DASH= Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
**By following the Dash Diet and eating less salt, you can see lower blood pressure readings within two weeks of starting the diet plan.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE is the force of blood against your artery walls. Its not good for you because it forces your heart to work harder and damages many of your organs and arteries.

A Healthy Blood Pressure is at or below:

120/80

120 is your systolic Blood Pressure (heart beating)
80 is your diastolic blood pressure (heart relaxing)

The Dash Diet lowers blood pressure by being low in fat, cholesterol, sugar and sodium. High amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grains along with lean meats, fish, low fat dairy and nuts make up most of the dash diet. Red meats, sweets, sodium and added sugars are avoided. This diet provides high levels of blood pressure lowering calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Basic Components of the Dash Diet

VEGETABLES~ Eat 4-5 servings of vegetables a day. Broccoli, spinach, kale and sweet potatoes all provide good amounts of potassium, magnesium and fiber.

WHOLE GRAINS~ Eat 6-8 servings of whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta or cereal a day. A great source of fiber.

LEAN MEAT, POULTRY, or Fish~ Lots of protein! Trim off the fat and remove the skin. No red meats. Eat 6 or less servings a day.

FRUITS~ Apples, bananas and blueberries are good sources of calcium, magnesium and fiber. Get 4-5 servings a day.

FAT FREE DAIRY~ Skim milk or low fat yogurt. 2-3 servings a day provide a good amount of calcium and protein.

LEGUMES and NUTS~ A good energy boost. Almonds, kidney beans and walnuts are the stars. Eat about 4-5 servings a week. They are high in fiber and magnesium.

OILS and FATS~ Go for the extra virgin olive oil. Look for the good fats, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated omega 3’s. 2-3 servings a day.

ADDED SUGAR and SWEETS~ Go easy on the fruit juice, candy and ice cream….anything with added sugar. Less than 5 servings per week while on the dash diet.

*Avoid high sodium products like: Some cereals and breads, canned vegetables, ham or bacon, canned tuna, pickles, canned beans and condiments.

**Exercise>>>At least 30 minutes a day of brisk walking.