Additional dietary changes beneficial to reducing blood pressure includes the DASH diet
                               (dietary approaches to stop hypertension), which is rich in fruits and vegetables and low-                                fat or fat-free dairy foods. This diet has been shown to be effective based on research                                sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. In addition, an increase in                                daily calcium intake has the benefit of increasing dietary potassium, which theoretically                                can offset the effect of sodium and act on the kidney to decrease blood pressure. This has                                also been shown to be highly effective in reducing blood pressure. |