Latest news with #DASHdiet
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Five foods that might be quietly spiking your blood pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Doctors advise limiting foods high in saturated fats and sodium to prevent high blood pressure, as dietary choices can significantly impact health. A new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine identified the DASH diet, a low-sodium and low-saturated fat plan, as effective in reducing blood pressure for people with Type 2 diabetes. Several common foods, often consumed without awareness, can contribute to high blood pressure due to hidden sodium or high saturated fat content. Examples of these "sneaky" foods include pickles, coconut oil, cottage cheese, bread, and commercially prepared chicken, which can contain surprisingly high levels of sodium or saturated fats.
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
These foods might be spiking your blood pressure without you knowing, doctors say
Doctors have named some sneaky foods might be spiking your blood pressure without you knowing. To avoid the risk of high blood pressure, doctors say people should avoid foods that are high in saturated fats and sodium. High blood pressure can result in heart disease and stroke. It's a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Although some people may develop high blood pressure without a clear cause, better dietary choices can make a difference for healthy Americans and those with conditions alike. A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine has identified a low-sodium and saturated fats plan -known as the DASH diet - as a way to reduce blood pressure for people with type 2 diabetes. Pickles Eating your favorite post-sandwich snack is associated with high blood pressure. While pickles have some nutritional value, they also contain high levels of sodium. 'One large dill pickle has more than two-thirds of the ideal amount of sodium that an adult should have in a whole day,' registered dietitian Devon Peart says. Sweet pickles aren't quite as high in sodium, but they still have plenty of it. And they're high in sugar. Coconut oil Coconut oil may seem like a healthy substitute for butter or lard - but don't be fooled! It has among the highest levels of saturated fats of any oil. 'Coconut oil is about 90 percent saturated fat, which is a higher percentage than butter (about 64 percent saturated fat), beef fat (40 percent), or even lard (also 40 percent),' explained Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health professor Walter Willett. Cottage cheese The push to eat more protein may come some unintended consequences. Cottage cheese may be beneficial - but in small quantities, as it's also rich in sodium and fat. 'I'm not confident to suggest cottage cheese would be significantly different than other types of cheese,' Qi Sun, an associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told CNBC. Who really thinks of bread as having a high sodium content? A turkey sandwich may seem like a healthy meal, but add some cheese and deli meat and it could easily make up more than half of your recommended sodium intake. 'On average, there's 100 to 200 milligrams of sodium per slice of bread,' Samantha Oldman, a bariatric surgery dietitian with Hartford HealthCare's Digestive Health Institute, said. 'That means that just the bread from one sandwich can account for anywhere from 8-18% of your average daily recommended sodium intake.' Chicken This popular protein is often prepared in commercial kitchens, meaning there is added salt. Rotisserie or fried chicken from a grocery store or restaurant contains up to four times the sodium of plain chicken prepared at home, according to Harvard Medical School.
Medscape
5 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
DASH4D Diet for BP Control in T2D: Less Salt, Better Results
In adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on multiple antihypertensive medications, a modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension for Diabetes (DASH4D) diet combined with reduced sodium intake led to a clinically relevant reduction in systolic blood pressure (BP), with the benefits primarily attributed to sodium reduction. METHODOLOGY: Although the original DASH diet — rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fat and cholesterol — is recommended with sodium reduction for managing hypertension in patients with T2D, evidence of its effectiveness in this population remains limited. Researchers conducted a single-site study in Maryland to assess the efficacy of the DASH4D diet, featuring lower carbohydrates, higher unsaturated fats, and lower potassium than the original DASH diet, together with reduced dietary sodium for BP management in T2D. They included 102 adults with T2D (mean age, 66 years; 66% women) between June 2021 and December 2023; the patients had a mean baseline BP of 135/75 mm Hg; 66% of them used at least two antihypertensive medicines, and 55% used two or more glucose-lowering medicines. Participants were randomly assigned to be provided with four diets in sequence, each for 5 weeks: The DASH4D diet with lower sodium, DASH4D diet with higher sodium, typical US diet with lower sodium, and typical US diet with higher sodium; in a 2000-kcal menu, the lower and higher sodium levels were set at 1500 mg/d and 3700 mg/d, respectively. The primary outcome was end-of-period systolic BP, measured on 5 separate days during the last 2 weeks of each feeding period. TAKEAWAY: Compared with patients on the typical US diet with higher sodium, those who received the DASH4D diet with lower sodium showed an average systolic BP reduction of 4.6 mm Hg (95% CI, -7.2 to -2.0) and an average diastolic BP reduction of 2.3 mm Hg (95% CI, -3.7 to -0.9) after 5 weeks. Among patients on the DASH4D diet, systolic BP was reduced by 4.8 mm Hg (95% CI, -7.4 to -2.2) in those with lower vs higher dietary sodium. Most reductions in BP occurred during the first 3 weeks of each diet period. Patients completely adhered to the recommended diet for 96% of the study days. The frequency of adverse events was low. IN PRACTICE: '[The findings] provide evidence of the efficacy of BP lowering through dietary change in people with T2D, including those treated with multiple antihypertensive and glucose-lowering medications,' the authors of the study wrote. 'High adherence to the DASH4D lower sodium diet suggests that the diet is acceptable.' SOURCE: This study was led by Scott J. Pilla, MD, MHS, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. It was published online on June 9, 2025, in JAMA Internal Medicine . LIMITATIONS: This study was not powered sufficiently to detect individual effects of the DASH4D diet and sodium reduction. As a single-center study, the study population lacked diversity. Participant feeding was disrupted at multiple points owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. DISCLOSURES: This study received funding from the Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, grants from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute grant, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Science Awards Program. Several authors reported receiving grants from sources including the funding agency and National Institutes of Health. Some authors reported serving on the scientific advisory board or receiving personal fees outside the submitted work.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Eight minute scan could replace painful spinal taps to diagnose multiple sclerosis
When Morven Lean visited her GP for a contraceptive pill check-up aged 24 in 2015, days before she was due to go travelling in South America, the last thing she expected was a hospital stay. But a follow-up call from her family doctor left her plans in tatters. Urged to take a second blood pressure check, she was rushed to A&E and admitted with sky high numbers. Despite coming off the pill, her readings remained dangerously elevated, and she was diagnosed with essential hypertension – where no specific cause is identified. With no family history of the condition, it came as a shock for the now 34-year-old mother-of-two, pictured left. 'I was super young and super fit, winning half marathons regularly,' says Morven. 'Every doctor I saw said, "You're not our usual patient."' Charity worker Morven was prescribed the ACE inhibitor ramapril and advised to continue exercising, eating healthily and monitor her blood pressure. In 2021, while trying for a baby, she came off the tablets and opted for the DASH diet – a low-salt plan designed to lower blood pressure. It involves avoiding dairy, red meat and sugar. Her readings soon dropped and she came off ramapril for good. She was only prescribed the beta blocker labetalol during labour in 2023, after her blood pressure crept up again. 'My hypertension could have been missed,' she says. 'You can pick up a blood pressure monitor for as little as £20 and they really could save your life.'
Medscape
19-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
DASH Diet Tied to Lower Risk for Colorectal Cancer
Adherence to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet — which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, and low-fat dairy — was associated with a 19% reduced risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), with stronger protective effects observed in men than in women. METHODOLOGY: Conflicting evidence exists on the link between adherence to the DASH diet and CRC risk, highlighting the need for a comprehensive analysis. Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies analyzing the association between adherence to the DASH diet and CRC risk. Effect sizes were reported as hazard ratios, odds ratios, or relative risks (RRs) in the included studies, with most studies analyzing outcomes in both men and women. The methodological quality of the studies was independently assessed using relevant parameters. TAKEAWAY: Researchers included 14 studies: Eight cohort studies, four case-control studies, one cross-sectional study, and one comparative analysis; all studies had a low to moderate risk for bias and moderate to high quality. DASH adherence was associated with a significantly reduced risk for CRC (RR, 0.81), as analyzed in 13 effect sizes from nine articles. Risk reduction was greater in men (RR, 0.77) than in women (RR, 0.84). DASH adherence was associated with a 25% reduced risk for rectal cancer and a 17% reduced risk for colon cancer, according to an analysis of six and five effect sizes, respectively. Analysis of four effect sizes showed a substantially reduced risk for colorectal adenoma following adherence to the DASH diet (RR, 0.42). IN PRACTICE: 'The DASH diet can be a valuable component of a personalized plan for many in high-risk groups, but it shouldn't be presented as a one-size-fits-all solution,' the authors wrote. 'Registered dietitians and healthcare professionals play a crucial role in creating tailored dietary plans that are both effective and achievable for each individual,' they added. SOURCE: Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Paria Babaahmadi of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, and Fateme Nozari of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, all in Iran, led the study. It was published online in BMC Gastroenterology . LIMITATIONS: Included studies used different methods to assess DASH adherence, and its application varied across cultures and populations. Differences in various cooking styles, such as grilling, which might induce carcinogenesis, were not addressed. Colon and rectal adenomas were not specifically addressed in the included studies. DISCLOSURES: This study received no financial support. The authors declared having no competing interests.
