DASH Diet thread

zeejane03

Morning everyone! We're seeing amazing temps today (last week we were in the single digits and today we're going to see 62! Warmest day since last October woohoo!). The sun is out in full force right now but thunderstorms are coming in, so I'm going to get in a 2 mile walk before they hit. We're also on notice for 'dangerous' thunderstorms later today, so we'll see if I still have power in a few hours

My food plan today is whole grains toast/cheese, green smoothie, large salad with beans and then an oats bowl for supper, with sunflower seeds. Should hit most of my DASH requirements!

emmamcgarity

I was listening to an interview on a podcast yesterday with James Krieger about grains. He seemed to be focused mainly on fiber content. Whole grain typically but not always. I found it interesting and thought I’d share his tidbit with my DASH buddies.

zeejane03

Been poking around the BlueZones site some more, I'm so fascinated by the BlueZones project and it keeps getting stuck in my head lol

Found the BZ food guidelines to match up pretty closely to DASH, though they limit dairy more and then there's an emphasis on beans (2 servings a day/1 cup), that DASH doesn't have. I also ran their percentage/calorie numbers and it's actually a higher fat plan-more like what lemurcat was following with the modified DASH protocol. Overall it feels like we're on the right path with a DASH eating style
https://www.bluezones.com/2015/07/blue-zones-food-guidelines/

Also was reading an article on their site that was pretty interesting, about things that are happening at the government level with nutrition matters. While I disagreed with some of the points (adding sugar taxes etc), one of the ideas being tested is doctors actually subscribing vegetables and fruit to patients, who then can buy them at a subsidized cost-I think this is brilliant!
https://www.bluezones.com/2019/02/leaders-in-medical-industry-starting-to-focus-on-food-policy/

anthocyanina

Here's an article that lists common foods from each of the various Blue Zones: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/what-to-eat-to-live-to-100

It's interesting to see what people eat in the different places. I actually live in Loma Linda, and that list is spot on for me (like when you take one of those personality tests and the results fit you to a T), although I eat a lot more fat than the 20% BZ gives, and more than the modified higher fat DASH. It's not uncommon for fat to total 50% of my daily calories. I'm trying to balance out my macros a little more, but with a lot of bulky low-calorie vegetables, I find I need the calorie boost that generous servings of nuts, avocado, and olive oil gives me.

I'm curious, when all of you track for DASH, do you enter everything into the MFP diary for the details about nutrients, macros, calories, etc. or do you just count the number of servings?

zeejane03

anthocyanina wrote: »

Here's an article that lists common foods from each of the various Blue Zones: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/what-to-eat-to-live-to-100

It's interesting to see what people eat in the different places. I actually live in Loma Linda, and that list is spot on for me (like when you take one of those personality tests and the results fit you to a T), although I eat a lot more fat than the 20% BZ gives, and more than the modified higher fat DASH. It's not uncommon for fat to total 50% of my daily calories. I'm trying to balance out my macros a little more, but with a lot of bulky low-calorie vegetables, I find I need the calorie boost that generous servings of nuts, avocado, and olive oil gives me.

I'm curious, when all of you track for DASH, do you enter everything into the MFP diary for the details about nutrients, macros, calories, etc. or do you just count the number of servings?

I'd love to hang out with the BlueZones group in Loma Linda for a few days, I think it would be so interesting!

I'm tracking my DASH numbers with a highly sophisticated paper/pen method If you go back a page you'll see a screen shot of my tracking method-very basic but the simplicity is helping me stay on top of things. I also spot check my micros over at cronometer, (I believe that's where lemurcat tracks as well). I enjoy MFP for the forums but they don't have a detailed breakdown of micros like cron. does. For the average user it's not a big deal, but since starting DASH I've been interested to see where my potassium, magnesium etc are coming in at.

emmamcgarity

I am tracking my food on myfitnesspal and am picking the database entries that include micros and macros when possible. I measure by volume instead of weight and track my DASH servings here in this thread (when I remember). Mostly I use DASH for planning as my backbone for my nutritional goals. My diary is public. I don’t stress about it too much other than to keep myself accountable.

zeejane03

Vegetables & Fruit--11
Dairy -- 2
Grains --5
Meat -- x; Beans (alternative protein)--1 serving
Added fat -- 1 (olives)
Nuts and seeds --1
Added sugar -- yes: fat free Catalina dressing

Hit all my targets today

lemurcat2

I track on Cron, but when I'm not doing that I'll pay attention to servings (right now I have no control over what I eat, since I'm staying with my dad and his SO, but they eat in a very DASH-compliant way, as it happens).

MelFrannNoel

Hello,
May I please join this group? I am embarking on eating the DASH way.

Thank You

zeejane03

MelFrannNoel wrote: »

Hello,
May I please join this group? I am embarking on eating the DASH way.

Thank You

Sure, we'd love to have more people join in

lemurcat2

Welcome!

emmamcgarity

Glad you are here!

anthocyanina

zeejane03 wrote: »

I'd love to hang out with the BlueZones group in Loma Linda for a few days, I think it would be so interesting!.

It might not be what you'd expect! There aren't many people in my usual circles who eat that way on a regular basis. There must be enough people who eat less meat and more vegetables than the national average to have a measurable health effect.

Enough people are proud of the healthy image though. A few years back, when McDonalds wanted to open up a franchise in Loma Linda, there was actually a petition to keep McD's out. I guess it wasn't enough for them to just not eat there themselves.

I'm not sure how McD's are usually decorated. In Loma Linda it's a bright spring green inside and there are murals of fresh kiwis and tomato slices, and people bicycling, running, hiking etc. It looks like a place you'd go for smoothies, kale salads, and cold-pressed organic juices, lol.

anthocyanina

Thanks everyone for sharing how you track your servings! I'll have to check out Cronometer. I'd like to know more than the usual micros that MFP and others like it give

kimny72

anthocyanina wrote: »

zeejane03 wrote: »

I'd love to hang out with the BlueZones group in Loma Linda for a few days, I think it would be so interesting!.

It might not be what you'd expect! There aren't many people in my usual circles who eat that way on a regular basis. There must be enough people who eat less meat and more vegetables than the national average to have a measurable health effect.

Enough people are proud of the healthy image though. A few years back, when McDonalds wanted to open up a franchise in Loma Linda, there was actually a petition to keep McD's out. I guess it wasn't enough for them to just not eat there themselves.

I'm not sure how McD's are usually decorated. In Loma Linda it's a bright spring green inside and there are murals of fresh kiwis and tomato slices, and people bicycling, running, hiking etc. It looks like a place you'd go for smoothies, kale salads, and cold-pressed organic juices, lol.

The Blue Zone group there is specifically the Seventh Day Adventists, not the entire city. They are vegetarian due to their religion, and I believe they abstain from some other things as well. Hopefully their identification as a Blue Zone will catch on with others in the community though!

zeejane03

anthocyanina wrote: »

zeejane03 wrote: »

I'd love to hang out with the BlueZones group in Loma Linda for a few days, I think it would be so interesting!.

It might not be what you'd expect! There aren't many people in my usual circles who eat that way on a regular basis. There must be enough people who eat less meat and more vegetables than the national average to have a measurable health effect.

Enough people are proud of the healthy image though. A few years back, when McDonalds wanted to open up a franchise in Loma Linda, there was actually a petition to keep McD's out. I guess it wasn't enough for them to just not eat there themselves.

I'm not sure how McD's are usually decorated. In Loma Linda it's a bright spring green inside and there are murals of fresh kiwis and tomato slices, and people bicycling, running, hiking etc. It looks like a place you'd go for smoothies, kale salads, and cold-pressed organic juices, lol.

That's wild lol. Here (midwest), our newly remodeled McDs is done in 70s colors/theme-lots of beige/dark orange/70s green, with mod-style furniture. I wonder if the menus are the same, or if they have a different one in Loma Linda?

lemurcat2

anthocyanina wrote: »

Thanks everyone for sharing how you track your servings! I'll have to check out Cronometer. I'd like to know more than the usual micros that MFP and others like it give

I really love it, and find it fun to track there.

emmamcgarity

Fruit -4
Veggie - 0
Whole grain -2
Dairy -1
Meat -0
Nuts - 0.5
Added sugar: yes

Headed out to dinner at a wine bar tonight with a friend. No idea yet how my day will end related to DASH servings. I’ll likely choose a salad for dinner or other vegetable based meal. Above is how my servings are so far today. Looking forward to social time.

lemurcat2

Today (with planned dinner):

Fruit - 3.5
Veggie - 11
Legumes - 3
Whole grain - 2.5
Dairy - 0
Meat - 0
Nuts - 0
Added sugar: no

zeejane03

Great job tracking on the weekends! I need to get better with this.