With a staggering one in three American adults affected by high blood pressure (according to the American Heart Association), it’s no surprise that May has been designated National High Blood Pressure Education Month. While medication is often needed to keep hypertension in check, it’s also possible to lower blood pressure by altering your diet.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), along with dieticians, has instituted a recommended diet plan to help lower high blood pressure. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is based upon a 2,000-calorie-per-day intake, and puts emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and a reduction in sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day or less. The DASH study found that following the guidelines can begin to lower blood pressure in as little as two weeks.
The cornerstone recommendations of the DASH plan are as follows:
Grains: 7-8 servings
Vegetables: 4-5 servings
Fruits: 4-5 servings
Lowfat or Fat-free Dairy: 2-3 servings
Meats, poultry & fish: 2 or less servings
Nuts, seeds & dry beans: 4-5 per week
Fats & oils: 2-3
Sweets: 5 per week
In addition to utilizing food choices to lower high blood pressure, the NHLBI also recommends getting adequate amounts of the minerals calcium, potassium and magnesium. High levels of potassium can be found in foods such as baked potatoes, oat bran, lima beans, bananas, cantaloupe, papaya, tomatoes, cucumbers and pears. If you find it too difficult to get a sufficient amount of these minerals through diet, they are also widely available in supplement form.
While fruits, vegetables and grains play a key role in lowering high blood pressure, there is a sweet treat that can also help do the job – according to nutritionist Joy Bauer, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) illustrated a noticeable lowering of blood pressure with the consumption of less than half an ounce of dark chocolate per day. Surprisingly, this benefit was not accompanied by weight gain or other negative side-effects.
Cooking with a chronic health condition can be a challenge. There are, however, many recipes that can help you enjoy tasty meals that are good for your blood pressure as well. The following is an official DASH diet recipe:
1 pound frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cubed cooked white chicken meat without skin
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 Tbsp fat free milk
1 cup shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp paprika
Place the broccoli in a baking dish with the onions, garlic, and pepper, spreading out the ingredients to cover the surface of the dish.
Cover tightly and microwave on high until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Arrange the chicken and water chestnuts evenly on top of the broccoli.
Cover with wax paper and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, stir the sour cream and milk together; pour evenly over the contents of the baking dish.
Sprinkle with the cheeses and paprika.
Cover with wax paper again and microwave on medium-high (70%) until the cheeses are melted, 3-5 minutes.
Makes 4 servings. Serving size: 1-1/2 cups.
The nutritional facts for this recipe, plus more recipes and information, are available from the NHLBI’s National High Blood Pressure Education Month website, inked below.
