A mindfulness training program may help people with high blood pressure follow a heart-healthy diet, according to a study in the Nov. 2, 2023, issue of JAMA Network Open.

For the study, 101 people attended the eight-week training program, which teaches people skills such as meditation, self-awareness, and emotional regulation. These skills are then directed toward behaviors known to lower blood pressure, including following the DASH diet (see /DASH). The 100 people in the control group received brochures about controlling high blood pressure.

Over six months, people in the mindfulness group began eating more in line with the DASH diet than those in the control group by making changes such as adding an extra daily serving of vegetables. They also showed improvements in their ability to sense and interpret hunger and satiety. Greater self-awareness may also help people to notice how different types of food make them feel and to be more cognizant of their eating habits, the authors note.

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