Download and print: Simplified DASH Diet
Five Critical Steps to Lower Blood Pressure
1. Cut added salt from the diet and increase potassium, magnesium and calcium
2. Eat a diet rich in fresh vegetables and fruits, olive oil, and fish
3. Stay active – walk briskly at least 20 minutes per day
4. Limit alcohol to no more than 2 drinks per day
5. If you are overweight, lose weight. But make sure it’s a program proven to help you lose fat and maintain muscle – most diets aren’t.
Tips to decrease sodium and increase potassium in your diet.
· Use herbs and spices instead of salt on food
· Sprinkle No-SaltÒ (potassium chloride) onto cooked foods instead of salt (sodium chloride) – but do not cook with No-Salt (it tastes bad).
· Avoid processed foods like sandwich meats, tinned (canned) meats, sausage, tinned vegetables, frozen dinners, pizza, and snack foods
· Avoid fast food
· Avoid French fries, potato and corn chips, and other salted snack foods
· Easy snack options:
o Drink 8 oz. of no added salt vegetable juice like V-8
o Eat fresh fruit
o A small handful of unsalted nuts or seeds
o Plain low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit with an optional 1 tsp. sugar (pre-packaged fruit yogurts have way too much sugar in them)
o Dried fruits
o Drink a high-protein snack beverage like UltraMealÔ
· Reducing fat and saturated fat is good but fat-free is not good. Lower-fat options are best. Use extra virgin olive oil is for salads and pure olive oil for cooking.
· Use whole grain breads and whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, etc.
· Eat beans or lentils regularly (daily, if possible)
· Read labels before buying food to make sure it’s not chocked full of sodium
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is very similar to the DASH diet, and produces similar results. While there is no such thing as an ideal diet, the Mediterranean Diet comes close. It’s simple, easy to follow, and delicious.
1. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits (2-3 servings per meal + 2 snacks)
2. Eat more fish (3-5 servings per week)
3. Use olive oil as your main fat: extra virgin olive oil is for salads and pure olive oil for cooking.
4. Eat more legumes: beans, lentils, split peas, etc. (1 serving per day)
5. Eat nuts or seeds in small quantities daily
6. Drink 1-2 alcoholic beverages per day
7. Eat whole grains in moderation
8. Limit meat and poultry to 3-5 servings per week
9. Limit dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, etc) to 3-5 servings per week
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