Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH

High blood pressure is often called "the silent killer" because it usually has no symptoms. If high blood pressure is not controlled, it can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, and blindness. But studies have shown that “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” or DASH, is an eating plan that can help lower high blood pressure. 

Three NHLBI-funded trials found the following health benefits of the DASH diet.

• DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Trial): The DASH diet lowers blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol compared with a typical American diet alone or a typical American diet with more fruits and vegetables.
• DASH-Sodium (DASH Diet, Sodium Intake, and Blood Pressure Trial): The DASH diet lowers blood pressure better than a typical American diet at three daily sodium levels. Combining the DASH diet with sodium reduction gives greater health benefits than the DASH diet alone.
• PREMIER clinical trial: People can lose weight and lower their blood pressure by following the DASH eating plan and increasing their physical activity.

Dash Eating Plan U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.