DASH Diet For Dummies

Sarah Samaan, MD, is board certified in cardiology, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography, and she blogs at BestPracticesHealthy Heartcom.Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, freelance writer, and blogger at Chew the Facts®, who specializes in nutrition communications.Cindy Kleckner, RDN, LD, FAND, is a Culinary Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, author, recipe developer, and professional speaker.

• Introduction 1About This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: Getting Started with the DASH Diet 5Chapter 1: What is DASH? 7Understanding the DASH Difference 8Exploring the origins of DASH 8Recognizing why DASH isn’t just another trendy diet 9DASH: A Dietary Prescription for a Healthier Lifestyle 11The basic dietary guidelines 11The most powerful lifestyle changes 13Preparing for Success with DASH 16Choosing foods that support your health 16Creating lifestyle changes that stick 18A DASH of Caution 18Chapter 2: The DASH Diet and Wellness: What Scientists Know 21Exploring the Science behind the Diet 22Setting up the study 22Conducting the research 23Analyzing the results 24Responding to America’s Salt Obsession and Addressing Controversies 25Omni-Heart: A Variation on the DASH Theme 27DASH: Wellness through Optimal Nutrition 28Chapter 3: Improving Your Overall Health 31Fighting the Silent Killer: Hypertension 31Why blood pressure matters 32How DASH can help 33DASH and Cholesterol 34Why cholesterol matters 34How DASH can help 36Battling the Bulge 36Why weight matters 36How DASH can help 37Fighting Diabetes 38Why diabetes matters 38How DASH can help 39Tackling Cancer 40Why cancer matters 41How DASH can help 41Chapter 4: Gearing Up for a DASH Lifestyle 43Setting Yourself Up for a DASHing Success 44More of This, Less of That 45Increasing the quantity of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans 46Decreasing the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium 48Creating Goals for Dietary Change 49Being SMART 49Tracking your progress 53Planning around Obstacles 54Chapter 5: Presenting Your DASH Nutrition Primer 57Revealing Where Sodium Hides 57Processed foods 58Table salt alternatives 61Figuring Out How Much Sodium You Really Need 61Reducing Your Salt Intake by Retraining Your Taste Buds 62Stepping away from the salt shaker 62Employing table salt substitutes 63Examining the DASH Diet Framework 642 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy 644 to 5 servings of vegetables 684 to 5 servings of fruit 696 to 8 servings of grains 71Small servings of better fats 722 servings of lean proteins 734 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes 74Part 2: DASHing toward Better Health 75Chapter 6: Taking Charge of Hypertension 77A Crash Course in Cardiology 78Zeroing In on Blood Pressure Basics 79Figuring out what those numbers indicate 80Understanding high blood pressure readings 81Distinguishing between Primary and Secondary Hypertension 82Examining the Factors That Contribute to Primary Hypertension Risk 84Diet 85Obesity 85Exercise 86Smoking 86Alcohol 88Stress 88Family history 89Age 89Exploring the Medical Treatments for Hypertension 90Reducing Your Risk of Hypertension with DASH 92Chapter 7: Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke 95Introducing the Cholesterol Componentof Cardiovascular Disease 96Understanding how plaque happens 96Breaking down the ideal numbers 96Getting Acquainted with Matters of the Heart 98Palpitations: Heart rhythms gone haywire 98Heart attack: When the flow of oxygen-rich blood gets blocked 100Heart failure: When the heart can’t keep up 102Stroke, Otherwise Known as a “Brain Attack” 103Sifting through the facts on strokes 104Acting FAST if you suspect a stroke 105Fighting Heart Disease and Stroke with DASH 106Chapter 8: Maintaining a Healthy Weight 107Understanding the True Effect of Excess Weight on Your Health 108Diabetes 108Hypertension 108High cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke 109Lung disease 109Intestinal issues 110Reproductive issues 110Arthritis 111Cancer 112Mental health issues 112Figuring Out whether You’re Overweight 112Determining your body mass index 113Measuring waist circumference 115Who’s at Risk for Obesity? 115Eating Your Way to a Healthy Weight with DASH 116Losing weight 116Maintaining a healthy weight 117Chapter 9: Reducing Diabetes Risk 119Digging into Diabetes 119Pre-diabetes 121Metabolic syndrome 122Examining the Not-So-Obvious Downsides of Diabetes 124Determining Your Risk for Diabetes 125Watching for the Signs That You Have Diabetes 126Treating Diabetes 127Lifestyle 127Pills 127Shots 128DASH and Diabetes: A Perfect Prescription 128Chapter 10: Keeping Yourself Healthy from Head to Toe 131Realizing How Food Affects Your Brain 131Breaking down brain fog 132Mulling over mild cognitive impairment 133Bettering your brain function with DASH 133Maintaining Healthy Kidney Function 134Getting a grip on normal kidney function 135Discovering how hypertension impairs kidney health 136Creating balance with DASH 138Reducing Cancer Risk 139What you should know about cancer 139DASH as cancer prevention 141Understanding Diet and Healthy Aging 144Frailty 144Bone health 144Part 3: Enjoying Life the DASH Way 145Chapter 11: Adopting the DASH Diet 147Creating a Change-Driven Plan of Attack 147Easing Tasty, DASH-Friendly Foods into Your Diet 148Sneaking in fruits and vegetables 149Enjoying vegetables in new ways 150Going beyond plain ol’ milk to get your daily dairy 152Surveying Common Obstacles 153Forgetting about liquid calories 153Craving junk food 154Meeting resistance within your household 155Presenting a Sample 14-Day Meal Plan 156Day 1 156Day 2 157Day 3 158Day 4 159Day 5 159Day 6 160Day 7 161Day 8 162Day 9 163Day 10 163Day 11 164Day 12 165Day 13 165Day 14 166Chapter 12: DASHing Successfully through the Grocery Store 167Getting Organized before You Go 168Deciphering the Many Details and Claims on Food Packaging 169Analyzing the Nutrition Facts label 170Vetting nutrient claims 175Focusing on the Perimeter of the Store for Wholesome Food Choices 177Checking out the produce aisle 177Sorting through the bread and grains 179Protein pointers 180Browsing the dairy case 181Choosing wisely in the freezer section 182Buying fats and oils 183Treading Carefully in the Center Aisles 184Heading Home and Storing Your Food with Care 186Chapter 13: Setting Up a DASH-Friendly Kitchen 187Creating a Healthy Pantry 188Pantry staples 188Refrigerator staples 189Freezer staples 190Arming Yourself with the Right Kitchen Supplies 191Cookware basics 192Essential knives 193Helpful kitchen tools and storage supplies 194Infusing More Flavor into Food — without Salt 198Spice blends 198Coulis 199Salsas 199Making Over Recipes So You Can Indulge without Guilt 200Changing cooking methods 201Modifying ingredients 202Chapter 14: DASH Meal-Planning Strategies 207Getting a Grip on How Meal Planning Works 207Using MyPlate to plan DASH-friendly meals 210Putting portions into perspective 212Starting the Day off Right 214Grab-and-go breakfasts 215Make-ahead morning fixings 216Packing Your Lunch to Avoid the Takeout Trap 217Embracing the bento box 217Going beyond PB&J 218Taking Shortcuts to Dinnertime 219Prepping ingredients ahead of time 219Stocking up on freezer-friendly staples 220Putting your slow cooker or Instant Pot to work 223Cooking in batches 224Making one-pot meals 225Livening up leftovers 225Chapter 15: Dining Out and Traveling on DASH 227Dining Out with DASH, Generally Speaking 227Share and share alike 229Finding the Healthy Options at Various Types of Restaurants 229Sit-down restaurants 229Fast food places 230Ethnic options 231Planning Ahead to Follow DASH on the Road 232Travel tips to help you stick to your goals 232Simple portable snacks 233Chapter 16: Adopting Everyday Lifestyle Changes 235Remembering That the Rat Race Isn’t Really a Race 236Getting enough quality sleep 236Savoring your food rather than scarfing it down 237Practicing mindfulness in your everyday life 238Coping with Stress 239Exercising regularly 241Connecting the mind and body with yoga 241Meditating 242Calling on Your Support System 244Figuring out how family and friends can help 244Enlisting an exercise partner 245Sticking to the DASH Plan 246Building strategies toward lasting success 246Keeping track of where you’re at with a journal or app 247Dealing with falling off the wagon 247Part 4: Smashing DASH Recipes 249Chapter 17: Delicious Breakfasts and Brunches 251Unscrambling Breakfast, the Most Important Meal of the Day 251Getting Creative with the Food Groups 252Chapter 18: Quick and Healthy Lunches 259Preparing the Big Three: Sandwiches, Salads, and Soups 260Chapter 19: Mouth-Watering Entrees 271Keeping Protein Portions in Perspective 271Building Flavor with Techniques and Seasonings 274Chapter 20: Savory Side Dishes 285Embracing the Complexity and Tastiness of Whole Grains and Vegetables 285Chapter 21: Meatless Main Dishes 295The Magic of Plant Food 296Chapter 22: One-Pot and Sheet-Pan Meals 307Keeping It Simple with One-Dish Wonders 307Wrapping Up Dinner Fast with Foil 308Chapter 23: Sweet Endings 315Part 5: The Part of Tens 321Chapter 24: Ten Tips for Following DASH on a Budget 323Plan Meals and Snacks for the Week 323Include Canned and Frozen Fruits and Vegetables 324Purchase in Bulk 324Select In-Season Produce and Store It Properly 324Buy Store Brands 325Skip Convenience Foods 325Buy Food from Local Farmers 325Grow Your Own Vegetables and Herbs 325Cook at Home 326Go Meatless Once a Week 326Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Add Flavor without Salt 327Sauté, Grill, Roast, and Oven-Crisp 327Add Herbs and Spices 328Squeeze in Some Citrus 329Toss in Onions, Peppers, Garlic, and More 329Use Fresh Ginger and Horseradish 330Cook with Oils and Flavored Oils 330Pour in Vinegars, Wine, and Liqueur 330Puree and Chop Vegetables 331Make Rubs and Marinades 331Sprinkle on a Wee Bit of Cheese 331Chapter 26: Ten Lifestyle Changes to Curb Hypertension 333Lose Weight and Keep It Off 333Develop an Exercise Routine 334Stick to DASH 334Eat Less Salt 335Add Good Fats to Your Diet 335Avoid Drinking Alcohol Excessively 335Don’t Use Tobacco Products 336Stress Less 336Enlist Your Family and Friends 337Follow Your Doctor’s Orders 337Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 339Index 343