b'Chapter TwoDietary ChangesM aking changes to the way you eat can have a significantand beneficialimpact on your blood pressure. The amount of salt you eat certainly plays a role, but theres far more to managing your blood pressure with food than minimizing your sodium intake. Building an eating plan based on whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, dairy, and extra virgin olive oil, has been shown to lower blood pressure. Fortunately, a blood pressurefriendly diet also supports weight loss, along with healthy levels of blood sugar and cholesterol. When you make smart dietary changes, youre creating a climate in which your body can find overall balance and well-being.Rigorous human trials have found that the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet effectively lowers blood pressure in people with hypertension. The diet restricts salt and saturated fat, and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Specifically, the DASH diet recommends eating: nEight to ten servings of fruits and vegetables dailynSeven to eight servings of whole grains dailynNo more than five servings of seeds and nuts each weeknOnly 30 percent of total caloric intake from fats6BLO OD PRESSURE HEALTH'