According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70 million American adults have high blood pressure or hypertension. That’s one of every three adults. Of those, the CDC says only about half, or 52 percent, of people with high blood pressure have their condition under control. In 2013, more than 360,000 American deaths included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause, according to a report from the American Heart Association.
May is High Blood Pressure Education Month. Here are a few things to know:
- About seven of every 10 people having their first heart attack have high blood pressure.
- About eight of every 10 people having their first stroke have high blood pressure.
- About seven of every 10 people with chronic heart failure have high blood pressure.
- Kidney disease is also a major risk factor for high blood pressure.
One of the best ways to lower blood pressure is through healthy eating via the DASH diet. The DASH diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a lifelong approach to healthy eating that's designed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure. The DASH diet encourages a reduction of sodium in the daily diet and eating a variety of foods rich in nutrients that help to lower blood pressure, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. It emphasizes portion size, eating a variety of foods and getting the right amount of nutrients. The DASH diet is also in line with dietary recommendations to prevent osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. And while the DASH diet is not a weight-loss program, you may indeed lose unwanted pounds because it can help guide you toward healthier meals and snacks.
For the fifth year in a row, the expert panel from US News & World Report chose the DASH diet as the Best Diet, Healthiest Diet, and the Best Diet for Diabetes. US News & World Report said, “DASH was developed to fight high blood pressure, not as an all-purpose diet. But it certainly looked like an all-star to our panel of experts, who gave it high marks for its nutritional completeness, safety, ability to prevent or control diabetes, and role in supporting heart health. Though obscure, it beat out a field full of better-known diets.”
The DASH diet emphasizes vegetables, fruit and low-fat dairy foods and moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, lean meats and nuts. The standard DASH diet meets the recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to keep daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day. The lower-sodium version of the diet matches the recommendation to reduce sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day if you're 51 and older, black or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. If you aren't sure what sodium level is right for you, talk to your doctor.
Here is a recipe that fits in the DASH diet:
Raspberry, Avocado and Mango Salad
Serves 5 (about 2 cups each).
Pureed berries give the tangy wine vinegar dressing a creamy texture that gently clings to the lettuce and fruit.
All you need:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, divided
- 1/4 cup Hy-Vee Select extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Hy-Vee Select red-wine vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 8 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 ripe mango, diced
- 1 small ripe avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts or sliced almonds, optional
All you do:
- Puree 1/2 cup raspberries, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender until combined.
- Combine greens, mango, avocado and onion in a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and gently toss to coat. Divide the salad among 5 salad plates. Top each with the remaining raspberries and sprinkle with nuts, if using.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 215 calories, 16g fat, 2g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 122mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 3g protein.
Daily values: 70% vitamin C, 60% vitamin A.
Source: adapted from Eating Well, Inc.
Information not intended to be medical advice. Please contact a licensed healthcare provider for individual advice.
