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Medication does not have to be the only answer to solving your high blood pressure. Often the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a recommended prescription for hypertension. Unfortunately, this program usually does not produce the weight loss and hypertension results you may be hoping for.
If you tried this diet or other medications and have not gotten the results you wanted – you’re not alone.
So why does this happen? Well, did you know that the DASH diet is actually not a weight loss plan? This diet often leads to heart-health benefits but does not help you lose weight or change your lifestyle.
The most effective way to get your blood pressure under control is to lose weight and adopt healthy behaviors. Let’s dive in a bit deeper.
Losing weight lowers the risks of high blood pressure
There is a direct relationship between your weight and blood pressure. As your body weight increases, so does your blood pressure. This is an unfortunate result of being overweight.
As you lose weight, you may not physically notice any difference in your blood pressure, but you reduce your risk of an early death even when you don’t feel a difference.
Even dropping 10 pounds can substantially lower your blood pressure. According to a recent Harvard study, for every pound you lose you could see a drop in both systolic and diastolic pressure an average of 1 point. So if you lose 10 pounds, you could see a 10 point drop in your blood pressure. Lose 20 pounds and lose 20 points. And so on.
Steps to take to lose weight
- Begin a nutrition plan you can stick to: Keep it simple. Life is busy enough as it is. You don’t need a plan that is difficult to follow. Those plans never seem to work out or set you up for lasting success.
- Find a health coach for accountability: Anyone who has been around the block with DIY diets knows it’s next to impossible to stay on track on your own!
- People lose 3x more weight with a health coach. A coach can work with you to find a meal plan that works with your tastes and needs. As well as hold you accountable for sticking with it.
- Mix in activity. Any activity: This can be as easy as walking at your own pace. Start with walking around your neighborhood or parking a little further away to get a few extra steps.
- Get an app like the Journey App to hold you accountable and track your success: An app ties all of your efforts together. If you use the Profile Journey App for tracking, you will have access to features like educational courses, messaging your coach, and meal tracking and planning.
Is the DASH diet effective for losing weight?
The short answer is no.
The DASH diet is a somewhat complicated system of tracking suggested servings in several food categories. But it is not designed for you to lose weight.
First you perform a calculation of your necessary calorie level and then divide by the suggested servings of each required food group.
For example, you will need to plan out 6-8 servings of grains or grain products (preferably whole grains), 4-5 servings of vegetables, 4-5 fruits, 2-3 low-fat dairy foods, 2 or fewer 3-ounce servings of meat, poultry, or fish (you will need to weigh the meat on a food scale for accuracy), 2-3 servings of fats and oils, and 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds, or dry beans per week.
And keep in mind, serving sizes and types of foods with DASH will be dependent on your calorie intake calculation.
Sound confusing? It is.
Profile vs. DASH
Let’s break down the difference between Profile and DASH.
|
Profile |
DASH |
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Low-carb |
Grain and carb heavy. May not be suitable for everyone. |
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Personal coach, Facebook support group, online education, and TONS of great recipes. |
Completely DIY. No organized support. |
|
Meal planning made easy. Your coach helps map this out for you. |
Requires substantial food planning and tracking based on calculations and food categories. MATH! |
|
Easily accessible foods and snacks. |
No convenience foods. |
|
No app or technology benefits. |
|
|
Created by Sanford Health, a major healthcare organization. Constantly adding new products. |
Created a long time ago by the National Institute of Health. Not updated or customized. |
How one-on-one nutrition coaching has helped Profile members
The game-changer for most Profile members, especially for those who have been on the roller coaster of modern diets, is one-on-one health coaching.
The reason it’s thought of as “health coaching” more than “weight-loss coaching” is that certified Profile coaches will advise you from a holistic level. Your coach will really be there for you. Many of our members say that their coach becomes a friend, mentor, personal counselor, cheerleader, and a really good weight-loss journey guide.
Profile member success in their own words
“I believe in Profile and know first-hand that it works and changes lives.” David,105 pounds lost
“I love Profile. It’s LITERALLY saving my life!” Elaine, down 100 pounds in less than a year
“Thank you Profile for a proven process and health coaching." Lisa has lost 60 pounds so far
Ready to change your life and get off the meds?
