DASH Diet To Stop Hypertension

Excerpt

In the last 50 years in the United States, clinicians have seen a rise in diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and coronary artery disease. An estimated 2000 people die of heart disease every day in the United States. Around 30% of US adults are hypertensive. The risk factors of hypertension are fortunately can be controlled to an extent by utilizing the DASH diet. Chronic diseases related to diet and obesity have become significant causes of death in the United States across all ethnicities. Obesity has been linked to significant etiological factors in diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and coronary artery disease.

Although there have been several advancements in the scientific world regarding new medications and cutting-edge diagnostic techniques, the rate of these diseases has multiplied many times. This increase has been steep, particularly in the last 20 years. Due to this trend, major organizations, including the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, have all started looking at an integrative approach to managing this growing epidemic. Diagnostic testing and medications are still the mainstays of patient management. However, the importance of diet, exercise, stress reduction, and lifestyle habits cannot be ignored.