Heard of the DASH diet? New to me, but GREAT!

We recently got the Fall issue of LifeMasters, compliments of our OLD medical insurance company. In it there was an article about the DASH diet, I have heard of almost every diet out there, but this one was new to me.

Even though the name is new (DASH = Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) the ideas are not. But re-packaged in a new name may bring some attention.

The eating plan contains more fruits, vegetables, grains and low-fat dairy foods than the average diet. It is rich in nutrients like magnesium, potassium and calcium. It contains needed protein and fiber, and is low in fat and cholesterol. The nutrition you get on the DASH diet benefits the heart, blood vessels, and other organs in the body. It can reduce the risk of health problems like strokes, heart attacks and kidney damage. (This would be a good diet for my husband, who is a type 2 diabetic!).

Diet plans are available with various calorie-per-day amounts, and like many others, involve eating daily servings from each food group. I liked what I saw, it seems like an uncomplicated diet to follow. If you would like food charts and more information, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov and do a search for DASH.