A small trial of 17 middle-aged or older adults with hypertension revealed a reverse in endothelial (lining of the blood vessels) dysfunction when participants restricted their sodium intake for 4 weeks to 1200 mg/day (from 3600 mg/day–the U.S. average). These changes improved blood flow and reduced blood pressure. These restrictions followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern.
PositiveTip: Suffering from hypertension? Halt the salt shaker and follow the DASH dietary pattern.