Dash diet

missannswab
missannswab Posts: 3 Member
edited November 29 in Introduce Yourself
Hello, I'm a 50 something breast cancer survivor looking for anyone out there who is using MFP for the dash diet. I've used the app for years, but now have a nutritionist who wants me to track my vegetables, meat, fruit, dairy, etc. I dont know how to use MFP in this way and paper tracking is a real pain. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • ljmorgi
    ljmorgi Posts: 264 Member
    The guide here is excellent. I don't follow the DASH diet, I'm just generally low-sodium, but tracking my food helps me keep both my calories and my sodium under control.
  • AJB1014
    AJB1014 Posts: 1,380 Member
    Hmmm I'm no very familiar with the dash diet - but you could change the headers from breakfast/lunch/dinner to vegetables, meat, fruit, etc. To do this you go into settings under the home tab - then diary settings, then change the meal names.
  • missannswab
    missannswab Posts: 3 Member
    That is something I could try. I'm just starting this diet. The nutritionist was explaining that if I only track calories, I still may not be getting the correct nutrition to prevent a cancer recurrance. This diet uses food "exchanges" . I'm not used to to using MFP in this way.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    missannswab wrote: »
    That is something I could try. I'm just starting this diet. The nutritionist was explaining that if I only track calories, I still may not be getting the correct nutrition to prevent a cancer recurrance. This diet uses food "exchanges" . I'm not used to to using MFP in this way.

    What is the correct nutrition to prevent cancer?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    missannswab wrote: »
    That is something I could try. I'm just starting this diet. The nutritionist was explaining that if I only track calories, I still may not be getting the correct nutrition to prevent a cancer recurrance. This diet uses food "exchanges" . I'm not used to to using MFP in this way.

    The diet just suggests a # of servings to aim for for each category of food. You could log like you normally would and keep a tally in the notes box, or like @AJB1014 suggested, change your meals to food categories, and log each food in the correct category as you go.

    If your nutritionist told you that there is a specific way to eat that will prevent a cancer recurrence, you might want to find a registered dietitian instead. Of course you want to eat nutritious food to give your body what it needs, but if you are paying a nutritionist to help you eat a specific diet to prevent recurrence, I'd be skeptical. The DASH Diet is intended to lower blood pressure, but I know many doctors suggest it as a good guideline for a healthy, nutritious diet. But it's just that - a guideline - not a proven formula to prevent cancer.

    Congrats on beating cancer, and best of luck :drinker:
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,096 Member
    Just look at your food diary and count?
    Make notes in the note section of your food diary?
    Create "food" entries with no calories or nutritional info, called fruit - 1 serving, etc., and log them along with logging the actual foods you ate (if you're also trying to track calories or other nutrients)?

  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    no clue what "dash" diet is but weigh the fruit, veg, dairy on a scale and select an accurate entry.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Based on 2 minutes of reading about this diet, I would suggest you track all foods on here in your food diary like normal. Then use the notes section each to make comments regarding things like servings of fruits and vegetables or swapping chips for nuts, etc. It seems like reduced sodium intake is important to this diet, so logging your food like normal on MFP would help track sodium.
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