DASH diet is Healthy and an Effective Weight Loss

After several occasions from the Christmas holiday season, most of us gain weight. There are different ways to loose weight and shed unwanted pounds and one of it is the DASH diet. It is the top diets in 2012 that released in the annual list by the U.S. News & World Report. A DASH is the acronym of  Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension that focuses on nutrients like calcium, potassium, sodium along with fiber and protein to decrease high blood pressure which may lead to weight loss.

More Fruits for DASH diet

Eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy are the requirement for the participants in the DASH diet. Fatty foods, red meat, sweets and salt should be lessen. The DASH eating plan requires no special foods and has no hard-to-follow recipes. I was able to read a guide to DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) by the U.S. department of Health and Human Resources, National Institute of Health and the below are their recommendations. Make these changes over a couple of days or weeks to give yourself a chance to adjust and make them part of your daily routine.

DASH Tips for Gradual Change

• Add a serving of vegetables at lunch one day and dinner the next, and add fruit at one meal or as a snack.
• Increase your use of fat-free and low-fat milk products to three servings a day.
• Limit lean meats to 6 ounces a day—3 ounces a meal, which is about the size of a deck of cards.
• If you usually eat large portions of meats, cut them back over a couple of days—by half or a third at each meal.
• Include two or more vegetarian-style, or meatless, meals each week.

DASH diet is truly healthy and effective with a big chance to loose weight. Some found it boring due to the avoidance of sweets and can easily stray off track. I really need to do this DASH diet for a healthier lifestyle.