What Do You Know About The DASH Diet?

Have you heard of the DASH diet? It is one of the most successful diet plans ever designed and is recommended by most major hospitals.  It is a weight loss plan that has proven to be very effective for long term weight loss.

DASH Diet Plan – The Pros and Cons

The DASH Diet Plan was created by the Research Foundation for Health and Aging in conjunction with the American Heart Association and the National Institute of Health. Much like the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH Diet emphasizes eating lean meats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat or low-salt dairy products, legumes, nuts and seeds, and moderate-to-vigorous whole foods. The DASH Diet has also been shown to prevent osteoporosis, reduce the risk of stroke and breast cancer, and reduce the risk of type II diabetes. However, what makes the DASH Diet so good for those with high blood pressure is that it caps sodium intake at 2,300 milligrams a day. This is the recommended amount of salt that you should take in a day as the salt in table salt can raise your blood pressure.

The DASH Diet Plan is designed to help people who want to lose weight. The DASH Diet is different from other weight loss programs in that it stresses the need to consume many healthy calories, not just fat-filled ones. If you do eat a lot of fat-filled foods, it is because you are eating a diet rich in calories. By cutting out the fat and replacing it with more healthy foods, you will be able to reach your weight loss goals without sacrificing all of the good food that you love. You should get plenty of fruits and vegetables, poultry and fish, nuts, seeds, and low-fat dairy products. These foods provide a variety of nutrients and are low in calories.

DASH Diet Has Three Phases

The DASH diet has three phases. In phase one, you consume no more than two hundred milligrams of sodium a day, which is the maximum that your body can tolerate. For those people that do not suffer from high blood pressure, this is the recommended amount. If you consume more than two hundred milligrams of sodium, your body will become overloaded and you may experience symptoms including constipation, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, cramps and fatigue. This is also the period in which you should begin to gradually reduce your intake of salt. It is important to continue to reduce your sodium intake throughout the rest of your DASH Diet Plan, or you could risk serious health problems.

In phase two of the DASH Diet Plan, you consume foods that have a lower sodium level. Foods such as kidney, liver and bell pepper are the main ones that fall into this category. In phase three, you increase the amount of potassium and fiber you consume and decrease your calorie intake. This allows you to lose weight and keep it off. It is important to note that you must replace the high-salt foods you used to eat with lower-salt foods for at least five days before you re-enter the DASH Diet Plan.

Lots Of Fruits And Vegetables

As part of your DASH Diet Plan, you should also include two to three servings of fruits and vegetables each day, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean meats. It is recommended to avoid white flour, sweets, salts and saturated fats, such as saturated fats found in meats. DASH meal plans are low in sodium, sugar and salt, but can be high in protein. Vegetable sources of protein include nuts, beans and low-fat cottage cheese. Brown rice and whole grain breads are also recommended dietary sources for protein.

The DASH Diet Plan provides a variety of benefits, including being high in fiber, potassium and vitamins. Those that follow the DASH Diet plan have less chance of developing heart disease and stroke. Although the DASH Diet has been associated with lowering blood pressure and lowering cholesterol, it has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer. For this reason, it is often recommended that people who want to lose weight and forgo certain types of unhealthy food should use the DASH Diet Plan along with other healthy weight loss plans.