DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The goal was to give people a way to keep their high blood pressure under control without the use of prescription pills. In fact, it worked! After two weeks of being on the DASH diet most of the people in the study were able to get their blood pressure down as much as typical medication.

DASH is recommended by the American Heart Association as well as many other medical groups. Many doctors are recommending it to their patients with hypertension. Support for DASH within the medical community is very strong. This only makes sense, since extensive medical research and study has been done, showing it works.

DASH encourages you to eat vegetable, fruits and low-fat dairy products. You get 4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, plus 2 or 3 services on low-fat dairy. Also, you can eat moderate amounts of low-fat meats like poultry and fish. Nuts, in moderation, are also emphasized. Whole grains are part of DASH too.

DASH discourages eating of read meat and sweets, in particular. Heavily sweetened foods (like many processed foods) and soft drinks are to be avoided. Also, fatty foods must be eliminated.

Developing a moderate exercise routine is also encouraged.

The DASH Diet book contains 2 weeks of daily menus, plus 62 recipes. It has tips on how you can lose weight, reduce your salt intake, and even how to do food shopping.

Studies have shown that people who follow the DASH diet greatly reduce their risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, and Type 2 Diabetes.