Angel Burns - Welcome to the Wonderful Universe of DASH Diet: The Ultimate Cookbook with Awesome Receips

There is an increase in the number of people inflicted with diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. The increased prevalence of such diseases is due to our lifestyle, including the food that we ingest. Unfortunately, I am one of the most people who are not spared from these diseases. Suffering from hypertension, I was put under medication, but I was also advised by my doctor to do clean eating.

Advising someone who is in dire need to stabilize her blood pressure levels can be frustrating. I mean, what kinds of food do I eat? Is there a type of diet that I can follow so that I dont make mistakes? Thankfully, a nutritionist friend recommended the DASH Diet. It is a practical way of maintaining a stable blood pressure level. But it does not only maintain stable blood pressure levels but also helps maintain other vital measures for the body, including blood sugar level and lipid profile.

The DASH Diet worked for me, but I have to remind everyone that it does not provide an overnight solution to your health goals. Just like any diet regimens, it takes time for you to be able to feel any difference. So, dont fret and just give it time. Thus, this book will serve as your guide when you start taking on the DASH Diet. It is my vision to help others achieve their health goals through this healthy diet. After all, the power to change our health is in our hands.

Dash stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet will lessen your blood pressure level and enhance your general health right away providing you respect its main principles.

We keep hearing how DASH is a super easy diet to follow but do we really know exactly whats on it? Or what we can expect from it?

The DASH diet is basically a heart-healthy eating style that encourages followers to opt for more vegetables, fruits, and wholegrains, instead of large quantities of carbohydrates and proteins, which are typical in most modern diets. Its not your fault though, its just that eating healthy isnt as easy in America as it is in Japan or India, where fresh vegetables, fish, and alternative protein sources are readily available.

The upside though is the DASH diet is more flexible than others, so while other diets may tell you that you cant have this and so on, the DASH diet just gives you a few broad directives, such as try to avoid foods that are high in saturated fats, such as fatty meat, full cream products, and most tropical oils. It doesnt even tell you to cut out sugars or sugary items, although it does ask that you limit them to the best of your ability.

In terms of your food intake though, the general guidelines are that when it comes to grains, youre looking to stick to six to eight daily servings a week, about six servings of meat and about 4-5 of vegetables and fruit. The problem is, its hard to understand what a daily serving looks like, and frankly its a hassle to have to research everything you are about to put in your mouth.

So, dont!

Weve done it for you! And well walk you through all of that just as soon as we finish explaining to you what DASH is and how you are about to embark on your new-found lifestyle!

Did we forget to say Bon Voyage?

Come on then no point lazing about!

Okay, so there are nine major food types that youre going to be dealing with, and while weve crafted a diet plan for you, its important for you to know how the diet works so you can shape your own after, or for you to tweak or modify the plan to fit in with your preferences.

So, there are two versions of DASH, one is the 2,300-mg and the other is the 1500-mg version. Since youre just starting out here, we recommend you go with the 2,300-mg diet, since our palates and body are more used to something in the region of three to four thousand calories.

Starting with Grains, the diet advocates about 6 to 8 servings a day, which basically means six slices of whole-wheat bread or 170 grams of cooked rice or pasta. Obviously you dont have to eat it all in one go and can break it up to go with your meals. Just try to opt for whole grain options as opposed to refined versions since they give you more fiber and nutrients.

Next up are Vegetables. The DASH diet prefers to go for non-starchy veggies such as tomatoes, broccoli, and the fan favorite greens, since the high fiber content is great for regulating how your bodys digestion works. Each serving is about 170 grams of raw or cooked veggies, and since youre allowed about 4-5 servings a day, many of the meals use vegetables as a base instead of as a side, which is a quick and easy way to make your meals a little healthier with little to no effort. For instance, if youre making some noodles, load up on veggies instead of overdoing the pasta and youre good to go!

And the we have Fruits , which are also another great source of fiber and also happen to be super easy to eat (Hello! Smoothies anyone?). Go for about 4 to 5 servings a day, which means about two, to two and a half cups of fruits, frozen or fresh, preferably fresh obviously, just go easy on the sugars (check the labels if youre getting your fruit in a juice form) and youre set!

Lets get to the hard part now Meats. Meats are not only hard to cut back on (because come on how good does perfect steak taste) but they are also usually chock full of fat and not the good kind either. Try to bring your meat consumption down to under 6 servings a day, which means no more than 170 grams of the stuff, and even then, you need to make it lean mean, that is baked, broiled, or grilled instead of deep fried.

So, what about Dairy? Well, while milk, cheese, and dairy products on a whole happen to be great to help balance your daily calcium or protein levels, its important that you opt for fat-free or low-fat dairy products when you can because of how saturated they can be. They are however great alternative to sweets or processed sugars so opt for a yogurt filled smoothie rather than grabbing a chocolate candy bar next time, just make sure its low-fat, and no more than about 2 to 3 servings a day.