


Half the study group received the home delivered meals, the other half did not. One study of patients who were recently hospitalized for heart failure, evaluated the impact of home delivered, prepackaged meals that adhered to the DASH Diet. The DASH Diet can be a good option for many heart disease patients who need nutritious, low-sodium meals as they heal after hospitalization. Nutritional support is critical for patients who have recently been discharged from the hospital. If you’re going out to eat, check the menu online ahead of time to make an informed choice so you can adhere to DASH Diet guidelines. Plan ahead – Restaurant meals tend to be very high in sodium and portion sizes are usually large. Learn to read the labels so you can track your intake of salt and other nutrients. Have one handy for reference as you transition to the diet.Ĭheck labels – Many prepared foods including soups, dressings, seasonings, and deli meat, are high in sodium. Read up – There are lots of great books and online resources about the DASH Diet. Here are some tips for DASH Diet success: Once you have those down, you’ll see that you have a wide range of food choices to enjoy. Nuts, legumes and seeds: 4-5 servings per week 4įoods that are limited on the DASH Diet include:įollowing the DASH Diet requires some initial education about recommended foods, servings, and portion sizes.Fish and poultry: one serving or less a day.Grains (pasta, bread, cereal and rice): 6-8 servings per day.Here’s a daily serving guide for the DASH Diet: For comparison, the average American diet contains about 3,400 mg of sodium daily. The standard version of the diet limits sodium consumption to 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day. The DASH Diet focuses on low-sodium, fresh, minimally processed foods. In fact, the DASH Diet consistently ranks as one of the most effective overall diets by U.S. The DASH Diet isn’t just for people with high blood pressure it’s a healthy dietary approach for almost everyone and it matches nutritional recommendations for preventing many diseases including diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis. Some patients who follow the DASH Diet have lowered their blood pressure in a matter of weeks. 1 The diet focuses on fresh, low sodium foods with plenty of the nutrients that help lower blood pressure including magnesium, potassium, and calcium. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet was developed in the 1990s as part of several studies designed to determine if hypertension, or high blood pressure, could be managed through diet alone.

But, if you’re trying to manage your blood pressure or a heart condition, chances are, your doctor will suggest the DASH Diet. Keto? Mediterranean? Flexitarian? Which diet is right for you? When choosing a diet, it’s important to first talk with your doctor so you address your own health concerns.
