rel="nofollow" href="#u142d024f-a128-5b7f-8ecc-a8a9f7dac186">Chapter 15.
PUTTING FOOD BEFORE SUPPLEMENTS
It’s tempting to think that rather than having to bother with healthy eating, you may be able to get your nutrition from a pill or a powder. It often seems all Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but like those hapless kiddos who fell victim to the magical “three-course meal in a stick of gum,” it just doesn’t work out the way you’d think it should. You may be surprised to know that the world of supplements is largely unregulated, so manufacturers face little accountability.
Over the years, trends have come and gone for a wide variety of supplements, including vitamin E, high dose folic acid, selenium, L-arginine, and others. When put to the scientific test, these supplements and their counter-mates have often had unintended consequences, including a greater risk for certain cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. Other supplements used for weight loss and energy may put you at risk for heart rhythm disturbances, heart attacks, and strokes. And while a multivitamin probably won’t hurt you, there’s little evidence that it will do you much good, either.
Whole foods are very different from supplements. Their natural goodness is balanced in a neat package created by Mother Nature, with literally dozens of nutrients in a single bite. Your body was designed to use foods in their natural form. By overwhelming your system with massive doses of a single substance, you may be setting yourself up for unintended consequences.
Of course, there are exceptions. For instance, many people are deficient in vitamin D, and in these cases, a supplement can be helpful. The same may apply to iron and certain B-vitamins. Your doctor can test you to see whether your levels are low. Other supplements, like fiber, can help with constipation and even lower cholesterol. And sometimes a protein shake can be a reasonable replacement for a single meal. But before you take a product’s claim on faith, check in with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Creating lifestyle changes that stick
Hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity. All these conditions, and more, can be impacted by your lifestyle, and they can weigh you down if you allow them to. Fortunately, you don’t have to. Making positive changes in the way you eat and the way you choose to spend your time can have a lasting impact on your health and the overall quality of your life. No matter what challenges you may have in your life, never give up or give in. Life is too precious.
By following the DASH diet, you’ll be able to create a plan that will support your health and empower you with more energy. Consequently, exercise will seem less daunting, and you’ll find it easier to change other habits that have been keeping you back.
A DASH of Caution
Although DASH is a fabulous plan that promotes better health and well-being for most people, it’s not for everyone.
One advantage of DASH is the fact that it’s high in potassium. For most people, that helps their kidneys regulate blood pressure more efficiently. However, people with advanced kidney disease may need to limit the potassium in their diet.
Of course, if you have high blood pressure, DASH may lower it enough that your medications will need to be adjusted. That’s a really good side effect, but not one that you want to overlook. When you commit to DASH, it’s important to monitor your blood pressure closely, especially in the first one to two months and whenever you find yourself losing weight. Let your doctor know of any changes. Doctors love it when patients can ditch a pill or two.
It goes without saying that if you’re gluten intolerant, you need to modify a bit, but there are plenty of tantalizing, gluten-free, healthy grains, including buckwheat, quinoa, millet, and wild rice.
If you’re lactose intolerant, yogurt and other dairy products may not be right for you (although kefir, a cultured milk product low in lactose and high in healthy probiotics, may be an option). Consider calcium-fortified soy milk, almond milk, and other such products.
www.eatright.org.
Finally, despite the fact that some people eat way too much salt, others need more salt, and not everyone needs to cut back. Competitive athletes and people working outdoors in the heat are the obvious examples. A small minority of people suffer from low blood pressure, and in those cases, extra salt is often the treatment of choice.
The great thing about DASH is that it can be easily adapted for a wide variety of tastes and conditions. Because everybody is different, check with your doctor before jumping in with both feet, and let her be a partner in your path to wellness.
Chapter 2
The DASH Diet and Wellness: What Scientists Know
IN THIS CHAPTER
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