The DASH Plan

DASH stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension." The DASH eating plan is a healthy eating plan that has been shown to reduce high blood pressure (hypertension). Additional health benefits may include reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and stroke. The DASH eating plan may also help with weight loss.

To help with your eating plan, you should always include some form of physical activity or exercise whenever possible. Make sure you are capable of doing physical activity before you begin your program. Consult with this doctor or your family doctor to ensure better results.

Follow these general guidelines regarding your eating:

* When eating at a restaurant, ask that your food be prepared with less salt, or no salt if possible

* Cook foods using methods other than frying

* Choose foods with a daily value of sodium of less than 5%

* Use salt-free seasonings or herbs

* Eat fresh foods

* Choose heart-healthy fats

* Eat more vegetables and fruits

* Limit fish, poultry and meat to 5-7 ounces per day

Having hypertension puts you at risk for heart disease, stroke and other health related problems. Making simple changes in our diet is a simple, yet effective way to control some of those health related issues.

Don't be discouraged, because we have some things we can control. We can control being overweight, we control how much exercise or physical activity we get, and we control what we put in our mouths. We need to stop getting so much fat, sugar, calories and salt in our diets.

Here is your challenge: Start by eliminating desert and bread with your meals. Try going without these for five days during a week; save the weekend for your "goodies." Eating more raw foods, such as uncooked vegetables, not uncooked meat, will train your system to stop your cravings for those unnecessary calories from bread and cakes and other empty food choices.

This is a general guideline to help most people lose weight and control high blood pressure. Consulting your physician helps ensure that you are walking the right road. You can find additional information at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, www.nhlbi.nih.gov.