DASH vs. Mediterranean Diet: Which Is Best for High Blood Pressure? | Dr. Neal Barnard Live Q&A

Two of the top diets for high blood pressure are reviewed. Is the DASH diet or Mediterranean diet more effective?

Dr. Neal Barnard discusses the findings of a study that examined the two widely prescribed diets. The results are surprising given that the higher fat diet actually fared better. However, many questions remain, including whether there is another diet that is even more effective and whether salt is the single most important factor for hypertension.

Dr. Barnard share his hypothesis with “The Weight Loss Champion” Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room LIVE.

Topic Discussed
- Best diet for high blood pressure
- DASH diet basics
- Mediterranean diet basics
- Best foods for lowering blood pressure
- How much salt can you eat?
- Does fat cause high blood pressure?
- Can a vegan diet lower blood pressure?
- And more
Have a question? Post it in the comments or chat and we’ll answer as many as possible during the live broadcast.
🗓️UPCOMING EVENTS🗓️
Exam Room LIVE with the Esselstyn Family
Tickets: bit.ly/ERLiveinDC23
Who: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn with Ann, Rip, and Jane. Plus, Dr. Neal Barnard and Chuck Carroll
When: Nov. 7, 2023
Where: National Press Club in Washington, DC
🔗 SHOW LINKS 🔗
DASH vs. Mediterranean Diet Study
bit.ly/DashVsMedHBP
Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund
gregoryreiterfund.org
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Dr. Neal Barnard
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Chuck Carroll
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Facebook: / chuckcarrollwlc
Physicians Committee
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Facebook: / pcrm.org
🙏THANK YOU🙏
This episode of The Exam Room™ Podcast is sponsored by The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund, which supports organizations like the Physicians Committee that carry on Greg’s passion and love for animals through rescue efforts, veganism, and wildlife conservation.

[@di_kid00]

Just hearing Chuck uplifts all the good vibes. And love Dr. Neal Bernard and his concise and clear science on our health.

[@sunnyshealthcoaching]

I agree 100%!🌞

[@stefbmccoy8297]

I started eating low fat whole foods 1 month ago and already lost 10lbs! Love this podcast. Keeps me motivated to keep going!

[@elancarlson8071]

I attended Dr. Barnard's session in Phoenix early 1990, and have his signed treasure book. I've been organic vegan since 1976 and have become so aware of my fingers - which are pickers without claws! My teeth are not fangs, they are square chewers! Thank you forever for your precious teaching. I'm so grateful with love ...

[@beepbeepnj2658]

What difference does it make what type of jaw and teeth an animal has for what type of food they should eat? What about a jawless carnivorous hagfish, or a toothless carnivorous spider, or a massive jaw and toothed herbivorous hippopotamus or the many carnivorous plants?

[@valsmith2643]

My doctor has ACTUALLY changed his diet to VEGAN. Doctor Barnard you are sooo right about blood pressure. Mine goes sky high when going to Dr. Told I had high blood pressure wanted me to take pills (not the vegan one) another one. That’s when I changed my BREATHING. That has everything to do with our health. We can stop eating for quite a while but not our breathing. Love FRUIT for me is tops. Veggies next no meat dairy eggs oil. Thanks for all you do.

[@guillermob.irizarrydiazphd5]

This program has kept me joyfully committed to a WFPB diet and healthy lifestyle. Thanks again for your generosity.

[@JonesLeFae]

In regard to the question about cholesterol. I was diagnosed with high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood sugar when I was 17 (almost 40 years ago). I cut way back on animal products and added more fiberous foods and my levels went to normal within a month. I ended up going vegetarian, and eventually. became vegan. I still sometimes have high cholesterol issues, but I believe it is from eating products like vegan cheese and foods with palm oil (vegan butter, cheese, and yogurt).

[@beanburrito8903]

Neal tells it like it is ❤ Oils are not healthy

[@elephantintheroom5678]

I eat a huge bag of beet greens and baby spinach in a salad every day so I can get as much potassium in as possible. I also switched to heart salt with twice the potassium as sodium. I also eat potato and sweet potato regularly. And I walk, run, drink plenty of water and get lots of sleep.

[@harpersmith3599]

You both are brilliant. Thank you!

[@JonesLeFae]

I saw a comment in the chat from someone who said they don't eat beans. I can't imagine how anyone could live without beans! They have been a staple in my diet since I was born!

[@trudywretched]

Nice new specs and frames Chuck!

[@MistyBell13]

Another great episode, love you guys!! Dr Barnard always so kind and humble, my fave plant doc in the world!

[@russellromo2164]

My..whole food diet..is old fashioned oatmeal, brown rice, and Walmart carries a dry bean 15 bean mix...amazing..we don't use there flavor...package..instapot works well with all of these..it's amazing how you can eat all day and still lose weight..be encouraged

[@osnatshaibe1534]

Very enjoyable episode 👍. Thank you 🙏

[@lf7065]

Dr. Barnard forgot to mention that beans, peas and lentils are super high in protein! 💪🙂🌱

[@Amanda_downunder]

yes, and Dr McDougall say rice and potatoes are often enough, he says we don't need that much, we need calories and starch, veg, fruit, easy !

[@ursulasmith6402]

​@Amanda_downunder diabetics and people with liver disease cannot have carbs and starch. The liver turned these into fat. I watch Dennis Pullock videos instead.

[@JWong-hl1wk]

This was a great podcast. I’ve learned a lot today. I like the analysis between the dash diet vs the Mediterranean diet.

[@JohnStea7]

Thank you!

[@kentroskelley1389]

Great info gentlemen!

[@user-zb6hb4fs4p]

Great talk.

[@michelewislaPlantBasedCoach]

Great show!

[@pete49327]

I don't need to lose any weight, at all, but to maintain my weight on a vegan/vegetarian diet it seems nuts, avocado, olive oil, in moderation, would be a healthy way to add calories for maintenance.

[@jbach1841]

Whole grains are relatively high in calories too

[@kathysharp7551]

I am very active and don't need anything special for weight maintenance. The more active I am, the hungryer I am. So, I naturally get more calories regardless of source. I do lean into beans, whole grains and fruit on days that I feel really hungry. I also eat some nuts and avocado but not much (1 or 2 servings a day on average). For my elderly mom who doesn't feel as hungry, I told her to eat more dried fruit in addition to the beans and whole grains. Just to make sure she gets enough calories.

[@pete49327]

@@jbach1841 agree, and I've increased my oatmeal consumption lately.

[@colleenrobinson8372]

Great thank you. Do you have a video on the carnivore diet? 🙏

[@happycook6737]

You can't eat olives off the tree. Anyone with an olive tree knows this.

[@melyndaduh3501]

Who has an olive tree? 😅 Thanks. We learn something new everyday. ♥️

[@sandraelder1101]

Seaweed isn’t really going to fit into a westerners daily diet. Maybe occasionally. Other sources of iodine?

[@bonniebenz8792]

I don’t need to lose any weight but trying hard to get Blood Pressure down. I was previously on the Mediterranean diet but wasn’t achieving my goal. I just started the DASH diet but I am excluding dairy except for Non Fat Greek Yogurt and I am excluding cooking with any fat. If the original DASH diet had excluded dairy I think it would have beat the Mediterranean diet. Any thoughts?

[@lew0017]

You may have low potassium, you can get more in all the veggies and grain, or add some in with potassium powder or in the salt alternatives.

[@RiDankulous]

I don't want thermal viscosity breakdown in my blood. No, wait, that's motor oil. 😆

[@DaveOriginallyfromBrooklyn]

Anything with meat Barnard will hate

[@samorr4]

Yes! He is largely full of BS, but he is a good presenter, a veritable P.T. Barnum in my opinion!

[@lf7065]

Then why do you bother watching his podcast?

[@traveler65]

​​@@samorr4My husband and I just celebrated our 8th anniversary of Whole food Plant based lifestyle. Zero med/zero health issues. We feel amazing every day. Best decision we ever made. You should try it.... maybe it will help with your negative mindset 🥰👍🌱💪. Oh yes forgot to add we are both 65....my husband has been paddling outrigger canoes for 30+ years. He could probably run circles around you. Have a great day😊

[@johnshinski2994]

@@samorr4 don't get all flustered because meat is unhealthy. barnard is just the messenger.

[@johnshinski2994]

yes and rightly so.

[@samorr4]

Physicians Committee is a great marketing gimmick. This organization is a VEGAN and ANIMAL RIGHTS group and what they present as "Science" is a long way from science. Is Dr. Barnard a 7th Day Adventist?? I do not know, but he sounds like one. ????

[@realrosesforever3847]

Please tell the science.

[@white-rabbit93]

Please state and demonstrate Pascal's law of pressure. Have you heard of Pascal before hey?

[@CaptainSteve777]

Horrible advice. Neither cholesterol nor saturated fat increases risk. Carbs, glucose, fructose, and sodium increase risk. And very low carb diet works better than either Dash or Med. Eg: In The Annals of Family Medicine was a new study published in May 2023: "CONCLUSIONS For adults with hypertension, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, and overweight or obesity, the VLC diet resulted in greater improvements in systolic blood pressure, glycemic control, and weight over a 4-month period compared with the DASH diet. These findings suggest that larger trials with longer follow-up are warranted to determine whether the VLC diet might be more beneficial for disease management than the DASH diet for these high-risk adults." Here's a list of smarter doctors: Dr. Eric Westman head of the Duke University Keto Lab Dr. Robert Lufkin at UCSF Dr. Ken Berry Shawn Baker MD Dr. Richard Johnson at Denver Univ. Dr. Robert Lustig Dr. Eric Berg Dr. Sten Ekberg Dr. Ben Bikman

[@kathysharp7551]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@punkrockpianist]

Dr Ben Bikman is not a medical doctor. I haven’t checked the other ‘doctors’ on your list but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them weren’t doctors either. There’s a difference between a PhD researcher and a medical physician.

[@mareezy]

Dr Eric berg is a chiropractor 😂😂😂😂