#diet DASH (dietary approaches to stopping #hypertension)

2011.11.10 ... 2012.2.19:
bk.health/diet#DASH(dietary approaches to stopping hypertension):

• summary of the diet:
  • # DASH is high in:
    • best potassium sources:
    • magnesium is very important to hypertension:
  • # DASH is low in:
  • # DASH is too low in beans:
  • # DASH is too high in popular pitfalls:
  • replace the DASH`[fats & oils].menu
  • replace the DASH`sweets menu
  • replace DASH`[lean meats & fatty fish].menu
• notes
  • the DASH macronutrient rules:
  • DASH`minerals:
  • co.apt: critique:
    • very cautious about legumes:
    • todo: compared to zone diet
    • one size fits all:
  • TLC:

intro and summary:
12.1.15: 12.12:
. the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)*
is primarily about
getting more fruits & vegetables
[ie, get more magnesium and potassium, ]
and restricting the [insulin abusive] foods,
or getting more fiber [reducing the glycemic index] .
*:
. designed and tested by nhlbi.nih.gov,
Dr. Tom Moore,
and Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research,
(with studies done by Brigham and Women's Hospital,
Duke Hypertension Center & Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center,
Johns Hopkins, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center )
--
sponsored by nih and nat heart, lung, and blood institute
with input from 4 hospitals including john hopkins .
1998, 2006 .

. they also put a lot of emphasis on restricting sodium
to 1.5 .. 2.3 grams per day;
[but, most of the dangers associated with salt
are actually attributable to
the food groups that contain salt:
bread and processed meats; 12.2.10:
hypertension is also the result of the inability
of kidneys and intestines to filter sodium;
(ie, high insulin blocks the kidneys
and high cortisol blocks the intestines)
. bread requires too much insulin,
and processed meats cause insulin resistance,
which causes much higher insulin when
combined with a "(normal) high-carb diet . 12.1.15:
hence nothing is worse for a diabetic,
than the pervasively-loved luncheon-meat pizza . 12.2.10:
. there are a few cases of hypertension
that are due only to psychiatric causes
where stress hormones are chronically too high;
but by far, most cases of hypertension
are due simply to being poisoned by good taste
-- g-d warned you about worshipping images!
taste is the mere image of quality nutrition .]

. in addition to the low-sodium, vegetable-rich diet,
the plan calls for exercise and moderation:
# Maintain a healthy weight.
# Be physically active on most days of the week.
# drink only at moderate levels if at all .

. hypertension prevention becomes very important
if you don't routinely check your pressure,
because it insidiously happens as we age .

12.1.17: oregonstate.edu summary:
. the results of the DASH trial
provided further support for the theory  that
a potassium-rich diet prevents hypertension .
[ but it was actually the diet's magnesium,
since potassium supps didn't help alot,
unless their sodium was high and potassium low .]

summary of the diet:

# DASH is high in:

potassium, magnesium, calcium, fiber,
and protein (94 grams).
. the protein may come from
fatty fish, lean poultry, or egg whites;
but, limit meat to 6oz per day, 3oz per meal,
and, try to get more protein from vegetables:
[but the way to more veg'protein
is via beans not whole grains! ]

. low-fat milk products have great minerals . [12.1.15:
milk is controversial for raising cancer risk;
only the whey portion
is cleared of that charge . 12.2.19:
. the best source of minerals is seaweed
and selenium pills (seaweed is low in that).]
. use whole vs refined grains [if any
-- get more legumes and less grains .].

. use nuts [12.1.15:
beware high levels of poly'oils,
the mono'oils are preferred
(olive, hazels, macadamia, almonds)
furthermore, whatever you're calling a "(nut)
should not make you fat:
the peanut is a lardy-legume, not a nut .]

. get most energy from fruits & vegetables;
because, they are rich in bicarbonate precursors
favorable to a healthy acid-base metabolism.
. veg'sourced forms of potassium
(in contrast to pill-sourced)
may help to reduce the risk of
kidney stones and bone loss.

best potassium sources:

1440 mg in 2cup beans,
1480 mg in 2cup lentil
1160 mg in 2cup spinach
540 mg in a medium sweet potato,
300mg in 2cup kale .
--[. their list was much larger,
but my version of their list has 2 criteria:
# high-density source of potassium per calories;
# must also be low-glycemic, and low fructose
(only athletes need fructose, not the majority).]
--[2012.2.9:

another list of potassium (per 100g, the legumes are measured dry). 1500 mg in black turtle Beans -- but only 403 mg in kidney Beans, 955 mg in Lentils -- but only 578 mg in pink Lentils 705mg in almonds -- 687mg if blanched; 680mg in hazelnuts or filberts 670 mg in Yam(orange sweet potato) 558 mg in Spinach -- but only 228mg in Kale, -- and only 169mg in Collards . 533mg in Bamboo shoots, 552mg in Pigeon peas, 518mg in chestnuts, 518mg in Sweet potato leaves, 507mg in Avocados -- (California, 485mg average) 484mg in portabella mushrooms 475mg in Sweet potato 459mg in zucchini Squash 455mg in Cowpea`leafy tips, 448mg in brown Mushrooms -- (Italian, or Crimini) 447mg in chinese chestnuts 437mg in acorn Squash 420mg in Chicory greens 412mg Tempeh (soy&grain -- fermented: a safe soy) 418mg in Blackeyed Cow peas 369mg in Arugula, 368mg in enoki Mushrooms 363mg in macadamia nuts 356mg in coconut(fresh , not dry) 356mg in laver Seaweed, -- but 89mg in kelp Seaweed -- and 67mg in irishmoss Seaweed 354mg in Mustard greens 326mg in Rutabagas 326mg in shiitake Mushrooms 318mg in white mushrooms 317mg in Brussels sprouts, boiled 296mg in Chives 293mg in Broccoli, boiled 288mg in Rhubarb 286mg in Artichokes 271mg in green Peas 266mg in Mung beans 262mg in red Cabbage 260mg in onion Greens; 260mg in Celery 257mg in raw Papayas 247mg in romaine Lettuce 238mg in butterhead Lettuce -- (includes boston and bibb types), 237mg in baby Carrots 232mg in Dandelion greens, 230mg in Eggplant 226mg in agar Seaweed 222mg in Cherries 204mg in Maitake Mushrooms 203mg in Turnip greens 218mg in Tomatoes 212mg in butternut Squash, 212mg in sweet Peppers; 211mg in Okra, 202mg in Asparagus 200mg in Snowpeas 184mg in Pokeberry shoots 182mg in Turnips 153mg in Strawberries 151mg in Raspberries 146mg in Acerola (w.indian cherry) 140mg in Blackberries, 139mg in Boysenberries; 127mg in pink or red Grapefruit 119mg in Pears 75mg in Blueberries

list of potassium MINI sources you may not want 100 g of: because of being too spicey, or having too much for Zone diet's (protein, poly'oils, grain carb's) -- or containing drugs (estrogens, ...) 1797mg in Soybeans 1485mg in Rice bran 1284mg in Wheat Bran 1097mg in Wheat Germ 1042mg in pistachio nuts 682mg in mustard seed 660mg in cashew 659mg in brazilnuts 645mg in sunflower 609mg in Thyme, fresh 597mg in pine nuts 566mg in Oat bran 563mg in Quinoa 554mg in Parsley 523mg in walnuts, black, 460mg in Buckwheat 441mg in english walnuts 429mg in Oats, 429mg in Rose Hips, 420mg in wheat, bran, 427mg in Wild rice, 415mg in Ginger root 410mg in pecans 401mg in Garlic, raw 305mg serrano Pepper 295mg in Basil 280mg in pearled Barley 268mg in brown Rice -- (medium-grain), 225mg in popcorn, 211mg in Chicory 201mg in Nectarines 196mg in Oranges 190mg in Peaches, 119mg in Onions, 90mg in Apples(without skin)

magnesium is very important to hypertension:

12.2.19:
. magnesium relaxes the arteries,
and increases insulin sensitivity,
so you need less of it,
and there is less of it to obstruct the kidney
in its job of excreting excess sodium

the list of magnesium (per 100g -- where the  legumes are measured dry). Seaweed, agar, dried: 770mg Mothbeans: 381mg brazilnuts: 376mg Parsley: 372mg Yardlong beans: 338mg Cowpeas, catjang: 333mg pilinuts-canarytree: 302mg cashew nuts: 292mg almonds, dry roast: 286mg -- blanched: 275mg Hyacinth beans: 283mg Papad: 271mg Mung beans: 267mg cashew butter: 258mg Amaranth: 248mg Lima beans: 224mg Beans, yellow: 222mg walnuts, black, dried: 201mg Lupins: 198mg Broadbeans (fava beans): 192mg Beans, white: 190mg Beans, great northern: 189mg Mung beans: 189mg Beans, french: 188mg Lima beans(baby): 188mg Peppers, sweet: 188mg blackeyed Cow peas: 184mg Beans, small white: 183mg Pigeon peas (red gram): 183mg Beans, pink: 182mg Winged beans: 179mg Beans, pinto: 176mg Beans, navy: 175mg hazelnuts or filberts: 173mg hickorynuts: 173mg Beans, black: 171mg Radishes, oriental, dried: 170mg Chickpea flour (besan): 166mg Lambsquarters: 164mg hazelnuts or filberts: 163mg Leeks: 161mg Beans, black turtle soup: 160mg Beans, kidney, california red: 160mg walnuts, english: 158mg Beans, cranberry (roman): 156mg Fireweed, leaves: 156mg Horseradish-tree, leafy tips: 151mg Pepeao, dried: 146mg Seaweed, irishmoss: 144mg Beans, kidney, all types: 140mg Beans, kidney, red: 138mg Beans, kidney, royal red: 138mg chestnuts, chinese, dried: 137mg macadamia nuts: 130mg Beans, adzuki: 127mg Kanpyo,(dried gourd strips): 125mg Lentils: 122mg Epazote: 121mg Seaweed, kelp: 121mg pistachio nuts: 120mg macadamia nuts: 118mg Chickpeas: 115mg Natto: 115mg chestnuts, japanese: 115mg Peas, split: 115mg tomato vegetable, dry: 115mg Pepper, ancho, dried: 113mg Beans, navy: 111mg acorn: 110mg Seaweed, wakame: 107mg Mothbeans: 104mg Shallots: 104mg Dock: 103mg Beans, navy: 101mg Grape leaves: 95mg Kale, scotch: 88mg Spinach: 87mg Chard, swiss: 86mg acorns, dried: 82mg Spinach: 82mg Chard, swiss: 81mg Tempeh: 81mg -- cooked: 77mg Spinach: 75mg Beans, yellow: 74mg Lima beans, immature: 74mg chestnuts, european: 74mg Lentils, pink: 72mg skunk cabbage: 71mg Beans, black: 70mg Beet greens: 70mg Seaweed, agar: 67mg Beans, pink: 65mg chestnuts, japanese: 64mg Mung beans: 63mg Cowpeas, leafy tips: 62mg Jute, potherb: 62mg Nuts, acorns: 62mg Sweet potato leaves: 61mg Artichokes: 60mg Beans, pinto: 60mg Lemon grass (citronella): 60mg Cowpeas with pods: 58mg Kale, scotch: 57mg Okra: 57mg Beans, french, boiled: 56mg Lima beans, boiled: 56mg Peas, sprouted: 56mg lotus seeds: 56mg Blackeye Cowpeas: 55mg

list of magnesium MINI sources for which you may not want 100 g of -- because of being too spicey, -- or having too much for Zone diet's (protein, poly'oils, grain carb's) -- or containing drugs (estrogens, ...) Rice bran, crude: 781mg coriander leaf, dried: 694mg --[Chinese parsley, cilantro] Chives, dried: 640mg Wheat bran, crude: 611mg Spearmint, dried [mint]: 602mg pumpkin Seeds, [pepitas]: 535mg watermelon Seeds: 515mg Cocoa: 499mg Dutch Cocoa(with alkali): 476mg dill weed, dried: 451mg -- Dill weed, fresh: 55mg celery seed: 440mg sage, ground: 428mg basil, dried: 422mg caviar: 300mg Seeds, flaxseed: 392mg fennel seed: 385mg savory, ground: 377mg sunflower seed: 369mg coriander seed: 330mg Coffee, instant, powder: 327mg -- reg or decaf sunflower seed kernels, dried: 325mg Soy protein concentrate: 315mg -- produced by alcohol extraction; -- warning: excitotoxins . cumin seed: 366mg sesame seed butter: 362mg safflower seed: 353mg tarragon, dried: 347mg marjoram, dried: 346mg sisymbrium sp. seeds, dried: 314mg mustard seed, yellow: 298mg Tea, instant: 272mg -- reg or decaf oregano, dried: 270mg Quick Oats: 270mg cloves, ground: 264mg saffron: 264mg caraway seed: 258mg dill seed: 256mg curry powder: 254mg whole Buckwheat flour: 251mg -- Buckwheat: 231mg -- kasha: 221mg pine nuts: 251mg Mollusks, snail: 250mg parsley, dried: 249mg Rye flour, dark: 248mg Molasses: 242mg Oat Bran: 241mg Wheat germ: 239mg Mollusks, conch: 238mg butternuts: 237mg pine nuts: 234mg cardamom: 229mg Soybean, curd cheese: 228mg -- warning: anit-nutrients: cancer poultry seasoning: 224mg rosemary, dried: 220mg thyme, dried: 220mg lotus seeds, dried: 210mg Whey, acid, dried: 199mg -- Whey, sweet: 176mg Quinoa, uncooked: 197mg Celery flakes, dried: 196mg Seaweed, spirulina: 195mg pepper, black: 194mg turmeric, ground: 193mg fenugreek seed: 191mg paprika: 185mg ginger, ground: 184mg nutmeg, ground: 183mg koyadofu:  181mg -- tofu from calcium sulfate Oats: 177mg Wild rice: 177mg Spaghetti, spinach: 174mg Mollusks, whelk: 172mg anise seed: 170mg chili powder: 170mg Oat Bran Quaker: 168mg Bulgur, dry: 164mg mace, ground: 163mg Thyme, fresh: 160mg Triticale: 153mg Pinon Nuts: 152mg pepper, red or cayenne: 152mg Popcorn: 151mg Corn, dried, yellow: 149mg Wheat, durum: 144mg brown Rice: 143mg Soy protein concentrate: 140mg -- by acid wash -- warning: excitotoxins . oats: 138mg whole Wheat flour: 138mg Spelt: 136mg pumpkin pie spice: 136mg allspice: 135mg Kamut: 134mg Barley, hulled: 133mg Cornmeal, blue: 133mg cod, Atlantic: 133mg Mushrooms, shiitake, dried: 132mg pecans: 132mg Peppers, pasilla: 130mg chervil: 130mg Triticale: 130mg sunflower seed: 129mg Corn, white,yellow: 127mg Wheat, red winter: 126mg -- red spring: 124mg salmon, chinook: 122mg onion powder: 122mg pecans: 121mg pistachio nuts: 121mg Rye: 121mg bay leaf: 120mg Milk, nonfat, instant: 117mg breadnuttree seeds: 115mg Millet: 114mg Rice flour, brown: 112mg Milk, buttermilk, dried: 110mg halibut: 107mg mackerel, Atlantic: 97mg salmon, chinook: 95mg Egg, white, dried: 88mg -- Egg substitute: 65mg pollock, Atlantic: 86mg Mollusks, whelk: 86mg whitefish: 85mg mackerel, Atlantic: 76mg pollock, walleye: 73mg Hummus: 71mg -- chickpea & sesame seed . anchovy, european: 69mg salmon, chum, dried: 68mg pollock, Atlantic: 67mg  turbot, european, cooked, dry heat: 65mg tuna: 64mg crab, alaska king: 63mg crab, queen: 63mg Whale, beluga, dried: 63mg cuttlefish: 60mg octopus: 60mg sockeye Salmon: 58mg pollock, walleye: 57mg crab, dungeness: 58mg scallop: 56mg sablefish: 71 or 55mg

]-2012.2.9

# DASH is low in:

saturated fat*, cholesterol*, and total fat**
. less red meat and added sugars .
*:
[. a dietary cholesterol warning may seem outdated,
but foods high in cholesterol often also have
a lot of arachidonic acid (relevant to cancer risk);
likewise, saturated fat can be found in healthy foods,
but the modern foods that are high in saturated fat
come from animals sickened by a grain-fed diet
that will make sick too from their flesh being
high in omega-6,
and low in omega-3 and CLA . 12.2.19:
. another possible source of sickness from meat
is an accumulation of fungal toxins from grains .]
**:
[. the need for less total fat is a myth;
monounsaturates are hormonally neutral,
so, mono'oils can safely replace
any non-essential carb's
(ie, you need some carb's just to
control the rate of ketogenesis,
and carb's are hard to avoid
if you want to get at all the great nutrients
that vegetables are offering:
12.1.15:
. most aging diseases could be avoided by most
if only all their carb's came from greens & beans .]

. you can do much for hypertension simply by
using mono'oils in place of all sugars and grains*
(my favorite mono'oil  is olive-oil
puréed with rosemary and vegetables)
*:
(one recommended grain product is
isolated rice protein).]

# DASH is too low in beans:

. among dietary choices, the use of legumes
(bean, peas, or doctored* soy)
is the leading predictor of long-lived health .
*: 12.2.10:
"(doctored) soy has been fermented
to remove cancer-causing anti-nutrients;
and includes copious amounts of fish oil
to balance the omega-6 oils in soy .
. if doctoring it via protein isolation,
beware excitotoxins .

# DASH is too high in popular pitfalls:

. the DASH diet suggests 6 slices of bread everyday,
which is ridiculous, even if assuming
that bread will be made with whole grains;
you should replace their entire grains menu
with other major sources of energy;
for example, there is plenty of energy
in the beans, greens & mono'oils
that your diet should be centered around anyway .
. most of my calories come from legumes
(beans, not soy or peanuts);
the beans with the highest-quality protein are:
# black turtle beans,
# red kidney beans .

. replace the DASH`milk products menu
with other sources of minerals:
seaweeds  and other greens .
. one great dairy product is
whey protein isolate;
it may enhance calcium absorption from greens,[12.2.12:
and I believe it will even keep me in the Zone,
if I suspend it in my bean soup .]

replace the DASH`[fats & oils].menu

with virgin mono'oils (avoid all margarines
-- there is no good partially hydrogenated veg'oil;
if you want a spreadable like margarine,
warm up an organic, minimally-processed,
extra-virgin coconut oil).
. if you look at their cholesterol lowering guide
you hear that trans fats can cause
unhealthy cholesterol levels;
when they suggest "(soft (tub) margarine)
in the DASH guide (what I'm reviewing here)
they are contrasting that with "(stick margarine)
-- it's the extent of hydrogenation that is
determining the hardness of margarine .
. that same report of theirs says
it's the high dietary intake of
sat'fats*, trans'fat, and cholesterol
that is your leading contributer to the
high rate of heart attacks (from
plaque burstings that clog the heart).
*: [12.2.19:
. the main sat'fats they've proven are harmful
are the ones increased by grain-feeding animals;
in contrast,
they have proven that coconut oil is healthy
if unrefined & virgin
rather than refined (creating trans fats).]
. some early studies showing risk from coconut oil
were in fact working with trans fats,
created from the process of
deodorizing mouldy coconut oil . [2012.2.9:
there are some inflammation issues,
but these are nullified with the use of fish oil .
. the clogging form of sat'fat is C16
-- that's the grease that carb's turn into --
and coconut fat is only 8% C16 .][12.2.19:
. in fact,
most of the warnings against eating fatty meat and dairy
have to do with grain-fed animals:
by contrast,
grass-fed, cold-climate fat is healthy .
. furthermore,
the only conditions under which
sat'fats cause heart attacks
is when mixing them with an
inflammatory diet:
high-glycemic, high omega-6 oils,
and low omega-3 oils,
wheat, dairy, saponins .]
[12.2.9:
. these modern poisons passing as food
will elicit chronic low level inflammation
via mechanisms that include
increased intestinal permeability
which leads to endotoxemia;
ie, leakage of LPS (lipo.poly.sachharides)
into blood stream from certain gut bacteria,
is upregulating inflammatory cytokines.

. without the modern diet,
C16's still form atherosclerotic lesions
but they are not likely to rupture
and thus won't form myocardial infarcts .
. they are ruptured from when
the chronic low level inflammation
is upregulating MMPs (metalloproteinases)
which then ruptures some of the fibrous caps
covering the atherosclerotic lesions .]

. furthermore, the main cause of heart disease
is the use of high-glycemic carb's and fructose;
recall the common warning that
being obese can worsen cholesterol levels,
while losing weight may help by
raising your HDL to LDL ratio,
and lowering your triglycerides .
. the implied connection there is
how insulin affects these parameters,
and how obesity is related to insulin .

. the primary cause of obesity is by
# first:
a liver that has become insulin resistance
from an excess of either
fructose (in table sugar, fruit juices)
or saturated fat (meat, dairy, eggs),
# and then:
pouring on the glucose
(grains, sugars, milk, fruit, potatoes)
which the body controls by raising insulin
but when there is insulin resistance
then too much insulin is released,
and too much energy is stored
-- even if you eat very little,
insulin resistance will store it
even when you're tired from lack of energy .

. finally, that same report on cholesterol
said this about mono'oils:
"( When used instead of saturated fat,
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
help lower blood cholesterol levels. )
-- [ but you don't want excess poly'oils
because they are chemically reactive,
and will accelerate the aging process;
therefore, the spotlight of that quote
should be seen as being on mono'oils . 12.2.19:
. fish oils are poly'oils,
but they too have a limit; therefore,
the only substantial energy source
that lowers cholesterol
would be the mono'oils .]
"( Total fat is the sum of saturated, trans,
mono- and poly-unsaturated fats in food.
Foods have a varying mix of these types.
The types of fat you eat
will have more to do with your LDL level
than the total fat you take in
—see above and pages 19–23. )
--[. that reference to pages 19–23
asserts without explanation that you should
keep total fat within 25–35 % of your calories;
but the reason they direct your there
is to clarify the statement:
"(The types of fat you eat
will have more to do with your LDL level
than the total fat you take in );
. they appear to have a problem with
getting at the truth about the safety of
a diet high in mono'oils;
I suspect the reason for that is
the usa`gov is either payed for by
agro' interests (grain and soy growers)
or they are concerned about costs: [12.2.19:
. the amount of social security they owe us
depends on the cost of living increases;
and, right now, the cost of food is dirt cheap
mainly because they dictate the use of grains
an minimal use of mono'oils .]
. can you imagine usa's welfare system
-- with no pop'control laws ?! --
paying for a high-mono'oil diet!?
. usa doesn't even produce mono'oils, does it?
Arizona, California, and Texas
do put out some olives .
California also puts out a lot of almonds
(if the bees hold out!). 12.2.9:
. but the cost very much depends on
demand relative to supply elasticity:
it's easy to ensure a huge supply of grain;
but the mono'oil supply is much more limited
and therefore expanding the demand
will drive up the costs dramatically .]

replace the DASH`sweets menu

with citric acid and mono'oils;
need some quick energy? [12.2.19:
. try performance enhancers
or contemplate sugar's health bills ]
. need a tasty work-time snack?
sublingual xylitol & green tea extract .

replace DASH`[lean meats & fatty fish].menu

with:
# molecularly distilled fishoil that is
3rd-party tested to remove mercury and dioxins,
# rice protein isolate,
# whey protein isolate,
# egg white powder,
# beans .
. don't bother reading nutrition labels;
look for organic and minimally processed:
read the ingredients .
. if you have to prepare it yourself,
and there's an organic label on it,
then it's pretty obvious what's in it .

notes

2011:

the DASH macronutrient rules:

11.10: 
. for the 2100-calorie diet:
mono'oils and efa's are 21% of calories
carb is 55% of calories
sat'fat is 6% of calories, and
protein is 18% of calories
(0.18* 2100cal * 1 g protein/4cal = 94g protein).
[12.12:
. that amount of protein assumes you're working out heavily;
a lean, sedentary male of 160lb (73kg)
needs no more than 60g protein;
so, to have protein be 18% of calories in that case,
the energy intake should be no more than
60g protein *(4cal/g protein) / 0.18 = 1333 calories .
. in the zone diet,
that 60 g protein should be mixed with
80g of carbs (24% of 1333 calories)
(or less carbs, depending on how insulin resistant you are);
so then the remaining 1333-(60+80)*4 = 773 calories
would be filled in with 85g mono'oil (almonds, olive oil).
. to get most of the fiber they recommend,
I start with 80g carb's worth of beans,
and then add pure proteins to get it into the zone .]

DASH`minerals:

1.5 g sodium -- can get more if sweating more .
4.7 g potassium
1.45 g calcium
0.5 g mg magnesium

DASH` min' amounts of food groups per day:
3 cup of whole grains (rice pasta or cereals)
--[they mean high-carb, high-protein,
and high-fiber (relative to nutrient density)
so why don't they include legumes here
instead of with the fatty nuts and seeds? ]
4 cup raw leafy veg ( 2 cup cooked)
4 medium fruits
2 cup yogurt or milk or 3oz cheese? [12.2.19:
. why don't they push the whey protein isolate on us,
and feed the cheese to the pigs?
more gov' worries about cost of living
driving up the cost of social security? ]
max of 12 egg`whites or 6 oz fish
-- weekly egg yolk < 4 (for cholesterol
     -- no mention of arachadonic acid)
max nuts and seeds: cup/4 (1 oz) nuts
0.357 cup beans or peas (measured dry)
-- look out! beans! (the GassyMan police).

co.apt: critique:

11.10: what a sad motley crew!
. did you see this collection of fats?!
. the dash diet's fat is max'd at 27% of calories;
and if you're trying to lose weight,
you're encouraged to start with fat reductions .
. the reason for encouraging low fat
is that the fats they are obligated to mention
include:
# 3tsp margarine (trans fats)
# 3tsp veg' oil (canola, corn, olive, safflower)
-- olive is just tossed in there;
why wouldn't they mention a preference for mono'oils ?
and 20years ago the zone diet was tagging canola
as the wrong place to high-dose omega-3 .
# 9tsp low-fat mayonnaise (soy oil, heavy on omeg-6)?!
. they do say to minimize sat and trans fats,
but they don't mention poly'oils or omega-6
as having strict limits .
# 36 tsp light salad dressing
-- does that vinegar & olive oil? here it is!

1 slice of bread 110...175 mg sodium
cup/2 canned beans 400 mg
-- uncanned 0... 5 mg
fresh fish or meats 30....90 .
-- if they are going to add salt
then you should balance it with potassium .
(the nutrition label thinks so too,
never noticed potassium there before;
and the DASH reminds us to get
high-potassium foods .
sweet potato 540
cup/2 spinach 290
cup/2 tmt 210
cup/2 kale 150
cup/2 kidney bean 360
cup/2 lentil 370
cup/3 almond 190
cup yogurt 370
3oz fish 200...400
3oz chicken 210

very cautious about legumes:

"(If you are allergic to nuts,
use seeds or legumes (cooked dried beans or peas).)
. also, for the variation in calories,
the legumes and nuts are treated like sweets:
for the 1600, 2600, 3100 calories
the doses are 3/7, 1, 1;
(for sweets it's 0, <2, <2 ).
-- for grains, it's 6, 10, 13 ! .
-- and those are whole grains they have in mind
30g of fiber full of anti-nutrients!
. what a nut house .

todo: compared to zone diet

. I should find out if they discredited the zone diet
or if, true to my suspicions,
they are concerned about the prospect of
healthy choices resulting in severe inflation
or shortages .
. when I walk into most sprawling usa grocery stores,
the non-toxic choices could fit in a closet:
some fresh veg, olive oil, rosemary, raw nuts,
dry beans, eggland's best eggs,
not much else, so how could you convert
all those grain fields into bean fields?
can you grow more olives here?

. they are mostly a Zone diet,
and the 2 studies that proved this diet helps
would also show how much the Zone helps .
. plus the Zone has some studies of its own,
and you could compare them .

one size fits all:

11.11:
. not just low eggs -- when high eggs might be good for kids --
but also everyone should get a majority of calories from
whole grains?
why would everyone want to eat grains
when the Zone diet cites studies refuting grain healthiness?!
the christian-oid gov could never afford welfare/social security
or be able to sustain the appearance of having no food inflation
if the food system replaced grains with beans; [12.2.19:
do you know how much more expensive eggs would be,
if chickens were fed cooked legumes instead of grains?
corn is dirt cheap compared to beans .]

TLC:

12.13:
. the gov's TLC diet does put a stiff limit on sugars,
and mentions the grains should be unrefined;
here they are, addressing the low-carb issue:
CARBS—Good, Bad, or What?

"( Carbs seem to be making a lot of news these days.
Are they good or bad—in fact, what are they?
They’re your body’s main source of energy.
They include fibers, starches, and sugars—in short,
everything from bagels to rice to pineapples to lima beans.
Even yogurt has carbohydrates.
But they can be broken down into two main types
— complex and simple.
Complex carbohydrates are just that
-- they have a more complex chemical structure
than simple carbohydrates.
Complex carbohydrates include starches and fiber.
Examples are cereals, pastas, rice, vegetables, and fruits.
Many are low in calories and high in fiber.
They’re a key part of a healthy eating plan.
Simple carbohydrates are sugars
and include candy and other sweets.
They tend to be high in calories and low in nutrients.
So reducing the amount of simple
sugars and sugar-containing beverages in your diet
can help you cut down on calories and lose weight.
Some diets tout a “low carb” solution to weight gain.
But the key to weight management is really calories,
not which foods they come from. )

--[*** SH-SH* alert ***
-- they themselves respect minimal sugars
and grains that are unrefined,
why would they then say it doesn't matter
where you get your calories from? ]

'( As with other sources of calories (fats and proteins),
carbohydrates make you gain weight
if you eat more calories than you use up.)

--[. but you wouldn't say some simple carbs
are more addictive than some complex carbs?
well they already know that right?
so, what about this TLC message
don't they already know? ]