The DASH Diet and the HK DASH diet Team
The term DASH diet stands for Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. It is first studied and develped in America and repeated scientific studies shows that it can prevent the develpment of hypertension in healthy adults. For those hypertension patients, adoption of the DASH diet can reduce the amount of hypertension medications.
A person should take a diet rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium and high in fruits, vegetables & low fat dairy foods, and also rich in fiber. The diet should also be high in whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts while being low in fat and red meat content, sweets and sugar-containing drinks.
The DASH diet can reduce systolic blood pressure by 6 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 3 mm Hg in patients with normal blood pressure. Those with hypertension dropped by 11 mm Hg and 6 mm Hg respectively. For patients with kidney failure, they should consult their doctors for advice.
The DASH diet is actively promoted by the Hong Kong Medical Association. (http://hkma.org/DASH/index-e.htm) and currently all the restaurants in the Hong Kong Jockey Club have a DASH menu.
As a committment to serve the public, a team of nurses in the Hong Kong Baptist Hospital volunteered to be trained as DASH diet practitioners. They conducted health talks in schools, arrange DASH diet demonstrations, helped to set up DASH diet menus. For details, visit our DASH for Hong Kong Facebook page.
