Participants focused on mindfulness skills like meditation, yoga and self-awareness.
According to theCenters for Disease Prevention and Control, almost half of all U.S. adults have hypertension.
And only about 1 in 4 of those adults have it under control.
Photo:Photographer: Jason Donnelly, Styling: Greg Luna and Sue Mitchell
The DASH diet is an evidence-based way of eating that has been shown to help lower blood pressure.
If youve ever tried following a specific diet, you know it can be difficult.
But new research suggests that practicing mindfulness may be the key to diet adherenceand ultimately reduced blood pressure.
One group acted as the control group and received the usual care for hypertension.
They also received an American Heart Association brochure about hypertension and how to control it.
The other group received a blood pressure monitor for home use, as well.
Both groups completed two main assessments to measure baseline data.
The second evaluated their dietary intake and how closely it fell within the guidelines of the DASH diet.
What Did the Study Show?
The study lasted six months, at which time, all assessments were repeated.
The findings showed that the MB-BP group had improved interoceptive awareness scores compared to the control group.
And you may pay more attention to your eating behaviors.
Its important to note thatmindfulness meditation has also been shown to lower blood pressure.
And start incorporating moremindfulness activitiesinto your day and paying attention to your choices.
This will help as you work to create new healthy habitsand stick with them.
