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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Health & Science

DASH Diet Offers Solution for High Blood Pressure in Frequent Diners

From Liberty Times · (45m ago) Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A nutritionist recommends the DASH diet to help manage blood pressure for those who frequently eat out.
  • The DASH diet emphasizes reducing sodium, increasing fruits and vegetables, and choosing whole grains.
  • Key steps include incorporating more vegetables, opting for whole grains, selecting lean proteins, and limiting high-sodium foods like soup broths and sauces.

For many modern Taiwanese, relying on outside food for meals is an unavoidable reality due to busy lifestyles. However, this often leads to high sodium and calorie intake, contributing to elevated blood pressure. Nutritionist Hsueh Hsiao-ching highlights the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet as a powerful tool to regain control of one's health, even when dining out. The diet's core principles—reducing sodium, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, and choosing whole grains—are presented not as a drastic overhaul, but as a series of manageable steps.

Modern people's lives are too busy, many people can only rely on eating out for three meals a day. The high sodium and high calories every day inevitably make blood pressure soar. Nutritionist Hsueh Hsiao-ching pointed out that one might as well use the DASH diet principles to start from reducing sodium, increasing fruits and vegetables, and adjusting starch, and even if eating out, health can be gradually brought back on track.

— Hsueh Hsiao-chingIntroducing the DASH diet as a solution for managing blood pressure among those who eat out frequently.

Hsueh emphasizes that the DASH diet is not about extreme weight loss but about sustainable lifestyle changes that yield significant health benefits. Studies show it can lead to modest weight reduction, lower BMI, decreased waist circumference, and notable drops in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It also shows promise in improving metabolic syndrome. The nutritionist breaks down the approach into three key principles and seven practical steps, making it accessible for everyday implementation. This local perspective is crucial, as it addresses the specific challenges faced by Taiwanese consumers navigating a food environment often characterized by rich flavors and convenient, yet potentially unhealthy, options.

The key is 'plate structure'.

— Hsueh Hsiao-chingExplaining the core concept of the DASH diet in a practical way.

The advice to "eat out DASH-style" resonates deeply within Taiwan, where night markets and diverse eateries are a cultural staple. Instead of advocating for a complete avoidance of eating out, Hsueh offers a way to integrate healthier choices within this existing framework. For instance, choosing clear broths over rich ones, opting for steamed dishes over fried, and incorporating more vegetables into bento boxes are practical adjustments. The inclusion of dairy and nuts, and even scheduling occasional "cheat meals" like barbecue or fried food, acknowledges the social and cultural aspects of food in Taiwan, promoting long-term adherence rather than strict, unsustainable perfection. This nuanced approach, tailored to local eating habits, makes the DASH diet a realistic and achievable goal for many Taiwanese seeking better health.

Reduce soup broth, sauces, and processed foods.

— Hsueh Hsiao-chingGiving a specific example of how to reduce sodium when eating out.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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