With Mayo Clinic nutritionists Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

DASH — do you know of it?

It's an eating plan focused on lowering your sodium (salt) intake. The other key components include eating foods low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and high fiber foods — fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products. Lean protein sources such as lean red meat, poultry, and fish are recommended. Nuts and seeds are also included. Nutrients of particular interest are potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

DASH — Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — was introduced in 1997 following extensive research funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with additional support by the National Center for Research Resources and the Office of Research on Minority Health, all units of the National Institutes of Health. The result was convincing evidence that the DASH eating plan can prevent or help control blood pressure.

Within the last month the "Archives of Internal Medicine" released a report stating that people with high blood pressure (hypertension) are not implementing dietary practices to improve their health. Rather their diets tend to be higher in fat and low in fiber.

One must wonder why more people aren't giving DASH a try when there is strong evidence that what you eat can prevent adverse outcomes associated with high blood pressure such as stroke, heart, or kidney damage. Could it be that most people are unaware of it? Is it the fact that dietary changes are a challenge to adhere to? Or is it easier to take a pill?

Most of us consume far too much sodium. Share the word about DASH, we can all eat healthier. As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome.

To your health,

Katherine

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