DASH Diet

Question: What is the DASH diet? T. O. – Davie, FL Answer:   DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and it is recommended to lower blood pressure.  The DASH diet was developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.  It is an eating style that resembles the diets consumed by people living around the Mediterranean that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry, nuts and beans, including reduced salt intake.  Best of all, it is effective in lowering high blood pressure, which has become a massive public health problem. A recent study in Circulation:  Journal of the American Heart Association looked at rural and urban populations in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  It sheds some light on why this diet works.  An amino acid, glutamic acid, commonly found in vegetable protein is associated with lower blood pressure.  People who eat more plant foods have a higher intake of glutamic acid. Beyond Health recommends the DASH diet for people with hypertension.  Losing weight is also recommended, as is moderate exercise.  Beyond Health has a Hypertension Kit that provides supplements that are known to be beneficial.