Wellness starts with a healthy diet. In fact, eating healthier foods improves many health problems.
This includes high blood pressure (hypertension). The right foods can lower your blood pressure.
Your doctor may recommend the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet to lower your blood pressure and your LDL (bad cholesterol).
Dietitian Mbali Mapholi says hypertension is a common condition that affects many South Africans. She says it is a condition where, over the long term, the force inside your artery walls is so high it may eventually cause health issues.
“Worldwide, hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Hypertension can also lead to kidney damage and loss of vision if left untreated and uncontrolled. Risk factors that may increase your likelihood of developing hypertension can be largely linked to lifestyle choices such as diet, physical activity, smoking, stress, and being overweight or obese. Non-lifestyle factors include family history, progressing age (above 65), and having other co-existing conditions such as diabetes,” says Mapholi.
She says to help reduce the burden of hypertension, the most important thing to know is what your measures are.
“Blood pressure is often nicknamed the silent killer in that most people are unaware they have the problem due to there being no warning signs or symptoms. So the first thing to do for prevention is to check your blood pressure regularly. Thereafter ensuring you are following a lifestyle that supports a healthy blood pressure or managing high blood pressure.
“Diet will have a big role to play in how effectively you can manage your blood pressure. There are a few key points to apply to your diet to ensure the best outcomes. The DASH diet is a group of recommendations which have been grouped together and is recommended as one of the best approaches to help prevent, manage, and treat hypertension,” adds Mapholi.
What does the DASH diet focus on?
- Fruits - 4-5 servings daily
- Vegetables - 4-5 servings daily
- Whole grains - 6-8 servings daily
- Lean meats - 6 or fewer servings daily
- Low-fat dairy - 2-3 servings daily
- Nuts and seeds - 4-5 servings weekly
- Fats and oils - 2-3 servings daily
- Sweets or added sugars - 5 or fewer servings weekly
Mapholi says the intake of these fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats are emphasised and encouraged over red meat, saturated fats, salt, and added sugars.
Further, she says by implementing these changes effectively, you may not only benefit from lowered blood pressure but also from potential weight loss and reduced diabetes as well as a cancer risk.
“One of the key principles of the DASH diet is limiting salt intake, recommending no more than ¾ - 1 teaspoon of salt per day. From studies, the best effect for blood-pressure-lowering effects was seen when salt was restricted. The effects are seen more strongly in people who already have hypertension but are still beneficial to those who have normal blood pressure,” says Mapholi.