Having hypertension myself, I've followed the DASH Diet for years. I found this edition, The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution to be a wonderful resource blending the two diets. It's well laid out and has some really good recipes included.

There are many diet and eating plans everywhere! I was looking for something that would help me with my weight and also improve my health as I’m getting older and my health is becoming a bigger concern to me. I also love food and don’t want to feel deprived. I was really intrigued by The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution by Marla Heller, MS, RD. I have dappled a bit into Mediterranean meals and that is what grabbed my attention first. I had never heard of the DASH Diet and I can’t believe it. As I read this book I did more research into the DASH Diet and learned that it is the leading recommended way of eating by doctors and nutritionists as it reduces inflammation, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.

The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution did a great job providing information on both the DASH Diet and the Mediterranean Diet and the benefits from both. Heller explains the benefits of combining the two diets and how they compliment each other. I didn’t feel the information was over my head and I really learned a lot. Heller gives a great pep talk on why we should be healthy and it was just what I needed to start off the new year. There was also a lot of focus on what to include in eating instead of what to limit. I loved this and have not felt sad about all the things I shouldn’t be eating. Instead I’m able to just focus on what I get to include. The last half of the book includes eating plans, recipes and how to use the DASH Mediterranean diet in your everyday eating - even when eating out or at parties.

I found this book really useful and manageable. The information was easy to understand and motivated me to be more aware of what I eat. I loved the eating plans and recipes and I’m excited to implement better eating into my new year.

I wrote about this title on my blog and will provide details and a link in the next section when I can provide the publisher with my opinion.

This title is the latest in a collection of Dash Diet offerings by the author. This one melds the diet's basis with the highly recommended Mediteranean Diet. The organization and information are clear and helpful. Abundant recipes in the last third of the book sound appealing, and useful charts add to the value and ease of implementing the program.

I love this update to the DASH diet. Originally a program to lower blood pressure, the DASH diet has always been a healthy approach to eating. Now this book couples it with the super-healthy Mediterranean way of eating. I enjoyed reading about the updates of more fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood and also browsing through the section of healthy menus for everyone. A welcome addition to the new year for a guide to healthy eating.

The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution by Marla Heller is available from Grand Central Publishing. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

THE DASH DIET MEDITERRANEAN SOLUTION by Marla Heller is another new text dealing with diet and lifestyle. Heller’s subtitle is "The Best Eating Plan to Control Your Weight and Improve Your Health for Life." She explains that DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and discusses numerous "myths" and sayings (e.g., Eat Less Move More) that she finds counter-productive. Instead, Heller suggests various "good" fats like olive oil or omega-3 fish oils, the importance of protein in maintaining muscle, and the benefits of replacing "empty carbs" so as to lower blood pressure. She stresses "eating mostly unprocessed foods, such as yogurt, cheeses, milk, and frozen vegetables and fruit." I do hope to try a couple of her suggested recipes (no images available) like Roasted Vegetable Salad and Pollo alla Griglio. I was especially curious about her encouraging comments about strength training until I realized that she was recommending a text that had been published more than two decades ago. Overall, Heller's text is easy to understand although I found her suggestions to be a bit oversimplified (e.g., "add lean, protein-rich foods to satisfy your hunger") without specific examples and lacking footnoted research (there are charts near the end and a limited bibliography). Diet and disease clearly have a complicated relationship and there is still much to learn.

This book has a ton of information about adding a Mediterranean twist to the DASH diet. By combining the two diets, the author gives us what we should eat and makes the food interesting enough to actually follow it. She addresses the different body functions, why/how they are caused and how to avoid these symptoms and diseases.

For instance, she states, “There is a direct relationship between the mix of bacteria in the gut and the amount of systemic inflammation in the body.” Then goes on to discuss how beneficial microbes can reduce inflammation.

As stated in Chapter 5, this book is not about losing weight but emphasizes relearning to eat. This involves eating for pleasure. I thought not eating was beneficial in weight loss but the author says that the reader should emphasize what foods to include and embrace not wallowing in what you cannot have. I also learned that the protein bar I am eating every morning is actually a detriment to a healthy lifestyle instead of a benefit.

I found a tremendous amount of information in this book. The recipes are a bit complicated because they involve the use of spices or ingredients that may not be found in the mainstream kitchen. If you enjoy cooking, you need to try the recipes contained in this book. If not, don’t worry about the recipes, concentrate on the useful information provided by the author.


I received an eBook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinions or ratings of this book.

The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution has many samples of recipes to follow with diet plan for more than two weeks. The recipes are so refreshing.

I have never heard of Tabil which is a Tunisian five spice blend, Sweet potato Hummus., domatosalata

There are recipes with a nice twist to the simple foods like lentil with sumac.

You learn a lot about nutrition too.

Health-minded.

The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution by Marla Heller is a reference guide to healthy eating. The book has so much information that you will find yourself reading and rereading portions because you can't possibly retain all the important information. I found myself underlining, flagging and corner folding the portions I would go back to over and over again.
This diet is really a method for life eating. It involves changing the way you look at food and eating properly. While most diets are tasteless this diet has lots of flavor. Having flavor and not feeling deprived or hungry is the key to weight loss and maintenace. I believe that this diet is worth a try. It seems like it could be used for a lifetime. Mediterranean Food is has been shown to be extremely healthy and reduces inflamation, high blood pressure and other ailments.
I would recommend this book as it is straightforward and easily implemented.
I would like to thank the publisher, Marla Heller and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I found this book super informative. I've always been interested in the DASH way of eating, but never really had a great blueprint for it. This book changed all that. This book focuses on healthy eating and portion control with some dark chocolate and wine thrown in for good measure! This isn't a fad diet. It's a way of life.

Love this book. Helpful and thorough. A great addition to anyone pursuing the DASH diet. Author is knowledgeable. It was nice to read and have a diet book in hand that can actual help you walk the path of following the diet. The DAS Diet was recommended to me by my doctor. I’ve read a number of them but this is now at the top of my list.

I’ve heard many wonderful things about this way of eating, but I’ve never tried it. I was interested in learning more about it, and I found this book to contain numerous helpful tips and various ideas to implement. The author outlines reasons why this is a good meal plan, and there are a number of recipes to check out. This “diet” is plugged as being good for people with hypertension (high blood pressure), so if you are in that category, you may want to check this out. (Some of the information on that front cause things to stall a bit, but if you focus on the recipes, etc., you can find useful things in this book.)

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

I ve always believed that this style of eating was the healthiest and most tenable long term.. Gave me the incentive to try it again and get my friends to do the same... which will make things easier.. Some helpful tips and ideas.

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  Hypertension is high blood pressure and it is an issue for many people. This book would be a good reference for someone with hypertension. I felt like there was too much information and that it was not presented in an easy to read, easy to understand format.  I felt like it dragged on and on about different diets and why the DASH diet was best and then went into all kinds of health issues.  I found myself getting anxious about certain health conditions.  I did think the De-Bunking Myths part was good and I liked how it went into how Americans eat too much protein.  I wish it had gone more into the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

If you have hypertension, you may like this book.  If not, it's a lot of information to get through.