The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

I was excited to learn from Dr. Mirkin's writings (books,
articles,newsletter) that I could control high cholesterol,
high blood pressure and possible heart problems by following
his very sensible dietary suggestions. Moreover.results are
apparent within two weeks!


I bought Dr. Mirkin's book: The Healthy Heart Miracle-
Your Roadmap to Lifelong Health and I plan to share
what I'm learning with his "Simple 8-week Plan"

(here's Dr. Mirkin's article)
Heart Problems, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure

For the last 60 years, doctors have told us that a high-fat diet causes heart attacks. Newer studies show that eating lots of refined carbohydrates can also cause heart attacks.

You can lower cholesterol by replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fat and by restricting refined carbohydrates found in bakery products, pastas, and sugar-added foods. Many people think that it takes months for a cholesterol-lowering diet to work, but it actually takes only two weeks for diet changes to give you maximum cholesterol lowering.

A study of 75,000 women showed that those most likely to suffer a

heart attack ate the most foods that cause the highest rise in blood sugar.

The glycemic index measures how high a person's blood sugar rises after eating

a certain food in comparison to blood sugar rise with sugar. High glycemic index

foods include all those that have added sugar such as pastries, cakes, cookies

and most soft drinks; those made from flour such as bakery products and pastas;

fruit juices; root vegetables such as potatoes and beets; also fruits.

Other reports from Harvard School of Public Health show that a diet rich in plants lowers high blood pressure. It's called the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.) The same eating patterns lower cholesterol, help to control diabetes and cause weight loss in people who are overweight.

Your strategies for preventing heart attacks should include reducing your intake of added fats, particularly saturated and partially hydrogenated fats; and avoiding refined carbohydrates. Eat lots of vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts. People who are also overweight or diabetic should eat fruits and root vegetables only in combination with other foods to slow the rise in blood sugar.

See the section on Weight Loss if this applies to you.

Good Food by Dr. Gabe Mirkin and Diana Mirkin

to be continued to-morrow.....

Use Seasonings Instead of Salt

I found this great list of seasonings on an American Heart Association page...
it's no secret that sodium is a contributor to high blood pressure.

Table salt and other prepared seasonings are a major source of sodium in the American diet. If you usually add salt to food while preparing it or at the table (especially before tasting it), this is the first place to start cutting back. Learn to use spices and herbs and to enjoy the natural flavor of food. If you want to try a salt substitute, check with your doctor first. Salt substitutes are OK for some people but not for everyone. Here are some spices and herbs and the food items with which they are a particularly good flavor match.

Allspice — Lean ground meats, stews, tomatoes, peaches, applesauce, cranberry sauce, gravies, lean meat
Almond extract — Puddings, fruits
Basil — Fish, lamb, lean ground meats, stews, salads, soups, sauces, fish cocktails
Bay leaves — Lean meats, stews, poultry, soups, tomatoes
Caraway seeds — Lean meats, stews, soups, salads, breads, cabbage, asparagus, noodles
Chives — Salads, sauces, soups, lean meat dishes, vegetables
Cider vinegar — Salads, vegetables, sauces
Cinnamon — Fruits (especially apples), breads, pie crusts
Curry powder — Lean meats (especially lamb), veal, chicken, fish, tomatoes, tomato soup, mayonnaise
Dill — Fish sauces, soups, tomatoes, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, potatoes, salads, macaroni, lean beef, lamb, chicken, fish
Garlic (not garlic salt) — Lean meats, fish, soups, salads, vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes
Ginger — Chicken, fruits
Lemon juice — Lean meats, fish, poultry, salads, vegetables
Mace — Hot breads, apples, fruit salads, carrots, cauliflower, squash, potatoes, veal, lamb
Mustard (dry) — Lean ground meats, lean meats, chicken, fish, salads, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mayonnaise, sauces
Nutmeg — Fruits, piecrust, lemonade, potatoes, chicken, fish, lean meat loaf, toast, veal, pudding
Onion (not onion salt) — Lean meats, stews, vegetables, salads, soups
Paprika — Lean meats, fish, soups, salads, sauces, vegetables
Parsley — Lean meats, fish, soups, salads, sauces, vegetables
Peppermint extract — Puddings, fruits
Pimiento — Salads, vegetables, casserole dishes
Rosemary — Chicken, veal, lean meat loaf, lean beef, lean pork, sauces, stuffings, potatoes, peas, lima beans
Sage — Lean meats, stews, biscuits, tomatoes, green beans, fish, lima beans, onions, lean pork
Savory — Salads, lean pork, lean ground meats, soups, green beans, squash, tomatoes, lima beans, peas
Thyme — Lean meats (especially veal and lean pork), sauces, soups, onions, peas, tomatoes, salads
Turmeric — Lean meats, fish, sauces, rice

www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=585(enter seasonings in search box)