Encouraging Health

Want to keep your blood pressure below the 140/90 danger point?

Get at least four servings of whole-grain foods a day.

Hypertension risk starts to drop with just one to two servings of whole grains daily, but getting four makes the greatest impact.

Whole-Grain Heroes

For maximum benefits — younger arteries, better bowel function, lower cancer risk, etc. — you’ll need six servings of whole grains daily. Not consistently reaching that goal yet? Use four as a stepping stone and research shows you’ll enjoy better blood pressure on your way to six. (Whole grains are a key component of the hypertension-fighting DASH diet, too.

What is the DASH diet?

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a diet that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods. The DASH diet also includes whole-grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts. It encourages fewer servings of red meat, sweets, and sugar-containing beverages. It is rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium, as well as protein and fiber.

How do I get started on the DASH diet?
The DASH diet requires no special foods and has no hard-to-follow recipes. Start by seeing how DASH compares with your current eating habits.

The DASH eating plan shown is based on 2,000 calories a day. Your healthcare provider or a dietitian can help you determine how many calories a day you need. Most adults need somewhere between 1600 and 2800 calories a day. Serving sizes will vary between 1/2 cup and 1 1/4 cups. Check the product’s nutrition label to determine serving sizes of particular products

4 in a Flash

It’s easy to get four — or more! — whole grains into your day. Start early with a whole-grain cereal like shredded wheat.

Then, use two slices of a whole-grain bread in your sandwich at lunch, air pop some popcorn for an afternoon snack, and have a scoop of brown rice with dinner.

Remember to also reduce the salt and sodium in your diet. Try to have no more than 2000 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, with a goal of further reducing the sodium to 1500 mg per day.

The DASH eating plan was not designed for weight loss. But it contains many lower calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing higher calorie foods with more fruits and vegetables.

For more diet and health tips, browse Encouraging Health.

[tag]whole grains, hypertension, DASH Diet[/tag[