Seventy percent of residents are treated with various prescription medi­cations for these conditions. Just about all of them have been told by their physicians to lower consumption of salt and saturated fat, increase intake of fruits and vegetables. This is in your hands, dietary manager! In most cases your residents are not preparing their own meals, you are the one entrusted with this. This article will give you a few tips on what you can do to take an active role in improving your residents’ health.

What is DASH?

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. DASH is an eating plan that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat. DASH em­phasizes fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods and includes whole grain products, fish, poultry and nuts. It is reduced in red meat, sweets and sugar-containing beverages. DASH is rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium, protein and fiber.

How to Lower Calories

The DASH eating plan was not designed to promote weight loss. But it is rich in lower calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing higher calorie foods with more fruits and veg­etables—and that also will make it easier for you to reach your DASH goals.

Here are some examples:

To increase fruits

Offer a medium apple instead of four shortbread cookies. You’ll save 80 calories. Offer 1/4 cup of dried apricots instead of a 2-ounce bag of pork rinds. You’ll save 230 calories.

To increase vegetables

Offer a hamburger that’s 3 ounces of meat instead of 6 ounces. Add 1/2 cup serving of carrots and 1/2 cup serving of spinach. You’ll save more than 200 calories. Instead of 5 ounces of chicken, serve a stir-fry with 2 ounces of chicken and 11/2 cups of raw vegetables. Use a small amount of vegetable oil. You’ll save 50 calories.

To increase lowfat or fat free dairy products

Offer a 1/2 cup serving of low fat frozen yogurt instead of a 11/2-ounce milk chocolate bar. You’ll save about 110 calories.

And don’t forget these calorie-saving tips

• Use lowfat or fat free condiments.

• Use half as much vegetable oil, soft or liquid margarine, or salad dressing, or choose fat free versions.

• Choose low fat or fat free dairy products to reduce total fat intake.

• Check the food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods-items marked low fat or fat free are not always lower in calories than their regular versions.

• Limit foods with lots of added sugar, such as pies, flavored yogurts, candy bars, ice cream, sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.

• Serve fruits canned in their own juice.

• Add fruit to plain yogurt. For snacks, offer fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or bread sticks.

• Offer plenty of water or club soda.

Tips To Reduce Salt and Sodium

• Use reduced sodium or no-salt-added products. For example, choose low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods and condiments when available.

• Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned with “no-salt-added” vegetables. Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed types.

• Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium. Limit cured foods (such as bacon and ham), foods packed in brine (such as pickles, pickled vegetables, olives, and sauerkraut), and condiments (such as MSG, mustard, horseradish, catsup, and barbecue sauce).

• Limit even lower sodium versions of soy sauce and teriyaki sauce—treat these condiments as you do table salt.

• Use spices instead of salt.

• In cooking and at the table, flavor foods with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, or salt-free seasoning blends. Start by cutting salt in half.

• Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt.

• Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.

• Choose “convenience” foods that are lower in sodium.

• Cut back on frozen dinners, mixed dishes such as pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings-these often have a lot of sodium.

• Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.

All dietary departments have strict budgets to follow. You might think that some of the above mentioned changes might put you over budget. Dedicate a few hours to reviewing your budget, areas where you might be able to save some money and be able to afford the fresh fruits and vegetables.
Consult your food wholesaler;ask him or her how they could assist you in making these changes while staying within your budget. If you are still having problems after a budget review and the input of the wholesaler, do not hesitate to approach your administrator and director of nursing. If you are making changes in your department with the residents’ well being and health in mind they are most likely to out of their way to assist you in these efforts. (Maybe even increase your budget!)