The DASH diet is more of an action plan to reduce bad levels of cholesterol.  It’s a healthy lifestyle, rather than a temporary diet.  It was developed by the United States National Institutes of Health in order to lower blood pressure and cholesterol without the use of medication.

If you can avoid taking prescribed medication, you should, because the side effects of such medication can be worse than what the medication is trying to treat to begin with

Healthy breakfast

The DASH diet is a healthy eating plan that anyone can implement.  It doesn’t have to just be for people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  Everyone can benefit from the diet!

By providing key nutrients, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, the DASH diet helps lower blood pressure.  Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables along with low-fat or non-fat dairy products are part of the daily DASH diet. Some people will see additional changes by lowering sodium levels within their diet as well.

The DASH diet guidelines also consists of adding daily exercise into your daily routine.  By offering realistic ways of adding exercise, the lifestyle changes you’ll be making are quite beneficial.

One statistic shows that the DASH diet can lower blood pressure and cholesterol with just 14 days of being on the diet!  There are many different health benefits to the diet and so it doesn’t have to just be more those with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  It can also help to reduce weight.

Here are some guidelines for eating the DASH diet:

• Eat 6 to 8 servings of whole grains a day
• Eat 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day
• Eat 2 to 3 servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy a day
• Eat as much as 6 servings of lean meat or fish per day
• Eat nuts, seeds and beans 4 to 5 times a week
• Fats and oils should be consumed up to 2 to 3 times per day
• Eat no more than 5 servings of sweets a week
• Eat 1,500 to 2,400 mg of sodium a day

As always, speak to your healthcare provider about making any drastic dietary changes.  The DASH diet may not be for everyone and it’s important to speak to your doctor regarding your diet and whether or not these are healthy changes for you specifically.