We all want to live longer. An even more difficult problem is how to eat in a way that is not only healthy, but actually sustainable for decades to come. Longevity isn’t just built on matcha and green juice in the morning. Nor does it rely on hard restrictions. Instead, the quest to live longer and healthier comes from small habits that can be repeated on autopilot. This is exactly why the DASH diet is one of the most preferred eating patterns by health experts. It’s flexible, less dramatic, and backed by numerous studies that show it can protect everything from your heart to your brain as you age.
Not familiar with the protocol? Read on to discover what the DASH diet is and its main benefits.
What is the dash diet?
The DASH diet, officially known as the Diet to Stop Hypertension, is one of the most evidence-based dietary patterns for lowering high blood pressure (or high blood pressure). However, this formal diagnosis is not required to benefit from the eating plan. “While supporting healthy cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and weight management, it is also associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney stones,” says Michelle Ruthenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, preventive cardiology nutritionist at Entirely Nourished.
Aside from improving your heart and metabolism, the DASH diet can also boost your brain health as you age. A recent study published in JAMA Neurology found that middle-aged adults who followed the DASH diet had a 41% lower risk of cognitive decline compared to non-DASH protocols. Rosenstein says the brain health benefits are likely the result of vascular protection and metabolic benefits that ultimately support the brain.
What to eat (and avoid) while on the DASH diet
The DASH diet aligns very well with common advice for healthy eating plans. It relies less on dietary restrictions and more on consuming a variety of nutrient-rich whole foods (and leaving less-healthy foods by the wayside).
Foods to prioritize on the DASH diet include:
Fruits and vegetables Whole grains Low-fat or fat-free dairy products Poultry, fish, and legumes Nuts and seeds
These foods are rich in nutrients associated with lower blood pressure, including protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Foods to limit or avoid are associated with high blood pressure and increased LDL cholesterol (aka “bad” cholesterol) levels. They include:
Full-fat dairy products Fatty meats Sweet drinks Sweets More than 2,300 mg of sodium
Additional benefits of the dash diet
In addition to being associated with lower mortality and healthier longevity, the DASH diet is superior because it is flexible and easy to implement. “The DASH principles are easily applicable to a variety of cultural preferences, budgets, and lifestyles and focus on meeting nutritional goals, not just about what to limit, but also what to add to your diet for optimal vascular health,” Rosenstein says. “Based on availability, food preferences, and food allergies or intolerances, you can use different foods to achieve these goals and apply them to yourself.”
Flexibility and frictionlessness are important because they make meals very accessible and very sustainable.
Should you try the Dash Diet?
Ideal candidates for the DASH diet include people with high blood pressure (or borderline hypertension), a family history of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and kidney disease, Rosenstein says. However, you don’t have to fall into any of these categories to try the DASH diet for yourself. “Most people can benefit from the DASH diet because it supports overall cardiometabolic health, not to mention brain health,” she says.
Because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and dementia negatively impacts longevity and longevity, interventions like the DASH diet can significantly reduce the risk of positively impacting aging.
Again, one of the best parts is that you don’t have to bend over backwards to follow the protocol. We do not use any unusual or obscure ingredients. You can create a plate to suit your taste buds. Simply stick to whole foods, focus on plants, and rely on lean proteins. (Plus, you probably already know that no matter what your health condition is, you need to limit saturated fat, added sugars, and excess sodium.)
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That said, the DASH diet is one of the most accessible dietary patterns associated with healthy aging and minimizing disease risk, making it a noteworthy (and potentially must-adopt) dietary pattern for those striving to improve longevity outcomes.
To start, Rausstein suggests focusing on a few achievable changes at a time, such as eating a few extra servings of fruits and vegetables each day, breaking the nightly ice cream habit, or swapping sugary soda for sparkling water, and waiting until they become natural before making further changes. “Long-term consistency, not perfection, is what helps create lasting improvements,” Rosenstein concludes.
