DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet is a healthy eating plan designed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure (hypertension). The main goal of the DASH diet is to lower blood pressure naturally. DASH is not a vegetarian diet, but adds more fruits and vegetables, low- or non-fat dairy, beans, nuts and other nutritional elements. It provides suggestions for healthy alternatives to "junk food" and encourages people to avoid processed foods. The DASH diet includes foods rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium. These nutrients help control blood pressure. The diet limits foods high in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. In research studies, people following the DASH diet lowered their blood pressure within 2 weeks. The DASH diet is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life. It is easy to follow using foods available in grocery stores. The DASH diet is rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans and nuts. It limits foods high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. When adhering to DASH, it is important to choose foods that are:

• Rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber and protein
• Low in saturated fat
• Low sodium content
Dash diet tips
• Add a serving of vegetables to lunch and dinner.
• Add a serving of fruit to meals or as a snack. Canned and dried fruits are easy to use, but check for added sugar.
• Use only half the typical serving of butter, margarine or salad dressing and use low-fat or fat-free condiments.
• Limit meat to 6 ounces per day. Make some meals vegetarian.
• Add more vegetables and dry beans to your diet.
• Instead of snacking on chips or candy, eat unsalted pretzels or nuts, raisins, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted plain popcorn without butter, and raw vegetables.
• Read food labels to choose products with lower sodium content.
• Make sure there is plenty of color on the plate.
The DASH diet suggests getting: Grains: 7-8 servings per day Vegetables: 4-5 servings per day Fruit: 4-5 servings per day Low-fat or fat-free dairy products: 2-3 servings per day Meat, poultry and fish: 2 or fewer servings per day Nuts, seeds and dry beans: 4-5 servings per week Fats and oils: 2-3 servings per day Sweets: try to limit to less than 5 servings per week The DASH diet is a recognized natural treatment for hypertension, heart disease and kidney disease, and can slow the progression of heart and kidney disease. If you already have chronic kidney disease, you should talk to your doctor and nutritionist before starting any new diet, as you may have special restrictions to consider. The DASH diet should not be used by dialysis patients. Dialysis patients have special dietary needs that should be discussed with a registered dietitian.