Nutrition on a Budget for Hypertensive Patients
Introduction
Hypertension is among the leading diseases affecting most people across the world. As noted by Park et al. (2017), it is a serious health concern since it affects more than a billion people globally. In the United States, hypertension is the most common diagnosis, with about 78 million estimated to have the condition. The other thing that makes hypertension to be a serious health concern is the burden it exerts on human quality of life as well as health care system resources through contribution to increased death rate as well as cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, and stroke. A substantial body of evidence from different studies has it that specific dietary patterns, as well as individual nutritional elements, contribute significantly to the development of hypertension. As diet is believed to play a significant role in the development of hypertension, policymakers and scientists have designed specific dietary strategies for reducing it. This paper, thus, examines the available Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH).
The DASH Diet
The DASH diet is a dietary approach developed to combat hyperextension and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health conditions such as kidney failure and stroke. As noted by Chiu et al. (2015), this dietary approach gives particular importance to a diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products. The DASH approach, according to Park et al. (2017), was developed after it was found that hypertension was much less common in following a plant-based diet. This is the primary reason why the DASH approach emphasis is on vegetables and fruits and some lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, and beans. This means that patients of hypertension are supposed to feed on low red meat, salt, added sugars, and fat. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
The DASH approach has been tested in multiple studies, and the results have been consistent. On such study is the OmniHeart, Optimal Macro-Nutrient Intake to Prevent Heart Disease. This study demonstrated that a DASH approach lowers hypertension by substituting proteins for carbohydrates. In this regard, it is believed that one of the primary reasons patients of hypertension can benefit from the DASH dietary pattern is because it reduces salt intake (Rai et al., 2017).
The DASH Nutrition Eating Plan
The DASH dietary approach recommends a flexible as well as balanced eating plan for a heart-healthy eating style. The nutrition eating plan recommended by DASH does not require special foods. However, it provides daily as well as weekly nutritional goals. As mentioned earlier, the plan recommends eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. It also recommends including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, chicken, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils (Chiu et al., 2015). Limiting fatty meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and tropical oils is also a recommendation of the plan.
The recommendations mentioned above by DASH dietary pattern help in developing a daily and weekly nutritional eating plan for hypertensive patients that meet DASH eating plan targets for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. The following Nutritional eating plan that meets meet DASH eating plan targets for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet has been recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood (NHLB) Institute (DASH Eating Plan, n.d.).
Daily DASH Eating Plan Goals for a 2,000-Calorie-a-Day Diet
| Food | Daily Serving | Serving Sizes | Significance |
| Grains | 6-8 | 1 slice bread 1 oz dry cereal ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal | Major sources of energy and fiber |
| Meat, Chicken, and Fish | 6 or less | 1 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish 1 egg | Rich sources of protein and magnesium |
| Vegetables | 4-5 | 1 cup raw leafy vegetable ½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable ½ cup of vegetable juice | Rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| Fruits | 4-5 | 1 medium fruit ¼ cup of dried fruit ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit ½ cup fruit juice | Important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| Low Fats or Fat-Free Dairy Product | 2-3 | 1 cup milk or yogurt 1½ oz cheese | Major sources of calcium and protein |
| Fats and Oils | 2-3 | 1 tsp soft margarine 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp mayonnaise 2 Tbsp salad dressing | The DASH study had 27% of calories as fat |
| Sodium | 2,300mg | 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp jelly or jam ½ cup sorbet, gelatin dessert 1 cup lemonade | Sweets should be low in fat |
| Nuts, Seeds, Dry Beans, and Peas | 4-5 | ⅓ cup or 1½ oz nuts 2 Tbsp peanut butter 2 Tbsp or ½ oz seeds ½ cup cooked legumes (dried beans, peas) | Rich sources of energy, magnesium, protein, and fiber |
| Sweets | 5 or less |
Conclusion
The DASH has been cited as one of the dietary approaches that are highly effective in reducing hypertension. Although it is rich in fruits, lean proteins, and fruits, the DASH dietary pattern restricts red meat, salt, as well as fat and added sugars. For elevated blood pressure levels, DASH reduces the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and metabolic syndrome.
References
DASH Eating Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan.
Rai, S. K., Fung, T. T., Lu, N., Keller, S. F., Curhan, G. C., & Choi, H. K. (2017). The Dietary Approaches Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Western diet, and risk of gout in men: a prospective cohort study. BMJ, 357, j1794.
Chiu, S., Bergeron, N., Williams, P. T., Bray, G. A., Sutherland, B., & Krauss, R. M. (2015). Comparison of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and a higher-fat DASH diet on blood pressure and lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized controlled trial–3. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 103(2), 341-347.
Park, Y. M. M., Steck, S. E., Fung, T. T., Zhang, J., Hazlett, L. J., Han, K., … & Merchant, A. T. (2017). Mediterranean diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) style diet, and metabolic health in US adults. Clinical nutrition, 36(5), 1301-1309.