Hypertension Prevention and Control Strategies: All About the DASH Diet

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension or you’re simply worried about developing it, there are steps you can take today to improve your blood pressure. One is eating according to the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

At The Healthy Woman, our compassionate medical experts provide personalized comprehensive care for women at all stages of life. In addition to caring for patients when they're experiencing an issue or undergoing a significant life transition such as pregnancy, we partner with you in your quest for good health by providing outstanding primary care services.

That includes treating and monitoring conditions like hypertension. When you have high blood pressure, there are things you can do to improve your numbers, keeping your hypertension under control and preventing more severe health problems. Adjusting your diet is one of them.

Hypertension facts

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high. This results in harm to the arteries and increases your risk of a stroke, heart attack, and other health issues.

Almost half of adults in the United States have blood pressure that’s too high, and it’s estimated that only about 50% have been diagnosed — meaning millions of people are unaware of their hypertension risk. Getting regular checkups is key in hypertension prevention and control.

The DASH diet

One way for people with hypertension to lower their blood pressure — and for those with blood pressure in a normal range to keep their arteries healthy — is to follow the DASH diet. Key components include consuming less sodium and eating more foods that contain important minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium along with protein and fiber.

No special foods are required — you can get everything you need from your local supermarket — and DASH diet followers can select from a wide variety of healthy options. Our team can work with you to determine the correct servings based on your caloric needs.

Eat more of these

Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are the cornerstones of the DASH diet and a good way to get healthy fiber and other vitamins and minerals. Eat a rainbow of colors as much as possible.

Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products along with fish, poultry, beans, and nuts.

Eat less of these

Limiting saturated fat intake and sugar is also important. This means eat less or avoid fatty meats like beef, pork, and lamb, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils like coconut  and palm oils.

Consume fewer sugar-sweetened beverages and treats — or skip them altogether.

Other considerations

An important component of the DASH diet is keeping your sodium intake to 1,500-2,300 milligrams daily. You should also limit alcohol intake to no more than two drinks a day for men and one or less for women.

Partner with our healthcare team

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension or you’re acting now to protect your heart and arteries, following the DASH diet and attending regular primary care visits can have a big impact on your health goals. The Healthy Woman can be an important partner on the road to better health.

Our primary care team has convenient offices in Atlanta East and Lawrenceville, Georgia. Call us at 770-809-1100 or request an appointment online today.