How the DASH Diet Can Help You Lose Weight Without Medication

The DASH diet for high blood pressure is a low-salt, low-fat diet. Whether you need to lower your hypertension and boost your heart health or follow an alternative healthy eating plan to lose pounds, experts have touted the DASH diet for helping individuals improve their overall well-being. The DASH diet, which was created by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, is also known as the Dietary Approaches for the High Blood Pressure Treatment. The DASH diet for high blood pressure targets eating foods that are low in saturated fat, sodium, cholesterol, and phytosterols. Along with lowering your numbers, this diet will also help you control stress, muscle tension, fatigue and pain, insomnia and moodiness.

If you've decided to try the DASH list for hypertension, you will need to be aware of some helpful tips before you begin. The DASH list is broken down into five categories; fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Within each of these categories, you will find several different meal plans. DASH list foods are separated into two main categories: fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are recommended on the DASH list because they are low in saturated fat and contain low-fat levels. Additionally, fruits and vegetables are considered to be a nutrient-dense form of food, which means that they can fill you up and keep you feeling full until lunch time. Because you are replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats, your body will not store any fat. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and several other nutrients that can improve your heart health. Vegetables and fruits are recommended on the DASH diet, because it will help keep your heart rate down and your cholesterol at a healthy level.

Nuts and legumes are included on the DASH diet food list because they are considered to be high in protein. When you eat foods that have protein in them, your body breaks them down into amino acids, which are used to create proteins. Protein is essential to building muscle and maintaining lean muscle tissue. You may be familiar with the saying "you are what you eat," because protein is what makes up your muscles. High-protein foods should be part of your diet if you want to reduce your risk for hypertension.

Whole grains are another category of foods that are recommended on the DASH list. They come in three different forms, breads, cereals, and snacks. If you follow the recommended Dosage Recommendations, which are based on the number of servings you have per day, you will be consuming enough low-fat dairy foods to reduce your risk for hypertension. Whole grain breads and cereals contain complex carbohydrates, which help you feel full longer and keep your blood sugar balanced.

Another dietary approach that is recommended on the DASH diet is to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber, which helps keep your digestive system clean. Eating plenty of vegetables can also help you feel full longer. They are full of vitamins and minerals, which are vital to keeping your heart and circulation healthy. Consuming more fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure without medication.

The dash diet is not as strict as the FDA-approved Atkins Diet, which makes people who follow it nervous. On the contrary, it encourages you to eat lots of vegetables and fruits, but to make up for it, you are advised to cut back on fatty foods and sweets. This dietary approach helps you reduce your weight without decreasing your intake of food. In fact, if you're looking to lose some pounds, this is a great diet to go with.

As for the DASH diet itself, it helps you achieve your weight loss goals by decreasing the number of calories you ingest each day. For many, they find that cutting back on their calories helps them feel fuller for longer. They also report that they reduce their risk of gaining weight or becoming obese. The DASH diet is also said to improve people's health in other ways, such as lowering the risk of cancer and stroke. Since you are allowed to have one serving of fruit and two servings of vegetables for each serving of food group you consume, this works well to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need every day.