This paper seeks to reflect on the book of the ‘DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution: The best eating plan to control your weight and improve your health for life’ by Marla Heller. I am glad to have chosen the DASH diet book because it does not disappoint. This book examines the new effective diet that promotes natural weight loss and the overall enhanced health. This book is referred to as “The DASH diet Mediterranean solution” because it combines two familiar diets, The Dash diet and the Mediterranean diet. For many years, our society has been heavily obsessed with both diet fads as well as diets.
Currently, you cannot watch television for 30 minutes without viewing a commercial that advertises on the next coming diet craze. This renders an important question, which one of these diets is healthier for people? For so many years, people have been taught that meat is part of a balanced diet but recently meat has come into question by some health professionals and currently plant-based diets are becoming more popular. In this paper, I will give the summary of the book, elaborate on the topics of interest in the book, discuss why I agree with the author and finally discuss on how this book can transform my personal life.
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Part I: Book
I selected to read ‘The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution’ by Marla Heller for a few reasons. One of the reasons that made me select this book is its title. The book has a catchier and intriguing title as compared to the other option. Because of its catchy title, I chose the book to further examine what it contains. At first, I thought that this book is just like any other weight loss book that could pose difficulties to follow but after keenly reading it, I discovered that there was more to it than a diet book. This book has highlighted the Med-DASH diet and further indicates some of the health benefits people can get when they adapt to the diet. Likewise, the book has categorically explained that it is not just a weight loss plan but rather focuses on adapting to a lifestyle transformation. As opined by Heller (2018), the Med-DASH diet is a diet that majorly concentrates on the plant. This diet is comprised of nuts, olive oil, beans, seeds, dairy and heart-healthy fats as well as moderate quantity of meats for those that choose to involve them.
Part II: Topics of Interest
One of the most striking topics discussed in this book is the hidden benefits of the Med-DASH Plan. The author of this book has depicted the benefits that are associated with the Med-DASH diet. The Med-DASH diets decrease systematic inflammation, risk of stroke and heart disease, certain types of cancer and type 2 Diabetes. In addition to reducing systematic inflammation, the Med-DASH diet safeguards bone health and kidneys. The diet is also associated with a lower risk for depression. In this book, the author has also indicated that Med-DASH diet gives the body muscle power. Heller states that muscles tissue can be maintained when someone consumes sufficient protein in his or her diet. Apart from giving the body muscle power, the diet contains many foods that are rich in calcium to protect the health of bones.
Another topic that I find interesting in this book is the Med-DASH Rules. In this topic, the author put down some guidelines to provide a super-simple overview of what Med-DASH plan looks like. Coloring of the plate is one of the rules stipulated by Heller. This means a person’s plate should have fruits and vegetables to avoid overeating. These kinds of foods play a significant role in decreasing calorie intake without losing satisfaction in meals. Having three meals and two or three snacks every day, adding lean, protein-rich foods to satisfy hunger and using dairy to assist quench hunger are some of the rules that the author has given in the book. These topics are interesting because they give people a vivid idea of how they can observe their diets.
Part III: Corroboration
Corroboration is a statement that supports or confirms a statement or findings. The Centre for Disease Control supports Heller’s research. According to CDC, a healthy plan emphasizes on eating vegetables, fruits, low-fat milk, lean meats, fish and nuts. This statement supports Heller’s argument on how to maintain a healthy diet. Additionally, CDC further indicates that healthy eating is all about balancing meals. This means that a person can enjoy his or her favorite foods even if they are high in calories or fat while balancing them with healthier foods and more physical activity. This statement by the CDC supports Heller’s rules of coloring Med-DASH rules.
Part IV: Practice Application
The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution book has provided substantial information on both the DASH Diet and the Mediterranean Diet and the benefits of both. The information gained from this book has changed my personal life on what to include in eating instead of what to limit. The recipes and meal plans in this book give a person everything to get started for a healthier life. The book is really useful and manageable and has motivated me to be aware of what I should eat to avoid some health issues. It is therefore important for people to observe the Med-DASH diet as indicated by Heller to maintain a healthy life.
References
Center for Disease Control (2016). Observing Healthy Diet. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/healthy diet/index.html
Heller, M. (2018). The DASH diet Mediterranean solution: The best eating plan to control your weight and improve your health for life. New York, NY: Grand Central Life & Style. ISBN: 9781538715253
