Tammy Gonzales - Meal Ideas: Dash Diet and Anti Inflammatory Meals for Weight Loss

Meal Ideas

DASH Diet and Anti Inflammatory Meals for Weight Loss

Tammy Gonzales and Deborah Howard

Copyright 2013 Tammy Gonzales and Deborah Howard

All rights reserved.

This book contains meal plan ideas for those suffering with inflammation and hypertension. Even though the featured diets in this book are the Anti Inflammatory Diet and the DASH Diet anyone who wishes to become healthier and eat right can find many recipes within this book to plan menus for weeks in advance. You can follow one or the other diet or combine the two choosing from each diet plan. The choice is yours.

Let's discuss the two different diet plans starting with the anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation is what happens when that part of the body is irritated. This can occur on any part or area of the body, such as the joints (arthritis), in the heart (cardiovascular disease), within the arteries (caused from high cholesterol and causes blocked arteries), on the muscles, in the organs, etc. In other words, all areas of the body can be affected by inflammation. The good news is that dieting can help to reduce inflammation and help to treat and sometimes cure the conditions the inflammation causes.

Certain foods help to reduce the inflammation and these foods are featured in the anti inflammation diet section. Healthy fats are very beneficial in fighting inflammation. Using oils high in omega 3 fatty acids are great such as canola oil, flax seed oil, olive oil, and in foods like seeds, nuts, and avocados.

Fruits and vegetables contain anti-oxidants and other minerals, which naturally reduce inflammation. It is best to eat these as fresh and whole when possible for the most benefit. People who suffer from the effects of inflammation they should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Even foods high in protein will help to reduce inflammation. Eating plenty of fish and seafood will give the body the vitamins and in particular the omega 3 fatty acids that will help to reduce the inflammation. If there are no soy allergies, soy foods help to reduce the inflammation, so eating tofu and tempeh are good. Plant based protein from legumes and peas are good as well as tree nuts.

Cook with olive oil when possible or canola oil which contains the omega 3 fatty acids. Replace red meats with fish and seafood and instead of snacking on junk foods snack on nuts and fruits. Eat brightly colored fruit and vegetables.

When aiming for helping the body to treat inflammation certain foods should be avoided, as they may help to aggravate inflammation. These same foods are classified as junk food so it is beneficial for all people to avoid. These foods include processed foods or "convenient" foods, anything high in sugar and or white flour. Avoid foods like sodas, sugary desserts, saturated fats and trans fats. Nightshade foods are also responsible for aggravating inflammation such as tomatoes and eggplants. Some people report their inflammation issues go away if they simply avoid these foods.

The DASH diet is a diet that helps people with hypertension to better control their blood pressure. When a person is diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure), the first line of action is often to change the diet. The DASH diet contains foods that are naturally low in sodium and fat and helps people to better control their blood pressure.

Having hypertension is risky to the health. High blood pressure affects the heart and other areas of the body if not treated, managed and controlled. If high blood pressure is left unchecked and untreated it can damage the heart beyond control. It can cause issues with other organs too and the arteries and veins. The good news is that blood pressure is often very treatable through diet.

If the arteries are affected it can lead to fatal conditions. Ideally, the arteries need to be clear in order to pump blood throughout the body. If high blood pressure is not treated the arteries may develop arteriosclerosis (which means "hard" arteries). The arteries are no longer flexible and the risks of blockages increase. This can lead to heart attacks and strokes, which can be deadly.

The risk for an aneurysm increases if the arteries of the brain become narrow or hard. This happens when the blood cannot pass through the artery and it causes it to balloon out. The artery may then cause a blood clot or may break. Both instances are very grave and survival is very rare when this occurs. This can happen as a result of untreated high blood pressure.

High blood pressures can cause the same thing to happen in the heart and this is called coronary artery disease. If this is not caught and treated a result is a heart attack. If blood pressure remains unchecked, the heart can enlarge because the left side has to work harder to pump the blood through the body. It causes a thickening of the left ventricular.

Kidney damage is another issue caused by high blood pressure; the kidneys can go into failure due to the arteries that lead to them not working right. If high blood pressure is diagnosed the kidneys are normally checked as well for this damage. But the good news is that dieting can help to prevent these horrible health conditions.

With both inflammation and hypertension, weight issues can aggravate the situation. This is why both the anti inflammation diet and the DASH diet are good diets to help with weight loss. Excessive weight puts pressure on the entire body, causing the heart to work harder, and putting pressure on areas that inflammation may aggravate. By losing the weight the conditions either may go away or be managed.

Be sure to drink plenty of water every day, regardless of the reason you need to be on these diets. Water helps to work with the foods to help heal the body. Water is essential every day whether you are "dieting" or not. By drinking the water, you help to cleanse out the impurities and keep the body hydrated. Always seek advice from your health care provider before going on any new diet plan.

An anti-inflammatory diet is highly recommended for those that have health problems, as food can cause inflammation that will make the problems worsen. The truth is that chronic inflammation is actually the cause of a number of diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and heart disorders. Avoiding foods that cause inflammation is important, but the many natural anti inflammatory foods that you can find in this book will help you to eat healthy and avoid inflammation. Youll find that you can protect your body easily, all by eating the right foods!

You notice swelling when it's on the outside of your body, such as when you injure yourself or you strain your muscles. You'll see the swelling, and it will cause you pain. You'll usually take steps to deal with that swelling, such as by applying ice or using heat to treat the problem.

When it's on the inside, it will take a lot more for you to notice the swelling problems. You won't usually feel the inflammation unless it is very bad, and by then there's usually something seriously wrong. You'll have no idea if there isn't serious inflammation, at least not until your problem has gotten out of control. Whether it's swelling caused by arthritis, cancer, or heart disorders, you want to avoid that inflammation as much as possible.

The anti inflammation diet isn't a weight loss diet, but it's one that is designed to help you keep your inflammation under control. The anti inflammatory diet menu is filled with top anti inflammatory foods that will help to prevent swelling. Some of the best anti inflammatory foods include: