DASH For High Blood Pressure

DIRECTIONS:

1. Before you are ready to bake the pizzas, preheat the oven with a pizza stone inside to 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of the warm water.

3. In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and the salt.  Add the oil, yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and mix on low speed.

4. Roll or stretch the dough, a quarter at a time, into a 7- to 8- inch circle and place it on a lightly floured wood peel.

5. For each pizza, place the ingredients on the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edge.

6. Slide the pizzas onto the hot stone and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

• Choose fruit for an easy to grab a snack. Try fruit that is ready to eat like apples, bananas or canned cut fruit. Pick canned fruit that is canned in juice.
• Try casseroles, pasta and stir-fry dishes. They are great ways to use less meat and more vegetables, beans, and grains.
• Add an extra vegetable serving to your lunch and dinner.
• Wash and cut up fresh vegetables and keep them in a clear container in the fridge. This will save you time when you want to use them.
•  Keep frozen vegetables handy to add to stir-frys, casseroles, homemade soups, and sauces.
• Choose whole-grain products whenever you can. They will help fill you up and add fiber to your diet.
• Include low-fat milk with meals. Replace sweetened drinks with low-fat milk. Add low-fat milk to cooked cereals and homemade soups.
• Slowly reduce your portion size of the meat, poultry, or fish. Fill your plate with more vegetables
  instead.
• Snack on low-fat yogurt or a small piece of low-fat cheese.
• Take the saltshaker off the table. Do not add salt when cooking, or cut the amount of salt.

Lose Weight, If Necessary, While Following DASH

[su_highlight background=”#99daff” color=”#181314″]DASH is rich in lower-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables, so it easily can be changed to support weight loss. You can reduce calories even more by replacing higher calorie foods, such as sweets, with more fruits and vegetables. The best way to take off pounds is to do it slowly, over time, by getting more physical activity and eating fewer calories. To develop a weight-loss or weight-maintenance program that’s tailored for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.[/su_highlight]

1. Why Does the DASH diet reduce high blood pressure?

1The DASH diet is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein. The diet consists of 1500mg of sodium per day.

2. What are the benefits of the DASH diet?

Excess sodium has been implicated in high blood pressure. Therefore, eating 1500mg of sodium per day has been proven to reduce blood pressure. This diet lowered the blood pressure by an average of 12 mmHg systolic. The diet reduced cholesterol levels.

TIPS FOR LOWERING SODIUM WHEN SHOPPING, COOKING, AND EATING OUT

• Read food labels, and choose items that are lower in sodium and salt, particularly for convenience foods and condiments.*
• Choose fresh poultry, fish, and lean meats instead of cured food such as bacon and ham.
• Choose fresh or frozen versus canned fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid food with added salt, such as pickles, pickled vegetables, olives, and sauerkraut.
• Avoid instant or flavored rice and pasta.
• Don’t add salt when cooking rice, pasta, and hot cereals.
• Flavor your foods with salt-free seasoning blends, fresh or dried herbs, and spices, or fresh lemon or lime juice.
• Rinse canned foods or foods soaked in brine before using to remove the sodium.
• Use less table salt to flavor food.
• Ask that foods be prepared without added salt or MSG, commonly used in Asian foods.
• Avoid choosing menu items that have salty ingredients such as bacon, pickles, olives, and cheese.
• Avoid choosing menu items that include foods that are pickled, cured, smoked, or made with soy sauce or broth.
• Choose fruit or vegetables as a side dish, instead of chips or fries. References from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan

Tips for Lifelong Success

When changing lifestyle habits, it is normal to slip off track occasionally. Follow these tips to get you back on track.

• Ask yourself why you got off track. Find out what triggered your sidetrack, and restart the DASH eating plan.
• Don’t worry about a slip. Everyone slips, especially when learning something new. Remember that changing your lifestyle is a long-term process.
• Don’t change too much at once. When starting a new lifestyle, try to avoid changing too much at once. Slow changes lead to success.
• Break down the process. Break goals into smaller, simpler steps, each of which is attainable.
• Write it down. Use the Daily DASH Log to keep track of what you eat and what you’re doing while you are eating. You may find that you eat unhealthy foods while watching television. If so, you could start keeping a healthier substitute snack on hand.
• Celebrate success. Instead of eating out to celebrate your accomplishments, try a night at the movies, go shopping, visit the library or bookstore, or watch your favorite TV show