Review: Setting up for success with the DASH diet
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 2, 2013
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a dietary regimen promoted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health to prevent and control hypertension. The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods; it includes meat, fish, poultry, nuts and beans, and is limited in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, red meat, and added fats. In addition to its effect on blood pressure, it is designed to be a well-balanced approach to eating for the general public.The author goes over the basics of the DASH diet, covering specific issues for both men and women. In the chapter on men's issues, there was an interesting correlation between testosterone levels and blood pressure that I was unaware of. In the women's chapter, I learned that heart disease is the number one killer of women. In a chapter on the DASH diet and diabetes, the author discusses how diabetics can use the DASH diet to help control the disease. Dining out can be a problem with any diet, and the book gives some helpful tips for staying within the limits of the diet. The roles of fruits, vegetables, and fiber are discussed. There are chapters on how dairy products, seafood, and whole grains fit into the plan. Carbohydrates are emphasized considerably more than with several of the popular diets in vogue today, but fats are fairly limited by comparison. The book mentions key vitamins and minerals that the diet should provide.Overall, the book provides a fairly comprehensive overview of the DASH diet, explaining how the diet works and giving some helpful tips for anyone considering going on DASH.