To help patients with arterial hypertension comes a therapeutic diet plan developed by American medical professionals: Dietary Approach to Prevent Hypertension.
The DASH diet plan is rich in choices of grains, fruits, vegetables and non-fat dairy products. It also contains fish, poultry and legumes. Red meat, sweets and fat-containing foods are occasionally allowed in very limited quantities.
The choice of foods means that the DASH diet limits the intake of saturated fats, cholesterol and fat in general, while saturating the diet with protein, dietary fiber and micronutrients, most notably magnesium, calcium and potassium.
Today, the DASH meal plan has two versions: a standard version and a sodium-restricted version. The sodium-restricted version of DASH helps to reduce sodium retention, among other things, which helps to lower BP even more.
The basic components of the DASH plan are not too different from the conventional heart-healthy diets that most practicing cardiologists prescribe, such as Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TTLC), developed by the American Heart Association, or the Food Pyramid for Healthy Weight, recommended by the Meyo Clinic.