Prevent Disease.com - Blood Pressure Diet May Act as Diuretic



		Blood Pressure Diet May Act as Diuretic WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables may lower blood pressure by acting as a diuretic, Japanese and U.S. researchers say. The American Heart Association and U.S. government have for years recommended the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet as a way to lower blood pressure without taking drugs, but it has not been clear how it works. Now researchers say they've concluded the diet's high mineral levels can help the body get rid of excess salt -- just as diuretics do. Diuretics are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure. Dr. Genjiro Kimura of the Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in Japan said Monday the diet might even prevent the development of high blood pressure. In the United States, a person has a 90 percent chance of developing high blood pressure after age 50 -- something not seen in less-developed countries. "If people followed the DASH diet from childhood, I think hypertension would not occur in adulthood, although we do not have data available to prove that," Kimura said in a statement. Writing in the journal Circulation, published by the American Heart Association, Kimura and colleagues said they took a closer look at a study that showed the blood pressure benefits of the DASH diet were greatest among people who ate the most salt. They analyzed information from about 375 adults with normal or slightly elevated blood pressure. Participants ate either a DASH diet or a more typical diet. Over 90 days the researchers varied how much salt each patient ate and took blood pressure measurements and urine samples. The DASH diet is rich in potassium and calcium, both of which can help the body excrete salt. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommended this month that most patients with simple high blood pressure try diuretics first and add other drugs as needed. Reference Source 89 For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".