Jennifer Koslo Phd Rd Cssd

First things first: DASH is an acronym that stands for “dietary approaches to stop hypertension.” The basic idea is this: more fruits and vegetables on your dinner plate, less red meat and salt. Easier said than done, right? Hence, the need for this book. Koslo, a Registered Dietitian, takes the reader by the hand and guides him or her through three introductory chapters. Chapter 1, “Starting Fresh,” is a primer on high blood pressure, what DASH is all about and what kind of outcomes to expect. Chapter 2, “Going DASH, The Easy Way,” contains a five-step plan to change one’s eating habits for the better, and admittedly, this is going to take some will power, but which would you rather have: a fridge and panty filled with healthy food choices or a medicine cabinet overflowing with high blood pressure pills? Chapter 3 is about planning, period. As the author notes, “To help you get started with the DASH diet, this chapter contains a 21-day sample DASH meal plan complete with weekly shopping lists and a basic pantry list” (page 31). Sometimes the hardest part of making a change is just getting organized, and this section not only streamlines the process, but helps cut down on the amount of decision making you’ll need to do.
The bulk of the book consists of individual recipes based on the principles discussed in the aforementioned chapters. These are organized by type of entrée, such as poultry and seafood/beef and pork/snacks and deserts and so on. Each one begins with an introductory paragraph giving the reader a snapshot of the health benefits of the ingredients involved, which are listed in a column on the left hand side of the page. Instructions form a column on the right hand side. Many recipes include a shaded text box with tips on substituting or making preparation/cooking easier. Other tidbits include prep time, cooking time and number of servings.
Despite having a number of advanced degrees (Ph.D. in education, double master’s in exercise science and human nutrition), Koslo writes in a conversional tone, and clearly explains any necessary technical verbiage. One quibble is that this book is pretty light on illustrations. It would have been nice to have had photos of each prepared dish, but that likely would have added to the cost of the volume. Be that as it may, this compact tome is logically laid out and easy to read, therefore this book should be on the kitchen book shelf of anyone who wishes to eat a healthier home cooked meal.
Review by Michael F. Bemis… (meer)