derive their duration for the minimum time it takes to see significant results from the diet. This is especially effective for those who are pre-hypertensive. For the hypertensive taking medication, the plan is perfect for improving medicinal response. With exercise, it can even reduce the risk of diabetes.

The 2-phase plans take a slightly different approach, with the first phase aimed at conditioning the body towards wanting less of the foods prohibited in the diet. With this, the body learns to feel fuller sooner and for longer. Cravings are also reduced. On the second phase, more foods will be introduced to improve upon the benefits in the first phase.

What is the DASH diet consist of?

The DASH DIet is expertly made to take advantage of various vitamins and minerals in proven combinations. That means the entire plan relies on the patient getting the proper servings in order to get the most out of the diet.

Three of the most important minerals in the diet are calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Calcium not only strengthens the bones, but is linked to lower blood pressure and lower weight, along with the reduction of body fat and lower diabetic risk. The main reason why the traditional DASH diet consists of 2-3 daily servings of low-fat dairy is so that the body can obtain its necessary dose of calcium.

Potassium, on the other hand, is important for heart health which is interlinked with the issue of hypertension. Some research indicate that increasing potassium may even be more beneficial than decreasing sodium in the body! It lowers blood pressure and helps prevent stroke, which it does by helping the muscles (especially the heart) contract better. Potassium also facilitates the influx of nutrients into the cells, and the dumping of wastes outside. Sadly, potassium is among the many nutrients that people don’t have enough of. The DASH Diet seeks to remedy this by adding foods such as potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and low-fat yogurt into the meal plan. The amount of food a person consumes under the DASH diet ensures he will have enough potassium to keep everything running healthy.

Magnesium is also a very important mineral for general well-being, which has been shown by studies to be helpful in improving sleep and reducing the overall risk of disease. It also helps fight depression. It is important in helping fight diabetes, which is why the DASH Diet can do wonders not just in controlling the blood pressure but also other aspects of health.

In terms of vitamins, the diet is rich in Vitamin D, which many people normally have in abnormally low amounts. Vitamin D is important not just in regulating insulin and thus managing diabetes, but also in preventing certain types of cancer. It does wonders to support the overall nervous and immune system, while playing a very important role in managing cardiovascular health. As a plus, the DASH Diet contains servings of fats and oils that help in the absorption of these vitamins. Unlike other diets that steer away from fat, DASH highlights the intake of healthy fat that is helpful in keeping the immune system strong.

Of course, the diet contains hefty servings of fiber which helps cleanse impurities from the body, thereby helping it function effectively and absorb nutrients more readily.

What do you eat on the DASH Diet?

The general guidelines of food in the DASH diet are as follows:

● The food should be low in trans fats and saturated fats.
● They should be rich in protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
● They should be low in sodium.

Whether food is rich or poor in these, minerals can be found in the nutrition labels at the back. Generally, saturated fats are found in coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, fatty meat, and full-fat dairy products.

Specifically, the daily nutritional goals of the diet are as follows:

● Total fat: 27% of daily calories
● Saturated fat: 6% of daily calories
● Protein: 18% of daily calories
● Carbohydrates: 55% of daily calories
● Cholesterol: 150 mg per day
● Sodium: 2,300 mg per day — reduced to 1,500 mg in the low-sodium DASH Diet
● Potassium: 4,700 mg per day
● Calcium: 1,250 mg per day
● Magnesium: 500 mg per day
● Fiber: 30 g per day

And this is one of the reasons why DASH Diet is so successful: it is pretty versatile, and allows for more variety on your plate. There’s no need to be stuck with tasteless gobs of a single food group!

There are various cookbooks with DASH-specific recipes, which you can easily follow. You can also experiment with flavors and ingredients, so long as they fall within the aforementioned distribution of nutrients. To help you out further, here are some general ideas on what your DASH Diet plate should look like:

● Make sure there’s a lot of color from various food groups.
● Don’t forget at least two sides of vegetables. Include fruits as well, and even low-fat dairy.
● Instead of pastries, go for fruit-based desserts if you are craving for sweets.

The secret here is not just going after the recipes and recommendations, but understanding what it is and how it contributes to your general wellbeing. This ensures you get the balance that the DASH Diet aims for.

What foods are included in the DASH Diet?

In its entirety, the diet includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy (low fat), fish, poultry, meat, beans, and nuts. In contrast, red meat, added fats, and sugary drinks and food items are limited. Of course, the biggest cut back happens on sodium as it is directly contributory to an increase in blood pressure.

When you start the DASH Diet, you should go for a certain number of servings specifically from various food groups. This number of servings is not fixed, and could vary depending on your daily calorie needs.

Like all other diets, you should take time to adjust to DASH gradually. For example, you may start with a teaspoon of sodium in your diet (about 2,400 mg, from all the food products you consume in a day), and gradually go down to about 1,500 mg when you have adjusted.

When maintaining the DASH Diet, note the following number of suggested servings daily:

● Vegetables: 4-5 servings daily
● Fruits: 4-5 servings daily
● Grains: 7-8 servings daily
● Low-fat / no-fat dairy: 2-3 servings daily
● Meat, poultry, and fish: 2 servings daily or less
● Nuts, seeds, and dry beans: 4-5 servings weekly
● Fats and oils: 2-3 servings daily
● Sweets: less than 5 servings weekly.

Your next question would logically be, “how much is one serving?”. Different food stuff have different standards of what a serving is. For example:

● In pasta and cooked vegetables/fruits, a serving is half a cup.
● In raw vegetables/fruits, a serving is a full cup.
● In bread, a serving is a slice.
● In milk, a serving is 8 ounces.
● In oils, a serving is a teaspoon
● In cooked meat or tofu, a serving is 3 ounces.

What food you can not eat on the DASH diet?

The primary thing to avoid in the DASH Diet is salt (sodium). Simply cutting back on salt can already improve your blood pressure somewhat, and in tandem with the DASH Diet, it can do wonders. The recommended daily allowance is less than a teaspoon of salt per day across all that you eat, and it can be easy to get to this when your body has adjusted.

To help avoid sodium, here are some helpful tips:

● Get rid of the salt shaker. Table salt is around 40% sodium, so it is helpful to avoid it when you eat.
● Check the labels at the grocery. There are low-sodium versions of most food items, and it is easy to identify them by the label.
● Go natural. Packaged and processed foods contain a huge amount of sodium, so go for the food that you prepare yourself instead. This way, you can easily control what goes in it.
● When eating out, ask for the chef or cook to cut back on salt.
● If the restaurant or fast food posts the nutrition facts for their meals, check for low-sodium alternatives.

Also, pay special attention to any recipe you might be getting over the Internet or even in some diet cookbooks. Too often, there are sources that post recipes that do not pass the diet’s requirements for sugar content. Many people assume that the DASH Diet is all about lowering the sodium content, but it also has a lot to do with sugar.

While it may be a bit more difficult to get used to less sugar than to less salt (sugar has an addictive property, after all), it is very important if one is to gain the full benefits of the diet. In DASH, a person should only have around a teaspoon of sugar per day. Knowing this, it is easier to spot those recipes that are not DASH-compliant. Here’s a quick and easy guide towards finding out if a recipe is DASH-friendly:

1. Check for any sweeteners in the recipe: sugar, honey, molasses, and the like (stevia is okay).
2. Divide the amount the recipe calls for by the number of portions the recipe makes.
3. If the answer is more than a teaspoon, then the recipe fails the DASH-compliance test.
4. If the answer is exactly a teaspoon, then you should not consume sugar with any of your remaining meals and drinks.
5. If you wish, you may substitute stevia for sugar.
6. Check all the other ingredients as well, as it may fail other aspects of the DASH Diet as well! Check the sodium content, especially.

What is not allowed on the DASH Diet?

The DASH Diet means you need to thoroughly change your food choices. The typical American breakfast, such as bacon and eggs for example, won’t fit in the DASH Diet. Bacon is fatty meat, and only lean meat is allowed. Eggs, on the other hand, are okay occasionally, but consuming them daily for breakfast could harm your health. Furthermore, very little oil is allowed on the DASH Diet.

Another traditional breakfast, bread and butter or jam, should be avoided as well. While bread is okay in the DASH Diet, jam contains too much sugar and butter too much fat. Even cereals can contain a lot of sugar, so you should check the ingredients to make sure they contain only wholesome ingredients. Dried fruit falls into the same category — they may have added sugar you need to watch out for. Pancakes are good only when you made them yourself, using oatmeal-based ingredients and using as little sugar and oil as possible. However, the store-bought instant pancake variety wouldn’t make the DASH Diet cut. At the same time, topping the pancakes with something sweet is a real temptation. If you must, use fresh fruits instead.

When it comes to drinks, fruit juices may boast lots of added vitamins and minerals but that does not mean they are healthy. Aside from being mostly artificial, these drinks are flavored with sugar that exceeds the daily requirements even of regular diets. If you’re going for fruit juice, it is best to make it yourself so as to be able to control what goes into your body.

What foods to avoid if you have high blood pressure?

Generally speaking, you can already do a great deal to your help by avoiding the general food stuff those with hypertension are regularly advised to avoid. While the DASH Diet extends these restrictions to ensure an optimum effect on the body and to balance out nutrients, if you are really pushed to a corner then at the very least look out for the worst culprits. These include canned, premade, and frozen items, which are especially high in sodium. Salt is a very common flavoring for these types of food. Candy and sweet treats are also bad, including almost all pastries (cakes, cookies, doughnut, and the like). These contain a hypertension-boosting mixture of fat and sugar.

Alcohol is also something to avoid as much as possible. While it is widely known that alcohol in small amounts are great for reducing cardiovascular diseases, there is often a very fine line between “moderate” and “excessive”. Dehydration is a common initial effect of alcohol consumption, and in the long term it is also a primary contributor to weight gain. Both of these conditions are very contributory to hypertension.

Another rarely-tackled issue is the issue of sauces and condiments. A hypertensive is advised to avoid all sauces as much as possible, since most of them contain the deadly duo of sugar and salt. The humble ketchup is a perfect example. There are more healthful ways of seasoning your food, which includes using herbs. If sauces cannot be avoided, then keep them to very minimal amounts, just enough to make a difference in the taste of the food.

Most often, we are forced to make hard decisions on the food we eat largely because of the choices available in where we are. When we stay at home (provided we have all the necessary ingredients and none of the temptation) we can easily avoid food stuff that can increase blood pressure. However, when we eat out, our choices become very limited based on the menu. If you have a choice, avoid bad eat-out places as much as possible. Simple beef with broccoli in a Chinese take-out, for example, can have enough salt to last you five days. A simple soup can do the same.

Many food joints are also very liberal with the fat and oil they use, so even if you can get low-sugar or low-sodium variants of the food you order you can’t be sure they can cook it without an excess of oil! It’s time to start being very conscious about what you eat when you’re out, and if possible you should just bring your own food so you can control the ingredients and servings. Vigilance and awareness is a very important step in fending off hypertension, even without access to the full benefits of the DASH Diet.

What are you allowed to drink on the DASH Diet?

Sure, avoiding some tasty but harmful meals is doable if it helps you live longer. However, what about drinks? It’s very easy to let a sip or two of highly-sugared drinks, especially out of habit.

In the DASH Diet, fruits are encouraged. And the good new is that fruit juices are also encouraged, so long as they are truly from the fruit and not those sold in stores. The only caveat is that this is not a recommended way to consume fruit towards DASH requirements, as while you are still getting the essential nutrients you are not getting all the benefits such as fiber. In the world of diets, it is well known that the fiber in fruits and vegetables are helpful in offsetting the potentially harmful effects of the sugars they contain. In drinking fruit juices you get all the sugars but not enough of the fiber.

The short of the idea is, you may drink fruit juices (from the real fruit) but you should also still eat the fruit in the amount recommended by the DASH Diet. Not doing so will decrease the benefits you are getting and could put you in danger of exceeding your sugar allowance instead.

Of course, drinking anything artificial is out of the question. You may drink coffee or tea, so long as they are not highly sugared. Fresh brewed tea, black coffee, café americano, and the like would be fine. You can even try various types of tea, as there are some herbs that have been proven to lower blood pressure! Adding spices such as cinnamon would be alright, since they do not contain any unwanted calories. Any of the highly-sugared or creamed beverage wouldn’t cut it, though — this includes many of the stuff that can be bought in coffee shops! You may opt for a latte, so long as you are going for a low-fat version of the milk. Also, remember that while caffeine has not been completely linked to any long-term increase in blood pressure (which is why the DASH Diet allows it), it has been known to increase it temporarily. So if you are hypertensive, it would still be best to limit your caffeine intake. A safe value would be no more than three servings a day.

As for milk, yes it is an essential part of DASH because of its protein and other nutrients. However, whole milk is high in fat and should be avoided. Make sure to read the labels so you understand the fat content you are getting.

If you want to add some more flavor with your meals, you can always go for fruit and vegetable smoothies. It can taste different compared to simple juices, but are not that difficult to prepare. Plus, you can experiment with different combinations to get the one that suits you just perfect. On the opposite side of the spectrum, you can also have soup with your meal for added flavor. But don’t go for packaged ones — draw the broth from the meat yourself so you can watch the sodium content!

Finally, there’s always just a refreshing glass of water! It’s the best thing there is if you’re just thirsty, or if you’ve had a full meal. Remember that whatever else you eat or drink, you should have 8 glasses of pure water a day.

Can you drink alcohol on the DASH Diet?

Unlike other diets, the DASH Diet does allow for alcohol! However, like in anything, strict moderation is needed. Excessive drinking has been positively linked to hypertension, and the DASH Guidelines state that you should drink no more than two servings of alcohol a day, for men. For women, whose biologies are naturally more prone to alcohol’s effects, this number is reduced to just one drink or less.

Remember that this allowance isn’t something you can save and drink all at once! Two drinks a day means 14 drinks a week, but you can’t remain sober for six days and drink 14 servings on the seventh. This would make alcohol harmful instead of beneficial. At the recommended amount, alcohol has been proven to have good effects on one’s cardiovascular health. Above the limit, however, it can damage not just the heart but also the brain and liver.

If you’re thinking about the type of alcohol best to drink, wine is always the top recommendation. Aside from being low in calories, dry wines are made with their sugar all converted after the fermentation process. That makes them a safer bet. Sweet wines, on the other hand, would require some more moderation.

As for beer, there are too many varieties to make generalizations. Light beer is generally better than the rest from a diet standpoint, though there are online references that benchmark the calorie content of different beer brands.

Distilled spirits like vodka and rum are traditionally higher in caloric content compared to other types of alcohol, but they are consumed in smaller amounts so that could offset things a bit. But if you’re settling for spirits, don’t go for mixes that could drastically increase sugar and other unwanted content! A dash of lime juice wouldn’t be bad, but adding cola and similar ingredients would eliminate any cardiovascular benefits from moderate servings of alcohol. The simpler, the better!

Finally, liqueurs are a no-no. Traditionally, these drinks are made with a lot of sweeteners coming from various types of herbs, spices, nuts, fruits, and even flowers. Calories can change depending on the brand, but it’s just too easy to go over the DASH Diet requirements with these varieties of alcohol.

In summary, drink time under the DASH Diet could consist of a glass of dry wine, a shot of vodka or whiskey on the rocks, or a light beer (so long as you check the label). Remember to monitor your servings, so as not to go overboard!

Is the DASH Diet a Low Carb Diet?

Low-carb diets are primarily meant for weight loss, and do not usually pay attention to the nutritional content of the meals. In this case, DASH Diet does not adhere to the norms of such diets. First, while the diet does elicit weight loss, it does so gradually and in a way that does not deprive the body of any essential nutrients. It is easier to sustain than most low-carb diets, since it does not rely on starving the body and controlling cravings (unless it’s for salt, sugar, and fat). Therefore, any weight loss during the DASH Diet are less likely to be regained.

In short, the DASH Diet is a health diet, not a figure diet. It’s the type of diet that you go to to improve your cardiovascular health and thus help you live longer, not to help you get ready for summer at the beach. But so long as you comply with the DASH Diet’s restrictions and keep at it, you will get both benefits. It doesn’t happen in a flash, but it is of a higher quality.

Note that there are several sources that modify the original DASH Diet formula, tweaking it to make the diet more appealing to those wanting instant weight loss. There are now various variants. While “low-carb” versions may sound good, this would mean upsetting the scientifically-proven formula by removing carbohydrate (and potentially, fiber) sources from your daily meals. There are also “low-calorie” versions, which seek to create a caloric deficit for weight loss while still allowing you to eat the same percentage of prescribed food groups. This is also dangerous, since that would mean the total amount would be reduced, leading to a reduction of the overall nutritional content. Remember, DASH is not just what you take away from your body but also what you add to it — it works only when both sides of this equation are present.

So be wary about unusual DASH variations, and study any recipe purported to “improve” upon the diet’s existing system. Chances are, these diets have hidden pitfalls!

How do you do the DASH Diet?

The DASH Diet, like any others, is best done in stages to make sure your body is able to adapt accordingly. The goal is to let your body adjust to your new nutrition, as well as to those food items that you are taking away, so that it is easier to sustain the changes.

Unlike other types of diets, however, there is no clear-cut path between these stages, nor are there any well-defined rules on how to break down the diet to make it easier to adjust. There are sources that suggest each stage to consist of the removal of one type of food banned in DASH. For example, the first week could remove sugar, the second week will see the reduction of salt, and the third week will be the removal of excess fats and oils. It is typical to remove sugar first since it brings on the biggest cravings and hence its absence is hardest to adjust to. There are also those who reduce multiple elements at once, and even those who go at the DASH Diet in full swing all in one go!

If you prefer a slow start, you can do it by starting to add servings of fruits and vegetables to your daily meals. You may also start switching your regular fare for healthier ones at increasingly closer intervals. When out shopping, get into the habit of checking out nutritional labels before throwing food stuff into the cart. You can also search for healthier alternatives to the snacks and desserts you love, so you can wean yourself away from the harmful effects of sugar. There are also those who prefer a gradual switch to DASH due to different circumstances, such as those who are prone to bloating and diarrhea — the servings of grains and fruits could increase the chance of stomach problems. Increasing the milk intake may also cause lactose intolerance, so if this is a pre-existing problem it is recommended to consult your doctor or to search for alternatives to dairy products.

Remember, the key here is to understand your means and limitations. So long as you can sustain the changes and achieve the full scale of the diet in the end, you can work your way and achieve the full benefits of DASH.

Is there a DASH Diet for diabetics?

If you’re a diabetic (or if you know one), it’s a relief to know that you don’t need to seek out a “variant” of the DASH Diet. As it is, DASH provides all the benefits needed by diabetics to keep their health in check! Various studies have proven the DASH diet to work on different types of lifestyle ailments, from cardiovascular issues to gout. Diabetes is among those diseases that will see great improvement when you follow the diet plan.

It is important to note that the DASH Diet does not intent to replace your medication or your doctor’s orders when it comes to diabetes treatment (it does not do so for hypertension either). However, eating whole, wholesome foods that are high in fiber and other nutrients can help you better control your glucose. The DASH may also be naturally lower in calories (as opposed to forced lowering of calories, such as in other diets) than what you eat today. This will help in maintaining or lowering your weight.

Then again, diabetes is part of a huge family of lifestyle diseases that hypertension also belongs to. DASH attacks most of these diseases, too, so sticking to this diet would create a chain reaction in your health for the better. Studies also show that diabetics enjoy lower fasting blood glucose and A1C levels from the diet.

The DASH Diet is also traditionally paired with physical activity, which enhances its benefits. This is also something recommended for diabetics. Exercise is an important component that should not be forgotten, diabetic or not!

Is there a vegetarian DASH Diet?

Thankfully, the DASH Diet can be easily modified to fit various dietary restrictions. Because fruits, vegetables, and grains can give pretty much the same nutrients that animal-based products can, it is possible to adapt the DASH Diet to vegetarian preferences. Even for those who choose not to consume dairy products, there are non-dairy substitutes that can provide pretty much the same nutrition.

For example, instead of drinking non-fat milk, vegetarians can choose to consume soy beverages and other soy and grain-based products like soy yogurt and soy sour cream. Aside from being naturally low in sodium and containing much of the same vitamins and minerals found in regular milk and dairy, these products can also be made to be low-fat.

A more challenging aspect is meeting the fish, poultry, and meat requirement of DASH Diet on a vegetarian diet. There are various plant protein products that can be considered. Tofu, for example, is used globally as a meat substitute. Tempeh provides huge amounts of protein without the harmful sodium. There is also seitan which is made of wheat (hence the nickname “wheat meat”) which is available in a wide variety of forms that can come very close to real meat.

Then again, you can always just substitute high-protein plant products to fill in your protein needs. You can use peas, beans, lentils, and grains such as quinoa and amaranth. The key is to make variations so your meals do not become stale (and so you don’t think of giving up the diet). For example, quinoa can be served in a variety of ways and can even be turned into chips for an easy snack. Or, you can create a vegetable pizza that contains flavorful herbs and your favorite vegetables. Lentils can be turned into curry, which is even better than regular meat curry since it cooks in just around 15 minutes. Other types of vegetables can be combined into a pot meal, which complies with all DASH guidelines.

How does the DASH diet lower blood pressure?

The DASH Diet works on multiple fronts to address the core reasons for elevated blood pressure. The most obvious anti-hypertensive feature of DASH is the reduced sodium intake.

When there is too much sodium in the body, the blood draws in more water which therefore increases its pressure in your blood vessels. This pressure then induces your arteries and veins to build up and thicken, ultimately eating up the space within them and reducing room for blood to flow. This then reduces the amount of blood received by various parts of the body with each pump. Reducing sodium intake allows the blood to go back to its regular water levels, therefore relieving the vessels of the extra strain.

The DASH Diet is also rich in potassium, which counteracts sodium’s effect. Essentially, potassium flushes out the sodium through urine. The more potassium to take in, the more the tension within your blood vessels can be relieved. And because the DASH diet calls for natural potassium in right quantities instead of those in supplements (which are lab-produced and therefore not completely absorbed by the body), you can be assured you’re getting the optimal antihypertensive effects.

The DASH Diet also makes a lot of significant changes such as reducing the fat content of your daily meals (therefore making them more heart-friendly) and increasing the fiber you consume everyday. Too much fat and oils in the diet could be absorbed by the blood and deposited into the walls of the blood vessels, forming blockages and restricting blood flow. This is a very dangerous combination with the thickening of blood vessel walls outlined earlier. Aside from elevating your blood pressure, this can also lead to atherosclerosis and other potentially fatal ailments such as stroke. Reducing the fat content using DASH will allow your circulatory system time to clean itself out, slowly but surely letting your body recover.

Increasing fiber, on the other hand, helps clean up the toxins from your body, helping you absorb more nutrients and giving these nutrients room to work in your body. It helps right your metabolism through nutrition, thereby jumpstarting your body’s ability to recover from the harmful effects of your previous eating habits.

The DASH Diet is the epitome of letting your “food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food”. The research-backed meal plans attack hypertension from multiple fronts, letting you see results in as little as two weeks.

Take note that the DASH Diet shows the best results for people who are in the pre-hypertensive stage to those with just mild hypertension. During these stages, the body can still recover (albeit at varying degrees) and initiate its ability to self-heal. However, those in the severe hypertension stages will often have to undergo strict medication in conjunction with DASH in order to see results. The DASH Diet is not meant to replace any of the treatments severe hypertensives are receiving, though for those in the initial stages it could reduce symptoms enough that doctors may put a halt to medications.

Will I lose weight on the DASH Diet?

The DASH Diet was not originally designed for weight loss, but it does achieve this effect through its combination of healthy food and the reduction of sugar. While it does not trim your pounds as fast as weight-loss-centric diets, it does do it in a healthier and more sustainable fashion.

Sugar is one of the greatest enemies of those seeking to lose weight, and cutting back allows your body to use more of the energy you take in instead of storing them as fat. The higher carbohydrate content does not impact your weight either, as their effects are nullified by the high fiber content which prevents your blood sugar from spiking.

Speaking of carbohydrates, the DASH Diet expressly forbids too much refined carbs and prefers whole grains. Starchy foods are balanced with protein, in order to balance the growth of the body and create more muscles. When muscles are lost, the body’s metabolism slows down and we start piling up unhealthy weight. The DASH Diet prevents this, so in a way it also helps in weight maintenance (something that many other weight loss diets do not).

Also, because the DASH Diet is something that can be easily followed, it’s much easier to maintain your eating habits. The greatest pitfall of other diet plans is that they are often too restrictive. This makes them difficult to maintain over long periods of time. When the diet suddenly stops (as is the tendency when the “target” weight is achieved) the rebound is very hard to control. In contrast, following the DASH Diet guidelines also takes care of cravings, allowing you to follow it for life. This means the body achieves its optimum state and stays there, giving you a better option if you’re not expressly time-bound by your weight loss goals.

Then again, if you want to ramp up your weight loss, it is still possible to modify DASH somewhat to achieve a calorie deficit. Take care not to overdo this, however, as there is the tendency that you will not get the complete benefits of the diet. Remember, the goal is first to take care of your overall health (with particular emphasis on your cardiovascular wellbeing). Slimming down is only second.

How long for DASH diet to work?

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, and how well you have followed the DASH Diet guidelines, it is possible to see the symptoms in as soon as two weeks. That said, the mileage of each person will vary.

The diet is meant to work from the inside across all fronts of hypertension. Unlike drugs, there are no changes forcibly induced in the body. It’s more like healing the body so that it returns to its natural form. Essentially, how long the DASH diet will take will depend on how far away you are from the norms of the body. This is why it is best suited and most efficient for those only in the initial stages of hypertension.

Remember, the key is consistency. Unless you are experiencing any ill effects due to the diet (in which case you should consult a doctor), you should stick to it in order to make it work. The emphasis here again is that DASH isn’t a flash diet that works after a short time and can be dropped. There is no such magic pill. The body needs time to adjust, to cleanse, and to heal. And while the DASH Diet may not very significantly change your blood pressure when you’re in the advanced stages, at the very least it can help prevent your condition from worsening — a very important factor when letting medication take its course in healing the body. By taking out all the harmful elements contributing to the onset of metabolic diseases, you are significantly increasing your chances of healing. With proper guidance and treatment from a doctor, it won’t be long before you can again experience life the way you used to, before hypertension.

There’s always a hidden owl in “Knowledge”