To find out if you’re in the 80 percent of people who can control high blood pressure or cholesterol with diet alone, get your current numbers from your doctor. follow mine Show me! diet For only two weeks, Then have your doctor check your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure again.
The only foods you can find on the SHOW ME! Diet includes oatmeal for breakfast and whole grain salads for lunch and dinner (see recipe below). You don’t have to go hungry because you decide on the portion size. Don’t fill yourself up, eat until you’re comfortably full and satisfied. If you prefer small meals and snacks frequently, that’s fine too; Just divide up your salads and eat as often as you like. You can eat oatmeal at other times of the day if you wish.
Instructions for breakfast: Use long-boil oatmeal (rolled, steel-cut oatmeal Scottish or Irish style). Don’t use quick-cooking or instant varieties. To save time, cook a large batch — enough for several days or a week — according to package directions. Store leftovers in a refrigerator container and reheat each daily portion in a microwave bowl.
Season your oatmeal with a little cinnamon or nutmeg, and add a handful of raisins or other dried fruit to the pot, if desired. You can also add fresh fruit — up to a cup of your choice of fruit — but eat the fruit With the oatmeal, not alone as a snack. If you like milk on your oatmeal, use skim milk, fat-free yogurt, or low-fat soy milk or other vegetarian milk. Don’t drink it as a drink; This is just for your oatmeal.
Note: If for some reason you can’t eat oatmeal, substitute brown rice or another whole grain that’s seasoned and served the same way as oatmeal. Look for brown rice with at least 3 grams of fiber. Or try Kashi Breakfast Pilaf, a whole-grain mix that’s widely available and delicious.
Beverages: Beverages for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between meals must NOT contain any calories. Use water (plain, flavored, or sparkling; tap water is fine), tea, or any other non-caloric beverage you like.
Once you’ve proven to yourself and your doctor that you can control your blood pressure and cholesterol with diet, you need to learn how to follow that type of diet for the rest of your life. Visit my website for the research behind this program, full guides, menus, and dozens of recipes that will show you that this way of eating is not only easy, but delicious and satisfying.
Mix & Match salad recipe
Mix & Match salads are whole meals in a salad bowl. Start with any lettuce or lettuce leaves you like and add ANY other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and other foods from the list below. Try to get several different bright colors in the bowl, including something red, orange, or yellow. Here is just one example:
2 romaine lettuce hearts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 10-ounce grape tomatoes (tiny).
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 3-ounce can red salmon
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning mix or to taste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or light wine vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl and serve.
2-3 servings
This is just one of endless possible combinations. Start with 3-4 cups of lettuce leaves per person. Then add desired amount of vegetables, whole grains, beans, fruits, spices, and seasonings. You can also add limited amounts of the following ingredients:
Seafood – 6 ounces maximum (2 3-ounce servings) per day
Cheese – 1 ounce dry (low-fat) cheese, counts as a milk serving, max 3 per day
Nuts and Seeds – maximum 1/4 cup (2 servings of 2 tablespoons) per day
Oils – Up to 1 tablespoon olive oil in your dressing if you like, or use your favorite low-calorie bottle dressing
Use your Mix & Match salads twice a day on the Show me! dietor whenever you desire a simple, healthy meal.
Thanks to Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
