DASH Diet For Dummies (2^nd Ed.)

Get on track to lower your blood pressure in just two weeks!

Almost half of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure?but many of us are not aware of it. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, has serious health implications. It is classified as a leading cause of premature death by the World Health Organization, contributing to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney failure, and even dementia. While medications are often necessary to keep blood pressure in the safe zone, a judicious dietary and lifestyle overhaul will greatly help manage your blood pressure and your overall heart health.

Written in an easy-to-follow, friendly style by three heart and nutrition experts, DASH Diet For Dummies shows you how increasing fiber, vitamins, and minerals, along with reducing your sodium intake when needed, can lower your blood pressure in just two weeks! Ranked the #1 Best Diet for Healthy Eating as well as #2 Best Diets Overall by U.S. News & World Report, the DASH Diet is specifically aimed at relieving hypertension and is endorsed by the American Heart Association, The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, and the Mayo Clinic?and is also proven to be effective against conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, and more.

• Improve heart health with lower blood pressure
• Reduce cholesterol
• Lose weight
• Follow simple, tasty recipes

So, don't let hypertension scare you. Along with good medical care, the DASH diet makes lowering your blood pressure achievable - and tasty! By following the straightforward meal plans and trying out our favorite recipes in DASH Diet for Dummies, you'll set yourself on the fast, proven journey to better blood pressure - and be on your way to a healthy and heart-smart future!

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Getting Started with the DASH Diet 5

Chapter 1: What is DASH? 7

Understanding the DASH Difference 8

Exploring the origins of DASH 8

Recognizing why DASH isn’t just another trendy diet 9

DASH: A Dietary Prescription for a Healthier Lifestyle 11

The basic dietary guidelines 11

The most powerful lifestyle changes 13

Preparing for Success with DASH 16

Choosing foods that support your health 16

Creating lifestyle changes that stick 18

A DASH of Caution 18

Chapter 2: The DASH Diet and Wellness: What Scientists Know 21

Exploring the Science behind the Diet 22

Setting up the study 22

Conducting the research 23

Analyzing the results 24

Responding to America’s Salt Obsession and Addressing Controversies 25

Omni-Heart: A Variation on the DASH Theme 27

DASH: Wellness through Optimal Nutrition 28

Chapter 3: Improving Your Overall Health 31

Fighting the Silent Killer: Hypertension 31

Why blood pressure matters 32

How DASH can help 33

DASH and Cholesterol 34

Why cholesterol matters 34

How DASH can help 36

Battling the Bulge 36

Why weight matters 36

How DASH can help 37

Fighting Diabetes 38

Why diabetes matters 38

How DASH can help 39

Tackling Cancer 40

Why cancer matters 41

How DASH can help 41

Chapter 4: Gearing Up for a DASH Lifestyle 43

Setting Yourself Up for a DASHing Success 44

More of This, Less of That 45

Increasing the quantity of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans 46

Decreasing the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium 48

Creating Goals for Dietary Change 49

Being SMART 49

Tracking your progress 53

Planning around Obstacles 54

Chapter 5: Presenting Your DASH Nutrition Primer 57

Revealing Where Sodium Hides 57

Processed foods 58

Table salt alternatives 61

Figuring Out How Much Sodium You Really Need 61

Reducing Your Salt Intake by Retraining Your Taste Buds 62

Stepping away from the salt shaker 62

Employing table salt substitutes 63

Examining the DASH Diet Framework 64

2 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy 64

4 to 5 servings of vegetables 68

4 to 5 servings of fruit 69

6 to 8 servings of grains 71

Small servings of better fats 72

2 servings of lean proteins 73

4 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes 74

Part 2: DASHing toward Better Health 75

Chapter 6: Taking Charge of Hypertension 77

A Crash Course in Cardiology 78

Zeroing In on Blood Pressure Basics 79

Figuring out what those numbers indicate 80

Understanding high blood pressure readings 81

Distinguishing between Primary and Secondary Hypertension 82

Examining the Factors That Contribute to Primary Hypertension Risk 84

Diet 85

Obesity 85

Exercise 86

Smoking 86

Alcohol 88

Stress 88

Family history 89

Age 89

Exploring the Medical Treatments for Hypertension 90

Reducing Your Risk of Hypertension with DASH 92

Chapter 7: Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke 95

Introducing the Cholesterol Component

of Cardiovascular Disease 96

Understanding how plaque happens 96

Breaking down the ideal numbers 96

Getting Acquainted with Matters of the Heart 98

Palpitations: Heart rhythms gone haywire 98

Heart attack: When the flow of oxygen-rich blood gets blocked 100

Heart failure: When the heart can’t keep up 102

Stroke, Otherwise Known as a “Brain Attack” 103

Sifting through the facts on strokes 104

Acting FAST if you suspect a stroke 105

Fighting Heart Disease and Stroke with DASH 106

Chapter 8: Maintaining a Healthy Weight 107

Understanding the True Effect of Excess Weight on Your Health 108

Diabetes 108

Hypertension 108

High cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke 109

Lung disease 109

Intestinal issues 110

Reproductive issues 110

Arthritis 111

Cancer 112

Mental health issues 112

Figuring Out whether You’re Overweight 112

Determining your body mass index 113

Measuring waist circumference 115

Who’s at Risk for Obesity? 115

Eating Your Way to a Healthy Weight with DASH 116

Losing weight 116

Maintaining a healthy weight 117

Chapter 9: Reducing Diabetes Risk 119

Digging into Diabetes 119

Pre-diabetes 121

Metabolic syndrome 122

Examining the Not-So-Obvious Downsides of Diabetes 124

Determining Your Risk for Diabetes 125

Watching for the Signs That You Have Diabetes 126

Treating Diabetes 127

Lifestyle 127

Pills 127

Shots 128

DASH and Diabetes: A Perfect Prescription 128

Chapter 10: Keeping Yourself Healthy from Head to Toe 131

Realizing How Food Affects Your Brain 131

Breaking down brain fog 132

Mulling over mild cognitive impairment 133

Bettering your brain function with DASH 133

Maintaining Healthy Kidney Function 134

Getting a grip on normal kidney function 135

Discovering how hypertension impairs kidney health 136

Creating balance with DASH 138

Reducing Cancer Risk 139

What you should know about cancer 139

DASH as cancer prevention 141

Understanding Diet and Healthy Aging 144

Frailty 144

Bone health 144

Part 3: Enjoying Life the DASH Way 145

Chapter 11: Adopting the DASH Diet 147

Creating a Change-Driven Plan of Attack 147

Easing Tasty, DASH-Friendly Foods into Your Diet 148

Sneaking in fruits and vegetables 149

Enjoying vegetables in new ways 150

Going beyond plain ol’ milk to get your daily dairy 152

Surveying Common Obstacles 153

Forgetting about liquid calories 153

Craving junk food 154

Meeting resistance within your household 155

Presenting a Sample 14-Day Meal Plan 156

Day 1 156

Day 2 157

Day 3 158

Day 4 159

Day 5 159

Day 6 160

Day 7 161

Day 8 162

Day 9 163

Day 10 163

Day 11 164

Day 12 165

Day 13 165

Day 14 166

Chapter 12: DASHing Successfully through the Grocery Store 167

Getting Organized before You Go 168

Deciphering the Many Details and Claims on Food Packaging 169

Analyzing the Nutrition Facts label 170

Vetting nutrient claims 175

Focusing on the Perimeter of the Store for Wholesome Food Choices 177

Checking out the produce aisle 177

Sorting through the bread and grains 179

Protein pointers 180

Browsing the dairy case 181

Choosing wisely in the freezer section 182

Buying fats and oils 183

Treading Carefully in the Center Aisles 184

Heading Home and Storing Your Food with Care 186

Chapter 13: Setting Up a DASH-Friendly Kitchen 187

Creating a Healthy Pantry 188

Pantry staples 188

Refrigerator staples 189

Freezer staples 190

Arming Yourself with the Right Kitchen Supplies 191

Cookware basics 192

Essential knives 193

Helpful kitchen tools and storage supplies 194

Infusing More Flavor into Food — without Salt 198

Spice blends 198

Coulis 199

Salsas 199

Making Over Recipes So You Can Indulge without Guilt 200

Changing cooking methods 201

Modifying ingredients 202

Chapter 14: DASH Meal-Planning Strategies 207

Getting a Grip on How Meal Planning Works 207

Using MyPlate to plan DASH-friendly meals 210

Putting portions into perspective 212

Starting the Day off Right 214

Grab-and-go breakfasts 215

Make-ahead morning fixings 216

Packing Your Lunch to Avoid the Takeout Trap 217

Embracing the bento box 217

Going beyond PB&J 218

Taking Shortcuts to Dinnertime 219

Prepping ingredients ahead of time 219

Stocking up on freezer-friendly staples 220

Putting your slow cooker or Instant Pot to work 223

Cooking in batches 224

Making one-pot meals 225

Livening up leftovers 225

Chapter 15: Dining Out and Traveling on DASH 227

Dining Out with DASH, Generally Speaking 227

Share and share alike 229

Finding the Healthy Options at Various Types of Restaurants 229

Sit-down restaurants 229

Fast food places 230

Ethnic options 231

Planning Ahead to Follow DASH on the Road 232

Travel tips to help you stick to your goals 232

Simple portable snacks 233

Chapter 16: Adopting Everyday Lifestyle Changes 235

Remembering That the Rat Race Isn’t Really a Race 236

Getting enough quality sleep 236

Savoring your food rather than scarfing it down 237

Practicing mindfulness in your everyday life 238

Coping with Stress 239

Exercising regularly 241

Connecting the mind and body with yoga 241

Meditating 242

Calling on Your Support System 244

Figuring out how family and friends can help 244

Enlisting an exercise partner 245

Sticking to the DASH Plan 246

Building strategies toward lasting success 246

Keeping track of where you’re at with a journal or app 247

Dealing with falling off the wagon 247

Part 4: Smashing DASH Recipes 249

Chapter 17: Delicious Breakfasts and Brunches 251

Unscrambling Breakfast, the Most Important Meal of the Day 251

Getting Creative with the Food Groups 252

Chapter 18: Quick and Healthy Lunches 259

Preparing the Big Three: Sandwiches, Salads, and Soups 260

Chapter 19: Mouth-Watering Entrees 271

Keeping Protein Portions in Perspective 271

Building Flavor with Techniques and Seasonings 274

Chapter 20: Savory Side Dishes 285

Embracing the Complexity and Tastiness of Whole Grains and Vegetables 285

Chapter 21: Meatless Main Dishes 295

The Magic of Plant Food 296

Chapter 22: One-Pot and Sheet-Pan Meals 307

Keeping It Simple with One-Dish Wonders 307

Wrapping Up Dinner Fast with Foil 308

Chapter 23: Sweet Endings 315

Part 5: The Part of Tens 321

Chapter 24: Ten Tips for Following DASH on a Budget 323

Plan Meals and Snacks for the Week 323

Include Canned and Frozen Fruits and Vegetables 324

Purchase in Bulk 324

Select In-Season Produce and Store It Properly 324

Buy Store Brands 325

Skip Convenience Foods 325

Buy Food from Local Farmers 325

Grow Your Own Vegetables and Herbs 325

Cook at Home 326

Go Meatless Once a Week 326

Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Add Flavor without Salt 327

Sauté, Grill, Roast, and Oven-Crisp 327

Add Herbs and Spices 328

Squeeze in Some Citrus 329

Toss in Onions, Peppers, Garlic, and More 329

Use Fresh Ginger and Horseradish 330

Cook with Oils and Flavored Oils 330

Pour in Vinegars, Wine, and Liqueur 330

Puree and Chop Vegetables 331

Make Rubs and Marinades 331

Sprinkle on a Wee Bit of Cheese 331

Chapter 26: Ten Lifestyle Changes to Curb Hypertension 333

Lose Weight and Keep It Off 333

Develop an Exercise Routine 334

Stick to DASH 334

Eat Less Salt 335

Add Good Fats to Your Diet 335

Avoid Drinking Alcohol Excessively 335

Don’t Use Tobacco Products 336

Stress Less 336

Enlist Your Family and Friends 337

Follow Your Doctor’s Orders 337

Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 339

Index 343

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.