Have high blood pressure? Learn about the different DASH diet benefits you can experience by following this eating plan.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a significant factor when it comes to developing cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, you can manage your blood pressure levels by following what’s called the DASH diet. Keep reading to learn more about this healthy eating plan and how it can benefit your health.
Benefits of the DASH Diet
Unlike other diets, the main goal of the DASH diet is to help reduce blood pressure; however, you may also lose weight, lower your cholesterol, and prevent diabetes by following it. It emphasizes portion size, eating a variety of healthy foods, consuming the proper balance of nutrients, lowering sodium intake, and increasing magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
According to experts, the DASH diet is an intervention that can significantly enhance your health. Some estimate that it could prevent around 400,000 deaths from heart disease over 10 years if people with hypertension follow it.
Since it can reduce blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance, following the DASH diet can benefit people with all of these conditions (which are features of metabolic syndrome). However, studies have also shown that the diet can be effective whether you have metabolic syndrome or not. Moreover, the National Kidney Foundation recommends the diet for individuals suffering from kidney disease.
Additional Benefits
While people on the DASH diet can lose weight, it’s not required as part of the plan. However, you may lose weight by reducing calories gradually, eating small portions throughout the day, and emphasizing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains over meat.
The diet also focuses on your nutrient intake and using it to help reduce blood pressure. For instance, it emphasizes foods that are rich in antioxidants and focuses on dietary patterns instead of single nutrients. Many experts believe that antioxidants play a role in preventing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and other health conditions.
Lastly, the DASH diet pushes you to consume less sodium, which is the main ingredient in table salt and many processed foods. While your body needs salt, adding it to your diet can increase your sodium to high levels which can raise your blood pressure.
Improving Your Heart Health
The DASH diet can provide benefits for your health, whether you’re in need of some help or are perfectly healthy. Moreover, there are a variety of DASH diet cookbooks available with recipes that will satisfy your tastebuds.
In addition to following the diet, you can give your health an extra boost by taking supplements like HeartBeet Complete. Its ingredients support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, energy levels, circulation, and more. Promote your blood pressure and overall health by following the DASH diet and taking HeartBeet Complete.
