COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Researchers say a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower your risk of a heart attack. Here in Columbia, Providence Hospital Northeast is helping get you on a healthier path by just adding a "DASH" of changes to your daily diet.
37 year old Heather Pope chose to participate in the DASH diet to get on the path to a healthier lifestyle. DASH stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension".
"Definitely something I hope to incorporate into my lifestyle and my families," says Pope.
Pope works closely with registered dietician Kay MacInnis to follow the diet's strict guidelines which call for 2 to 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and a low caloric intake.
"It really makes a difference in people who have high blood pressure and it's actually really good weight loss and weight control," says MacInnis.
MacInnis works with patients at Providence Hospital Northeast to help them shed some pounds and add steps to their day. She suggests 30 to 45 minutes of cardio 5 days a week.
MacInnis says, "so it helps people in that pre-hypertension stage, it can help people who have elevated blood pressure and those who take medication may not need as much."
"I think it's helped to have Kay guiding me through this and to take a look at what I'm eating," says Pope. She is being proactive to avoid inheriting her family history of high blood pressure. She's already lost 10 pounds but is pushing for more. She records everything she eats in a journal and says it keeps her on the right track. The American Heart Association supports the DASH diet as a way to improve heart health. For more information visit www.heart.org.
There is a healthy cooking class at Providence to get you started. Providence Northeast Hospital 10 Year Celebration & Health Fair, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m at 120 Gateway Corporate Boulevard, I-77 at Farrow Road.
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