While there seems to be as many diets out there—fad or no fad—as there are extra pounds, one regimen is a hit with heart researchers: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. A new report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that middle-aged women who followed the diet over a 24-year period had a 24 percent reduced risk of heart disease, an 18 percent reduction risk of strokes and a significant reduction in “bad” cholesterol.
The diet, which is promoted by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, is a combination of a fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and low-fat dairy products along with a low intake of red and processed meats and sodium.
