Request an Appointment Find a Doctor Find a Job Give Now. Discover how DASH can improve your health and lower your blood pressure. Studies in two prestigious scientific journals say dark chocolate -- but not white chocolate or milk chocolate -- is good for you. All had just been diagnosed with mild high blood pressure -- on average, systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 153 and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of 84. 27, 2003 -- Got high blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Mayo Clinic Health Letter Medical Products Population Health and Wellness Programs Health Plan Administration Medical Laboratory Services Continuing Education for Medical Professionals Giving to Mayo Clinic Give Now Your Impact Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us to Give Give to Mayo Clinic Help set a new world standard in care for people everywhere. Over time, your systolic blood pressure could drop by eight to 14 points, which can make a significant difference in your health risks. You can consume up to 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. Sleep Loss Tied to Changes in Gut Bacteria. Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics. Video: Cancer Takes a Toll on a Small Town. In addition to the standard DASH diet, there is also a lower sodium version of the diet. Dark chocolate -- not white chocolate -- lowers high blood pressure, say Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne, Germany. Colon Cancer on the Rise Among Young Adults. Their report appears in the Aug. Asprin: The Wonder Drug in Your Medicine Cabinet. Antioxidants gobble up free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart disease and other ailments.
The DASH diet encourages you to reduce the sodium in your diet and eat a variety of foods rich in nutrients that help lower blood pressure, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. The DASH diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy foods — and moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts. This article is from the WebMD News Archive. To find the most current information, please enter your topic of interest into our search box. Both versions of the DASH diet aim to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet compared with what you might get in a typical American diet, which can amount to a whopping 3,400 mg of sodium a day or more. 28 issue of Nature. The DASH diet is also in line with dietary recommendations to prevent osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Aug. Dark Chocolate Has Health Benefits Not Seen in Other Varieties. 27 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. You can choose the version of the diet that meets your health needs. Their report appears in the Aug. DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure The DASH diet emphasizes portion size, eating a variety of foods and getting the right amount of nutrients. Every day for two weeks, they ate a 100-gram candy bar and were asked to balance its 480 calories by not eating other foods similar in nutrients and calories. Give now. By following the DASH diet, you may be able to reduce your blood pressure by a few points in just two weeks. Because the DASH diet is a healthy way of eating, it offers health benefits besides just lowering blood pressure. You can consume up to 1,500 mg of sodium a day. But you have to balance the extra calories by eating less of other things.
