The DASH Diet for Hypertension

AORN Journal, March, 2005 by Royceann D. Brechtel

The DASH Diet for Hypertension

Thomas Moore et al

2003, 345 pp

$6.99 softcover

The DASH diet offers readers more than the latest trend in weight loss schemes. Although society and medical technology persist in urging us to use pharmaceuticals to gain control of our blood pressure, the DASH (ie, dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diet offers common sense and basic dietary principles as an alternative approach.

The DASH diet study was supported and conducted by the National Institutes of Health. Hundreds of physicians, nurses, statisticians, and nutritionists at Harvard, Duke, and Johns Hopkins medical schools played vital roles in making the DASH study a turning point in hypertension breakthroughs. Results of a large study of patients with hypertension who followed the DASH diet for eight weeks revealed a noticeable drop in participants' diastolic and systolic blood pressures and a dramatic reduction in their homocysteine and cholesterol levels. Many study participants were able to stop using their antihypertensive medications after following the diet.

The book begins by answering frequently asked questions. Basic anatomic and physiologic principles of the human body are reviewed and discussed, as is the blood pressure mechanism. High-risk candidates are identified, and blood pressure terms are defined simply and then in greater detail. Next, the book discusses salt intake reduction, exercise, and weight loss and their relationship to high blood pressure. Topics such as body mass index, body fat content, and nutrition labels are addressed. The author discusses the different food groups and the unique benefit of each in our diet. Helpful hints for healthy living are interspersed throughout the book, and more than 150 pages at the end of the book are filled with recipes, sample DASH diet plans, and food preparation secrets.

The clear and concise language used in this book makes it a quick and easy read. In the midst of hundreds of diet plans that preach conflicting philosophies, a diet encouraging consumption of all food groups in moderation certainly is welcome. This book is valuable for people of all ages, whether they are healthy or have numerous health problems. The only requirement for benefiting from this book is that you must be open to eating a healthy, balanced diet.

This book is available from Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

ROYCEANN D. BRECHTEL

RN, BSN, C

SUPERVISOR, SAME DAY SURGERY/PRE-REGISTRATION ANALYSIS

EAST JEFFERSON GENERAL HOSPITAL METAIRIE, LA