The DASH Diet: Effective Plans for Weight Loss and Lower Blood Pressure
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Overweight and high blood pressure are two major health concerns that affect the billions of people worldwide, and the number is rapidly increasing.
It causes numerous health problems such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and hypertension.
This blog explores the DASH diet, which was designed to encounter overweight and reduce people’s risk of heart disease.
This recent din has once again put DASH in the headlines.
But what exactly is the DASH diet, and should you try it?
Dash Diet Reviews | What It Its?
First of all, you need to know what it stands for- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
The DASH diet is commonly known as the DASH Eating Plan.
It is a flexible and balanced eating plan that is not only effective for those who try to lower their blood pressure but also to reduce obesity.
Since two decades studies have shown that this diet can lead to weight loss, protecting heart health, and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and some cancers. And this is why the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has promoted it.
The DASH diet influences you to take low sodium in your diet and eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods that help lower blood pressure such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
You can choose from two forms of DASH diet depending on your health needs:
The Standard DASH Diet – This program recommends no more than 2300 mg of sodium per day.
The Lower-Sodium DASH Diet – This plan limits sodium consumption to 1500mg per day.
DASH Diet Menu
The daily Dash Eating Plan also includes, on average, the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) says:
- 6 to 8 servings of whole grains
- 6 or fewer servings of meat, poultry, and fish
- 4 to 5 servings of veggies
- 4 to 5 servings of fruit
- 2 to 3 servings of fat-free dairy products (fat-free if watching weight, like with diabetes)
- 2 to 3 servings of fat or oils (preferably healthy fats)
Some of the other daily nutritional objectives of the DASH diet plan are as follows:
- Total fat is 27 % of calories
- Saturated fat is 6 % of calories or less
- Protein is 18 % of calories
- Carbohydrates are 55 % of calories
- Cholesterol is limited to 150 mg
- Fiber is 30 g or more
You can choose a DASH diet plan which provides 1,200, 1,400, 1,600, 1,800, 2,000, 2,600 or 3,100 calories per day, depending on weight loss or weight maintenance needs.
How To Follow A DASH Diet Plan? | Dash Diet Guidelines
Try to follow these healthy dash diet eating plan, it’ll help you to know how much is considered a “serving” of a certain type of food.
- 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
- 1 slice bread
- 1 cup raw vegetables or fruit
- 1/2 cup cooked veggies or fruit
- 8 ounces of milk
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil (or any other oil)
- 3 ounces of cooked meat
- 3 ounces tofu
Despite lowering blood pressure, this diet offers numerous benefits including weight loss and reduces cancer risk.
You shouldn’t expect DASH to help you pare weight on your own, though, as it was designed to lower blood pressure fundamentally. Weight loss can be an added advantage.
DASH Diet Benefits
DASH diet includes several benefits such as:
- Long-Term Potential: The diet is varied and easy to follow as a dietary choice for a lifetime.
- Lower Blood Pressure and Improve Healthy Cholesterol Levels: Studies have shown that people who adhere to this diet can lower their blood pressure and also lower their LDL or “bad” cholesterol when eating low-fat rather than high-fat dairy.
For a healthy lifestyle, reading of ideal blood pressure should range in between 90/60mm Hg and 120/80mm Hg.
It is found that people with the highest salt consumption having high blood pressure. So, as per the study, restricting salt intake lowers the blood pressure.
Keep in mind that a reduction in blood pressure does not always result in a reduced risk of heart disease.
- A Reduced Risk of Certain Diseases: The stronger and healthier heart helps you to improve other aspects of health such as kidney function, sugar level, eye health, and some cancers.
It also lowers the risk of heart disease by 20% and reduces the risk of stroke by 29%.
- Prevents Osteoporosis: The DASH diet contains a high content of calcium, protein, and potassium that are essential for preventing the outset of osteoporosis.
By helping to build strong bones, DASH diet foods like milk, lean proteins, grains, leafy vegetables, and fruits all contribute to these nutrients of high concentration. Therefore, the DASH diet is a very good idea to build strong bones.
- Prevents Depression: Studies show that eating foods that are rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains such as the DASH diet help prevent the late outset of depression.
- Help in Weight Loss: If you have high blood pressure, however, you may have been advised to lose weight. The more you weigh, the more likely your blood pressure will be.
Some studies suggest that people on the DASH diet may lose weight.
If you identify and consistently stick to the correct calorie level, it can be a safe, effective and sustainable way to shed pounds and improve your health at the same time.
How Does Dash Diet Help In Weight Loss?
If your goal is to lose weight, DASH will not quickly melt the pounds off. You have to follow some guidelines.
The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution is split into two phases:
Phase 1: Two Weeks to Shrink Your Waistline
You will learn how to satisfy your hunger during Phase 1’s 14 days and, as a result, feel fuller longer.
To regulate your blood sugar and help curb your cravings, avoid fruit and whole grains that have plenty of natural sugar, and alcohol that also has sugars.
That said, you can enjoy 2-3 low-fat dairy servings per day. It is suggested to include One cup of skim milk or low-fat yogurt.
Because they are often high in sodium, avoid regular or even fat-free cheese.
By avoiding starchy sugar-based foods, you help regulate your blood sugar and decrease your cravings.
Try leafy greens such as spinach and lettuce or cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli or cabbage. You may also eat cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.
We also recommend you to enjoy up to 6 ounces of lean meats, fish, and poultry a day. Aim for 4 to 5 beans or lentils servings per week.
Phase 2: Kick It Up a Notch!
You will continue to eat the Phase 1 food after the first 14 days, but re-introduce some other healthy foods to help you continue your weight loss.
How long is Phase 2 going to last? It’s your life plan, so you should be able to keep your blood pressure low and keep weight off forever.
Whole Grains: Choose from cereals, pasta, and bread. Target six to eight servings a day.
Fruit: Make fresh fruit a daily portion of your diet. Target 4 to 5 servings per day.
Low-Fat Milk or Yogurt: Target 2 to 3 servings per day as in Phase 1.
Sugar: Every week you can have 3 to 4 portions of sugar food.
Alcohol: Occasionally you can have a small glass of red wine, which is a fruit serving.
Conclusion
Remember, eating healthy is not a proposal for anything or anything.
Most importantly, you eat healthier foods with plenty of variety on average — both to keep your diet nutritious and to avoid boredom or extremes.
And you can have both of them with the DASH diet.
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