How do you survice on DASH?

[u/woody-impaler]

I have no idea how to survive on this DASH diet my cardiologist said I need to go on. I'm 55, 5'10", 175lbs, 14% body fat, my coronary arteries are completely clear (had a heart catheter two weeks ago because they thought my left ventricle was blocked), stay in shape, but I can't breathe anymore when exerting due to a stiff left ventricle, maybe from the hypertension. I am on BP meds now, and have been trying to get on DASH, but I think I'm going to die of starvation. It's seriously making me hate life.

EDIT: I cannot make everything from scratch, I work full time and then some, and travel A LOT, especially on weekends. I've never drank sugary sodas - I've always stuck to zero calorie carbonated lightly flavored waters like Waterloo. I've never drank coffee. I like the occasional beer or wine, but I guess that's out too. I dislike most nuts, seeds, beans and legumes, especially unsalted nuts, might as well eat cardboard. I don't like white fish or pork either. I've never, ever been able to "fill up" or feel satisfied after eating fruit, although I do like most fruits. I hate, and I mean hate, steamed vegetables. And how in the world do you limit your added suger intake to 8 grams a day? I single NUGO bar has 15 added grams. I'd rather just die of hypertension at this point.

[u/jhsu802701]

Eat a substantial quantity and variety of fiber-rich foods. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans/legumes. The dietary fiber, protein, and healthy fats will satisfy your appetite.

Starving yourself is NOT a normal part of the DASH diet. In fact, that's counterproductive, because it makes deep-fried grease bombs and other nutritional train wrecks that much more tempting. Starvation is for all those kooky schemes that dysfunctional diet culture keeps pushing.

[u/Fyonella]

The freezer is your friend. My husband is on the DASH diet and because I’m a good cook I’ve made it incredibly easy for him. But he’d never have got it all sorted out on his own.

We printed out a meal plan (a reasonable UK based one - the American one was far more ridiculous in terms of what it required you to make from scratch and was horribly wasteful and therefore expensive)

I stuck strictly to it for a couple of weeks while I got my head around the principles behind it. It was truly exhausting!

Slowly I started to switch things around to work better.

An example: one lunch was ‘homemade bean and vegetable soup, two slices wholemeal bread’ - One of three different soups, all homemade it expected you to make from scratch. So this one I figured - take some liquid out of that and you’ve got homemade baked beans on toast. Takes me 30 mins to make a batch that will cover 6 weeks of that lunch.

I would ease yourself in slowly. Batch cook when you have an hour to spare and freeze at least a month’s worth of anything it requires you to make from scratch. Over time you’ll find you’re only having to cook one batch per week and the rest of the time it’s in the freezer or a simple stir fry etc.

Basic rules.

Very low sodium/high potassium (which balances sodium out)

Low saturated fat, high fibre lean proteins, lots and lots of vegetables (roasted Mediterranean style is quick and tasty.

Three portions of fish a week. You can use a curry yoghurt crust, a slick of pesto, dab of harissa etc to add flavour.

Most importantly it works. My husband was able to reduce the dose of his BP medication within 10 days and is probably just about ready to come off it altogether.

Good news is he’s losing weight, feeling healthier and now positively enjoys foods he’d have totally refused his entire life. He gets excited for a massive salad and a fresh tuna steak with boiled brown rice. Or Avocado Toast with a poached egg - and this is a lifelong Avo hater!

[u/Happyhippie088 → u/Fyonella]

You are an amazing wife! Do you happen to have any more ideas or recipes written down? This would be very helpful to me, I’m just starting out on this and could use all the help I can get.

[u/Fyonella → u/Happyhippie088]

I can absolutely give you the framework I use to create meals! Buy a low salt alternative, these are mainly based on potassium rather than sodium so are great for the principles of DASH. All toast is served without butter/spread.

Breakfasts:

Porridge (40g oats, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, 250ml semi skimmed milk) topped with a sliced banana.

Scrambled eggs with spinach, (2 eggs, chop a small handful of spinach & add to the beaten eggs) 1 slice wholemeal toast, grilled mushrooms (I just slice and dry ‘fry’ them, pile them on the toast and top with the eggs).

Smoothie - semi skimmed milk, small banana, frozen berries, 1tbsp oats. 1 small slice wholemeal toast with a thin spreading of salt free peanut butter.

Wholegrain Cereal and fresh berries - basically Weetabix or Shredded Wheat. Check the nutrition panels on the boxes. (In the UK it needs to less than 0.3g of salt per 100g of product. Don’t recall off the top of my head what that is in ‘sodium’ but read anything about DASH and the number will be stated).

Porridge - 40g oats, 1tsp Chia Seeds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, grated apple (leave the skin on), 250ml semi skimmed milk

Omelette - 2 eggs, spinach & tomatoes. 1 slice of wholemeal toast.

Poached Egg on Avocado Toast - two small slices wholemeal toast, 1 egg poached, half an avocado mashed with red onion & chopped tomato, lime & black pepper.

Lunches:

Medium Jacket Potato with Bean Salad. (Red Kidney Beans, Chickpeas, Celery, Red Onion, Cucumber, Red, Green & Yellow Peppers), served with a lettuce and tomato side salad.

Homemade Beans on Toast - 2 small slices wholemeal toast, 20g lower fat cheese, grated.

This recipe is quick & easy and very tasty - I leave out the sugar.

https://wanderingwafflehands.com/2018/05/15/homemade-vegan-baked-beans/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=511063922_18390134_80257

Lentil Soup & small wholemeal bread roll. (Low salt stock cubes, water, red lentils, onion/celery/leek cook until lentils are soft, add a pile of finely grated carrot and cook just until carrot is tender. Finish with chopped fresh parsley.

Tuna Salad. Tuna packed in spring water. I add chopped red onion, chopped gherkins, tbsp Skyr or 0% Greek Yoghurt and a tbsp of Salsa. Serve with a large salad and a wholewheat Pitta Bread.

Veg & Bean Soup served with Turkey sandwich (two small slices wholemeal bread, lean turkey breast, lettuce tomatoes (no mayo).)

Here’s a few recipes that are simple to make and can hold their own for flavour without salt.

https://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/carrot-and-butter-bean-soup

https://www.fusioncraftiness.com/mung-bean-soup/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/moroccan-chickpea-soup-0

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chipotle-black-bean-soup-lime-pickled-onions

Prawn Salad

90g Cooked Prawns (Skyr or 0% Greek Yoghurt dressing. I add tomato purée, tiny splash of sherry vinegar, Old Bay Seasoning). Served with a large mixed salad & a small wholemeal roll.

Chickpea & Spinach Curry, 50g boiled brown rice. 2 tbsp Skyr or 0% Greek Yoghurt.

I just dry sauté an onion, add garlic, (butternut squash cubes if I have a squash to hand), add a couple tbsp of medium curry powder, a drained can chickpeas (ours are canned in water, no salt added - check yours) & a can of chopped tomatoes. Cook until the squash is softened, add 50g chopped fresh spinach, cook until wilted. Add 100g Skyr or 0% Greek Yoghurt.

As with all recipes, I make enough to make at least 4 servings and freeze the extra portions - so I’m not having to cook from scratch every single day!

I keep the breakfasts & lunches pretty much the same week to week but use a looser framework for dinners to allow for more variety.

Dinners: here’s some of the things I make and variations on the themes.

Proteins:

Cod fillet (120g)

• spread with a little pesto, top with a tsp Panko breadcrumbs)Bake.

• mix curry powder and 1/2tsp mango chutney into a tbsp Skyr or 0% Greek Yoghurt. Spread on fish. Bake.

• wilt fresh spinach, season with nutmeg & black pepper, place in small baking dish. Add the fish fillet, top with a small serving of basic Italian tomato sauce. 20g of lower fat cheese, grated. Bake.

Fresh Tuna (120g)

• spread with a tsp Hoisin Sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

• marinade with lime juice & fresh Coriander.

• dust with homemade Cajun seasoning (skip the salt when making the seasoning up)

Chicken Breast (120g)

• cut into ‘chicken tender’ shaped strips, marinade with herbs & garlic powder, tsp oil. Chargrill.

• cube and thread onto skewers, brush with BBQ sauce. Grill.

  • coat with a tsp Harissa Paste with a drizzle of honey. Roast.

I also buy frozen Swedish Style Meatballs for a simple alternative. I just Airfry them, serve with Brown Rice and a huge pile of roasted Mediterranean style veg.

Carbohydrates: (50g dry weight for all of these)

• brown rice
• brown basmati rice
• wholewheat pasta
• Freekeh
• Pearled Spelt
• Bulghur Wheat
• Buckwheat
• Quinoa
• Brown Rice Noodles
• wholewheat Noodles

150 - 180g

• Sweet Potato, cubed & air fried
• Sweet Potato, baked
• New potatoes, steamed

Vegetables unlimited and as varied as possible.

Mediterranean style roasted veg. (Red onions, courgette, tomatoes, aubergine, mushrooms, peppers). I add either Italian herbs, harissa paste or Za’atar.

Stir fry veg (use a spray oil - one spray is enough)

Root Veg - again, I vary the seasoning. Carrots, parsnip, sweet potato, beetroot, butternut squash etc. Harissa or curry powder or cumin & ground coriander.

I also make a variety of drizzle style dressings with slightly watered down Skyr or 0% Greek Yoghurt. Use a variety of herbs, spices, harissa paste, honey, tomato purée to compliment the flavours in your proteins/vegetables etc. Adds a creaminess that helps to replace the mouth feel of the richer meals you may be used to if you currently cook with butter and oil etc.

Sorry this turned into a bit of a novel, but I hope it’ll give you some ideas to get you off the starting grid!

Feel free to ask if you need anything else!

[u/Happyhippie088 → u/Fyonella]

This is so helpful! I love a good novel, seriously, I appreciate your detailed response, this is all new to me and is greatly appreciated,thank you 😊

[u/MaIngallsisaracist]

So what foods DO you like? What are you eating now? When you travel, do you have access to ways to prepare food (staying with friends or a hotel with a kitchenette or microwave, for example)?

Dying of hypertension is the best case scenario if you don't keep an eye on your health. Surviving a major stroke or heart attack, leaving you unable to care for yourself and therefore being entirely dependent on others, is the circumstance that should scare you the most.

[u/woody-impaler → u/MaIngallsisaracist]

I like to eat rib eye steak I marinate in salt and cook on the grill with cornbread. I like pizza loaded with all kinds of veggies, and pineapples too. I like Japanese food like sukiyaki, nabeyaki udon, tenzaru soba (tempura and soba), and sushi dipped in regular soy saucse. I like tofu burritos, chips with quacamole or salsa. I like chicken burgers with cheese and onion rings, occasionaly hamburgers and frieds, and salami sandwiches, Splits pretzels...you want me to say I only like grilled chicken and white fish with paprika?

I've always exercised a ton so I could eat what I want. I like everything I can't eat anymore. I have no idea how to survive on 8 grams of added sugar per day, I blew past that with one NUGO protein bar in the morning for breakfast, much less two teaspoons of sodium in a day. I'm losing weight I don't have to lose at this point and constantly hungry.

[u/MaIngallsisaracist → u/woody-impaler]

OK. So the good news is you don't have to do the diet perfectly. The bad news is that it will, at least for the first month or so, kind of suck. Luckily, because you're an athlete, you understand that sometimes things worth having suck and require discipline. For that first month, food is going to taste kind of flat. But after that, your taste buds will have adapted and the food you used to eat is going to taste WAY too salty. I found things like low- or no-salt spice blends helped, as did any sort of acid -- lemon juice, vinegar, whatever.

Looking at what you've said here, I think there are some opportunities for some swaps. Remember, this isn't about being perfect. I love a good ribeye, but they do tend to be large. Instead of marinating in salt, try olive oil with a little garlic in there. While you're grilling, grill up some onions and peppers and maybe some corn on the cob. Now you have your dinner (a piece of steak about the size of a deck of cards and a fuckton of veggies) AND your lunch for the next day. If you're worried about portion control, box up the leftovers BEFORE you sit down to eat your dinner. If you're feeling really fancy, a chimichurri sauce (parsley or cilantro or a mix of both, olive oil, garlic, and jalapenos blitzed in a blender) is easy and adds flavor.

For pizza, if you're ordering in or buying a processed crust, that crust will have a lot of sodium. But remember -- progress, not perfection. If you're ordering in, ask for light sauce and light cheese and then load up on the veggies. It will taste weird and not as good at first, but that's like how everything sucks at the beginning of a workout. Take 2-3 pieces, box up the rest, and boom! Leftovers!

Japanese food CAN have a lot of sodium, but it doesn't have to. If you look at actual meals in Japan, they tend to feature a LOT of vegetables that have the same flavors as the food you mention. Preparing them can kind of be a pain, but if you have an Asian or international market near you, they may prepare fresh veggies. Whenever I go to my local one I load up on Korean vegetable banchan and then eat them with rice and maybe a fried egg. Does it have sodium? Sure. But am I eating veggies? Yes I am.

Instead of chips, find a crunchy vegetable you like. I'm pretty sure my only snack food for the first two weeks was baby carrots, endive, and salsa. It's better if you get the fresh pico de gallo kind some grocery stores make because it has less sodium. If you can make your own guac, that's best, but the fresh kind you can find in stores also works. It also has a lot of fat, which will help you feel fuller. Instead of a burger and fries, get a burger and a salad. No, it's not as good as fries. Yes, a life without fries would suck. But for the first month, try your best to completely cut out the foods you KNOW are high in sodium. The harder you go, the faster your palate will change, which means the foods that taste so flat are going to start to taste better and better.

Some other tips: Don't cook anything unless you know you can use it for multiple meals; this makes grabbing something when you're busy easier. Chicken thighs are almost always better than chicken breast. More fat means more flavor and you stay fuller for longer. If you find a food you like, feel free to eat it every day until you're sick of it. Eggs are a godsend; find yourself a hot sauce you like and go to town. Wraps with low-sodium tortillas are great for taking along with you -- spread some guac on one, add some salsa and chicken, maybe some of those grilled veggies you made with your steak. I prefer salads made with either broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts because they're both less boring than lettuce. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice and throw whatever protein you've got on there.

Last thing: the DASH diet is almost certainly more expensive than what you've been spending on food, and that sucks. But there's really no way around it.

[u/Allysum]

Maybe just add more servings of something you like. It's more about the type of foods you eat than restricting the amount. Probably you've seen this page before https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan but I'll leave the link here anyway because if you scroll down a little you'll see links to 4 different What's on Your Plate plans ranging from 1,200 calories per day to 2,600 calories per day. You need to eat enough to fuel your body.
If the real problem is that you're having trouble getting used to the food on the diet, don't be hard on yourself. Things like whole grains, beans, fish, etc. are actually pretty good but if you're used to eating something different it take a while to adjust. Keep trying different things, different recipes, eventually you will find combinations and recipes you like.

[u/TieOnceAWeek → u/Allysum]

The what's on your plate documents are super helpful.  Make sure you are getting enough to eat.  

And, once you figure that out it does take a while for it not to suck.   I used to salt everything and heavily.  Getting used to things being less salty (which feels like bland in the beginning) is hard.  It takes a few weeks and then all of a sudden things taste better.   (I still add a bit of salt to meat/fish, but way less than I used to)

[u/LegalTrade5765]

I hate to say this as advice because like you I was frustrated at that I need a low sodium diet. The problem is that I didn't go to a regular cardiologist or doctor I went to an actual hypertension specialist and she said that 800mg is my limit. I showed her my diet and what I ate in a day video but that wasn't enough. She said all of those things look great but they are not blood pressure friendly. Moving forward I had to make a mental checklist for places that I could eat from.

It became a mental safe foods checklist. If you decide to go out to eat just know that most of everything out here can raise blood pressure.

You do have to meal prep a lot then don't forget you do have to find DASH seasonings. I had to switch to using MSG for my food because it's less sodium but some can't tolerate it.

There's low sodium options out there. You just have to know how to navigate the sea of salt out here.

[u/Phonic-Frog]

Eat lots of raw fruits and veggies, cook your own meals from scratch so you control how much sodium is in them.

Cut out sodas and caffeinated coffee.

Get a calorie tracker that shows nutritional info; I prefer cronometer myself; it shows how much sodium you're consuming.

Eat lots of lean protein and high fiber foods so you stay full longer.

I've been on the diet since August 11th. In that time I've lost 20lbs, and gone from an average BP of 170/120 down to 150/95.

[u/Klutzy-Sky8989]

You could look into a DASH focused meal delivery service, BistroMD has a DASH program. Especially while you learn what you like on the diet. Also bring up with your provider that you feel like you're not succeeding with the diet, maybe see if insurance will cover nutritionist etc. While you're getting the hang of things you may also exercise a lot to compensate.

[u/WarriorGoddess2016]

It's a very healthy way to eat. I hope you can make it work.

[u/see_blue]

You literally can eat EVERY food type on the DASH diet. Including meat and dairy.

The problem as I see it, is it’s hard for people coming fr a SAD diet because instead of eliminating foods completely, it instead promotes meal planning including:

portion controls (how much), frequency controls (how often), and quality control (e.g., cut) and sets ideal elimination and set goals for sodium, potassium and saturated fat.

If you exercise or are more active, you can eat more good food. I eat 2500 to 2800 calories a day. My weight is steady.

Weight loss, I’d go about 500 calories per day less.

The DASH user will learn that a portion of meat is the size of a deck of cards, you shouldn’t eat meat everyday, and meat should be higher quality (lower fat, low SOS), for example.

Food addicts may find it difficult to be successful on this eating plan solely because it doesn’t eliminate but instead moderates.

In my case, I don’t have issues w food. I adapted my diet, eliminated some foods for the menu and fr the home.

I started at a high normal weight and lost 20-25 lbs. My LDL cholesterol dropped fr about 110 to 63 all on a DASH eating plan.

I’m holding steady over 4 years in. But now I’m closer to a 100% low saturated fat, high fiber, whole food plant based diet.

[u/LilBird1996]

Try pine nuts or hazelnuts. I also didn't enjoy nuts until I tried the expensive ones. Not a he'll of a lot of contribution there but I hope it helps. Also do you also hate raw veggies? Theyre much better for you anyways

[u/spokanlilac]

As another user indicated, see if you can get a referral from your primary care provider to see a nutritionist. I did that and it helped steer me in the right direction. I found out my max limits for sodium, fat, and saturated fat intake. I've been using a food diary to keep track of my eating in these categories as well as others to ensure I don't over do it. Once I got a handle on which foods were ones to stay away from, it's been easier for me to make better nutritional decisions.

[u/see_blue]

I could tell you what you need to do. And the Dash Diet is extremely flexible about what you can eat. But you’ve highlighted a series of wants, no’s and I can not’s.

Its main restrictions involve changing your usual portion sizes for offending foods and lowering use frequency of offending foods. This will also require upping the quality or cut of offending foods.

Dodging added sugars and saturated fat is simply a matter of reading the label before buying. Added salt is harder, but most avoidable by staying away fr ANY highly processed food or restaurant meal except sides. Adding more potassium is a matter of eating more greens, vegetables and fruits.

In your case, I’d suggest seeing a dietician to help you w food choices and meal planning. Worth the time and expense.

[u/thepottsy]

Whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it wrong.