Best Diet for a Healthy Heart

Blog, Heart Health /

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is called the “silent epidemic.” That’s because so many people have it. But because it rarely shows any warning signs or symptoms, it’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), almost half of the adults in the US have hypertension and most don’t have it under control. In 2019, this resulted in over half a million deaths. High blood pressure can be very dangerous because it increases your risk for a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. This is why regular blood pressure screening and incorporating a healthy diet and lifestyle are so important. And there is one diet that has been proven to reduce blood pressure and lower risk of heart disease – the DASH diet. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Research shows it works. You could say it is one of the best diets for a healthy heart.

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How the DASH diet can lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease

Blood pressure refers to the amount of pressure your heart needs to use to keep blood flowing through your vessels. You can think of it as water flowing through a flexible tube versus flowing through a stiff, hard, narrow pipe. Imagine the amount of pressure you would need to push water through a narrow stiff pipe versus a flexible hose. That’s how blood pressure works. The more force that’s needed, the more pressure it puts on your vessels, and the more damage it can do to the pump (your heart) and the vessels. This is especially true when high blood pressure persists over many years.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

According to the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA), a normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 mm Hg – read as 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury. The first number (in this case, 120 mm Hg) is the systolic pressure in your vessels as your heart beats. The second number (in this case, 80 mm Hg) is the diastolic pressure in your vessels between beats. If your blood pressure is slightly higher than these numbers, that’s considered “elevated.”  However, if your blood pressure gets above 130/80 mm Hg, you may be diagnosed with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension).

High blood pressure usually develops over many years. It can happen as a result of diabetes or obesity, or not getting enough physical activity. It can also sometimes happen during pregnancy. The good news is that there are ways you can manage high blood pressure and lower your risk for heart disease (including angina, heart attack, and heart failure) as well as stroke, kidney disease, and vision loss.

Lifestyle for a healthy heart

There are several healthy lifestyle habits that can lower your risk for high blood pressure. The first is to not smoke because smoking raises blood pressure. It is also associated with several other diseases in addition to heart disease.

Another lifestyle habit for healthy blood pressure (and your overall health) is to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week. That can be done with as little as 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week.

Managing stress in a positive way is another strategy to help maintain healthy blood pressure. This means avoiding stressful situations when possible and learning how to cope with stressors when they present themselves. This also includes avoiding bad habits in an attempt to cope with stress such as smoking, alcohol in excess, or illicit drug use.

Maintaining a healthy weight also goes a long way in controlling blood pressure. By following a healthy diet and regular exercise routine, you can manage your weight and improve blood pressure.

Sodium and blood pressure: What’s the connection?

Your blood pressure is impacted by your nutrition. There are several nutrients that can increase or decrease your blood pressure, depending on how much you consume. The nutrients associated with lower blood pressure include the minerals potassium, magnesium, and calcium, along with fiber and protein. Probably the most talked about nutrient linked to increased blood pressure is sodium. According to the American Heart Association, in general, the more sodium you consume, the higher your blood pressure. Sodium is one part of the salt compound, sodium chloride. One of the biggest sources of sodium in the diet is not from your salt shaker, but the sodium hidden in processed and packaged foods.

A recent study enrolled 20,995 participants with a history of stroke or high blood pressure to see if using a lower-sodium salt substitute would reduce their risk of stroke, heart incidents, and death. Half of the participants continued to use regular salt over several years, while half of them agreed to use the salt substitute (75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride). After almost five years, the participants who consumed the lower-sodium salt had fewer strokes, heart incidents, and deaths. Their risks were reduced by 12-14% which is substantial when there are millions of people at high risk from hypertension. Please note: salt substitutes are not necessarily safe for everyone to use (including those with kidney disease) so talk to your doctor before considering the switch.

Eating the DASH diet way for heart health

There is a dietary pattern and food recommendations that have been put together specifically for hypertension. The DASH diet has been deemed one of the best overall diets by U.S. News and is ranked among the top diets in the categories of heart-healthy, healthy eating, diabetes, easy-to-follow, and overall diets. Harvard Health also rated the DASH diet and says, “research supports the use of the DASH diet as a healthy eating pattern that may help to lower blood pressure, and prevent or reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney disease, and gout.” Some studies show that the blood pressure-lowering effect of the DASH diet can be similar to that of blood pressure medication. This of course assumes there is no other disease or condition causing the hypertension.

Disclaimer: If your doctor recommends medication to control your blood pressure, be sure to take it as directed. Routine monitoring or testing is recommended.

The DASH diet is full of heart-healthy foods with blood-pressure-lowering nutrients. The recommendations for a 2,000 calorie per day intake include:

  • whole grains (6-8 servings/day)
  • fruits (4-5 servings/day)
  • vegetables (4-5 servings/day)
  • low-fat dairy (2-3 servings/day)
  • meat, poultry, or fish (no more than two 3 oz servings/day)
  • fats and oils (2-3 servings/day)
  • nuts, seeds, or beans (4-5 servings/week)
  • sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages (no more than 5 servings/week)

The DASH diet limits a few foods – like red meats and sweets (including sugar-sweetened beverages) and nutrients – such as sodium, and saturated and trans fats.  The health benefits of eating a DASH diet are vast and include reductions in many of the most common diseases impacting adults.

One thing to keep in mind when transitioning to a higher-fiber diet with more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is to do this slowly. Gradually increasing these foods helps reduce your risk of experiencing gas and bloating. This can easily be accomplished by increasing these plant-based foods by one or two per week until you’re eating the recommended amounts.

Final Thoughts on the DASH Diet

If you have high blood pressure or simply want to start a healthier diet to reduce your risk for a whole host of diseases, then the DASH diet may be for you. The DASH diet is rich in foods that are highly nutritious without being overly restrictive.  It can help you enjoy a longer life free of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, diabetes, and gout. The DASH diet is considered one of the easiest diets to follow and includes simple nutritional improvements like enjoying more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. If your high blood pressure has you worried, try implementing some or all of these dietary and lifestyle habits to reduce your risk of heart issues and other diseases?

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can get started—or continue—on your way to healthy blood pressure, consult a registered dietitian who can help you make some dietary changes.

Want help creating a doable plan so that you can live your longest, healthiest life? Book a free consultation with me today to see if nutrition services can help you. Need help with weight loss? Consider signing up for my A Better Weigh to Better Health program. This 8-week program focuses on healthy habits with support to help you reach your weight loss goals. Click here to learn more.

If you have diabetes and are concerned about how it will affect your risk of heart disease or stroke, consider signing up for my Better Diabetes Control program. This 6-week program walks you through steps to get better control of diabetes to avoid complications. Click here to learn more about the program. If you aren’t sure which program is right for you and you just want to talk to the dietitian first, click on the button below to schedule a no-obligation, free consultation with me. Can’t wait to talk to you.

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