The Skinny

Diet Dilemma – So many to choose, but which one is the right one for me?

With so many diets out there, how do you pick which one is right for you?

Not a lot of people know that losing weight is 80% nutrition and 20% fitness. So picking the right plan for you is essential. Here are 3 diet plans that are good for your heart.

The Dash Diet

This diet has all-around healthiness and benefits for the heart. DASH improves health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and its associated with lowering risks for some types of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and heart failure. When combined with increased levels of cardiovascular and muscle-building exercises, the diet is particularly effective.

This plan is pretty straightforward — it included eating lots of fruits and vegetables. It also features low fat and nonfat dairy, nuts, seeds, and beans. So of course this means that processed foods, fatty meats, and full-fat dairy isn’t a part of the diet. If you add plenty of fiber rich vegetables it’ll add bulk, provide satiation, and reduce cravings. Ano ther important part is to eat lean proteins and foods containing heart-healthy fats such as avocado or olive oil.

The Pamm Diet

This diet combines the best of the diet traditionally followed by the people on the Greek island of Crete, known as the Mediterranean diet, with aspects of the diet common on the Asian side of the Pacific Rim. This Pan-Asian modified Mediterranean diet is excellent for promoting heart health. The Key features are an abundance of essential fatty acids from vegetables and fish and a reduction in other animal fats. Plenty of leafy vegetables and whole grains are also important to promote good nutrition and increase feelings of fullness.

The Engine 2 Diet

This diet, like the others, does center around being “plant strong”, however, unlike the others, this diet is said to reverse the diseases caused by the so-called Standard American Diet, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer, according to Engine 2 Diet creator Rip Esselstyn, a firefighter, former professional athlete and medical scion. You’ll also lose weight, increase lean muscle mass, sharpen your mind and energize your body.

Restock your kitchen with whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits

T he four-week program is as follows: Week one, dump dairy and processed foods; week two, rid your diet of all animal products, including fish and eggs; week three, ditch added oil; and week four, stay with the program. The book supplies weekly meal planners to help cadets navigate the four-week challenge. However, these planners, which recommend dishes from the book’s recipe section, are only suggestions for those who want extra help.

Now that we have looked at some of these plans, your homework is to figure out which one is the right choice for you and your lifestyle.  You might want to discuss them with your primary care physician and see what he or she has to say.