High blood pressure and heart disease are leading killers in developed countries, and anyone diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are at a particularly high risk. High blood pressure can be part of the picture of the metabolic syndrome, which can also include Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood fats.
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is designed for use with a program of physical activity to prevent and treat high blood pressure. It is high in:
- calcium,
- potassium, and
- magnesium,
which are all minerals associated with lowering blood pressure.
The diet is high in fruits and vegetables, and low in non-fat dairy products.
According to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, The DASH diet can lower blood pressure significantly in as little as two weeks and might afford protection against Type 2 diabetes.
To learn how the DASH diet works to lower blood pressure in diabetes, investigators in the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre in Brazil looked at food groups consumed by Type 2 diabetics on the program, and their blood pressures.
Their study, published in December 2011 in the British Journal of Nutrition, included 225 people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Their diets over 3 days were recorded and they were divided into two groups based upon their blood pressures. Those who consumed 80 grams of fruits, or 50 grams of vegetables per 1000 daily calories, tended to fall into the lowest third of blood pressure readings.
It was therefore concluded fruits and vegetables could protect against high blood pressure.
Two versions of the DASH include regular and low sodium. People on the regular diet are allowed up to 2300 mg of sodium per day, while those on the low sodium version are allowed up to 1500 mg of sodium per day.
A 2000 calorie DASH diet, designed to maintain starting weight, includes:
- 6 to 8 servings of grains,
- 4 to 5 servings of vegetables,
- 4 to 5 servings of fruit,
- 2 to 3 servings of dairy,
- 6 or fewer servings per day of meat (the American Dietetic Association recommends a vegan diet for diabetics),
- 4 to 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds, and beans,
- 2 to 3 servings per day of fats and oils, and
- 5 or fewer servings per week of sweets.
Grains should be whole grain such as whole wheat or rye bread. Vegetables can include:
- tomatoes,
- carrots,
- broccoli,
- sweet potatoes,
- greens or other.
On a vegan diet:
- soymilk products fortified with calcium and vitamin D can be substituted for dairy.
- soybean-based products high in protein can be substituted for meats.
- nuts, although healthful, should be eaten in moderation due to their high fat and calorie content.
- fats should be of the unsaturated variety, such as olive oil.
The DASH diet recommends no more than two alcoholic beverages per day for men and no more than one for women.