The DASH Diet Action Plan, Based on the National Institutes of Health Research: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has been proven in several National Institutes of Health (NIH) research studies to lower blood pressure and cholesterol without medication. It is the diet recommended by the NIH for lowering blood pressure. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends this eating plan for everyone. And the DASH diet forms the basis for the new MyPyramid. The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, low fat or nonfat dairy, and includes lean meats, fish and poultry, grains, nuts and beans. It will help lower cholesterol and will support healthy weight loss. It is flexible enough to meet the lifestyle and food preferences of most people. However, many people find it challenging to put the DASH diet into practice. This book is designed to make it easy; it was written by a dietitian who is experienced in helping people make sustainable changes in how they eat. This book shows you how to follow the DASH diet in your real life. How to eat on-the-run, how to add more vegetables even if you hate vegetables, how to make over your kitchen to support the DASH diet, how to lose weight with the DASH diet. It has 28 days of meal plans (with adjustments for 1200, 1600, and 2000 calorie plans), and DASH-friendly recipes. It shows you how to make other lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure, such as losing weight and adding exercise. What differentiates this book from other books on the DASH diet? This book provides practical, real life solutions. It goes beyond "what" is involved with the DASH diet; it also shows you "how." The book helps you make your own personal plan, with the specific steps you will take to fit the DASH diet into your daily routine. The author is experienced in helping people make sustainable changes in how they eat. This book truly allows you to make your own personal "DASH Diet Action Plan," whether your goal is lowering blood pressure, or just having a healthier lifestyle. It is your first step in improving your health for the long run.

Marla Heller is a Registered Dietitian, and holds a Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) where she also completed doctoral course work in public health. Marla worked as a dietitian at the University of Illinois Medical Center in the Heart-Lung Transplant Unit, the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and the Cardiac Step-Down Unit.
She has taught thousands of people how to adopt the DASH diet. She was an adjunct clinical instructor in the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at UIC, Dominican University, and National-Louis University. She taught nutrition to student chefs at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Marla was a civilian dietitian with the US Navy and most recently worked for the US Department of Health and Human Services.
In addition to The DASH Diet Action Plan, Marla wrote the 4-week menu plan for Win the Weight Game by Sarah, the Duchess of York. She is a frequent featured nutrition expert for broadcast, print, and internet media. She is a spokesperson for the Greater Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association, a Past-President of the Illinois Dietetic Association, from which she was awarded the prestigious Emerging Leader Award.
Marla can be followed at dashdiet.org, facebook.com/dashdiet, and Twitter @dashdiet.