A new study claims the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can help reduce the risk of heart failure by lowering high blood pressure. People who have hypertension or high blood pressure have to be very careful about what they consume.
Many believe the DASH diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet as it includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy products. Those who follow the diet also have to reduce their intake of red meat, sweets, salt, as well as cut out alcohol.
For the study, the team examined the cardiovascular health records of men and women of multiple ethnicities in the United States (US). The team made note of their dietary habits based on a questionnaire each participant filled out. In the study, conducted on 4,500 participants, the team found the risk of heart failure was significantly low for people under 75 who followed the DASH diet.
"Only a few prior studies have examined the effects of the DASH diet on the incidence of heart failure, and they have yielded conflicting results," lead author of the study Claudia L. Campos, Wake Forest School of Medicine, told a news portal. Adding, "This research showed that following the DASH diet can reduce the risk of developing heart failure by almost half, which is better than any medicine."
Identifying natural ways to treat the health condition can reduce the rates of people that experience heart failure, as well as cut down on costs.
"Heart failure is a frequent cause of hospitalisation in older adults and is associated with substantial health care costs, so identifying modifiable risk factors for heart failure is an important public health goal," Campos told a news portal. Adding, "This research provides a framework for further exploration of the DASH diet as an effective element in the primary prevention of heart failure." The study's findings were originally published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Another reason to tackle this health condition is that heart failure has been found to increase the risk of depression. “Human patients with heart failure often have neurological conditions such as cognitive impairment and depression,” said Martino, working in the field of circadian medicine, told a news portal. Adding, "If we're not yet able to cure heart failure, we should at least be focusing on how we can improve quality of life for patients."
