DASH without the dash (of salt) can lower blood pressure

While the debate regarding the effectiveness of dietary sodium restriction raged, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) research group showed that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can reduce blood pressure in the general population and people with Stage I hypertension. The original DASH diet did not require either sodium restriction or weight loss--the two traditional dietary tools to control blood pressure--to be effective. A recent study from the DASH research group now finds that coupling the original DASH diet with sodium restriction is more effective than either dietary manipulation alone.