The prevalence of hypertension among the population of the United States can also depend on the factor of ethnicity. The researchers pay attention to the fact that Hispanics suffer from high blood pressure oftener than other minorities (Staffileno et al., 2013). Therefore, Hispanics need to adapt their diets and lifestyles to contribute to regulating blood pressure levels. The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a popular diet that is used as a part of the complex treatment to prevent the development of hypertension in patients (Saneei, Salehi-Abargouei, Esmaillzadeh, & Azadbakht, 2014). Still, this diet should be changed to be used by different ethnic groups to achieve higher results. It is important to adapt the DASH diet to address the needs of a Hispanic patient in order to make it culturally appropriate and effective to cope with hypertension as a part of the complex treatment strategy.
A traditional DASH diet is based on reducing the consumption of sodium and fats. Patients are expected to eat vegetables, fruits, and grains. The consumption of fats should be minimal because of the necessity to reduce cholesterol levels (Mueller, Purnell, Mensah, & Cooper, 2015).
The proposed grains include rice, cereal, corn, seed, and wheat. Vegetables that can be consumed by persons with hypertension include tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, and carrots, among others. While focusing on fruits, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the consumption of citrus fruits should be limited because of their possible interactions with medications (Tangney, Sarkar, & Staffileno, 2016). It is also necessary to eat fruits without adding sugar. The consumption of dairy products, meat, and fish are allowed. While selecting dairy products, persons with hypertension should choose low-fat yogurt and cheese instead of milk. Saturated fats and sugar should be avoided by patients who follow the DASH diet.
To adapt this diet to be used by a Hispanic patient, it is important to focus on some rules. The guidelines for using a diet should be provided in both English and Spanish. Those products which are typically consumed by Hispanics should be preferred while planning meals. Thus, it is important to combine the elements of a traditional diet used by Hispanics and the DASH diet (Nathenson, 2017). Hispanics eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, and grains, but they also use sauces with fats or prefer fried meat (Mazzaro et al., 2014). These habits make this food inappropriate to be consumed by persons with hypertension.
Therefore, it is important to inform a Hispanic patient that he or she can consume a lot of preferred vegetables, fruits, and grains (6-8 servings a day) if these products are fresh or boiled without adding fats. It is necessary to draw the patient’s attention to the fact that he or she can eat a lot of rice, cereals, corn, beans, and other grains when they are boiled with a minimal amount of salt. The patient can also consume a lot of vegetables if they are fresh and served only with a minimal amount of olive oil (Kibria, Peters, Shulman, Joseph, & De Groot, 2014). Cheese, boiled meat, and fish are also allowed, and they are preferred by Hispanics. Still, the consumption of such traditional food as tortillas, tacos, and salsa should be limited because of fats and salt in these dishes.
While adapting the diet, it is also important to inform patients regarding alternatives that they can use, making their diet culturally appropriate. The DASH diet is effective to be applied to Hispanics without significant changes. However, they should be informed how they can decrease the amount of fat in such dishes as, for instance, tortillas and tacos, and how they should cook grains and meat to make the most appropriate for patients with hypertension.
References
Kibria, F., Peters, J. L., Shulman, C., Joseph, V., & De Groot, A. S. (2014). Assessment of hypertension guidelines adherence at a free clinic serving a predominantly Latino population in Providence, RI. Rhode Island Medical Journal, 97(3), 43-47.
Mazzaro, C. C., Klostermann, F. C., Erbano, B. O., Schio, N. A., Guarita-Souza, L. C., Olandoski, M.,… Baena, C. P. (2014). Dietary interventions and blood pressure in Latin America: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, 102(4), 345-354.
Mueller, M., Purnell, T. S., Mensah, G. A., & Cooper, L. A. (2015). Reducing racial and ethnic disparities in hypertension prevention and control: What will it take to translate research into practice and policy? American Journal of Hypertension, 28(6), 699-716.
Nathenson, P. (2017). The DASH diet: A cultural adaptation. Nursing2017, 47(4), 57-59.
Saneei, P., Salehi-Abargouei, A., Esmaillzadeh, A., & Azadbakht, L. (2014). Influence of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 24(12), 1253-1261.
Staffileno, B. A., Tangney, C. C., Wilbur, J., Marquez, D. X., Fogg, L., Manning, A.,… Morris, M. C. (2013). Dietary approaches to stop hypertension patterns in older Latinos with or at risk for hypertension. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 28(4), 338-347.
Tangney, C., Sarkar, D., & Staffileno, B. A. (2016). Comparison of three DASH scoring paradigms and prevalent hypertension among older Hispanics. Journal of Human Hypertension, 30(3), 210-215.