Remember the new American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations that were recently announced as the “healthy” way we should all be eating? Riiiiiiiiiggght!
The previously next-to-impossible task of coming up with a sample daily menu (something the AHA has not provided to the public) is what made my fellow low-carb blogger and healthy nutrition activist Regina Wilshire move into action by putting her money where her mouth is. She has been dangling a $1,000 cash reward for the past month to the first person who could come up with a sample one-day menu that meets all the requirements set by the AHA. JUST ONE DAY, that’s it!
But now the AHA has decided to throw a curve ball in The Wilshire Challenge this week by adding a few more oddball specifics to an already ambiguous and convoluted list of dietary suggestions.
Here is a recap of the NEW suggestions made by the AHA:
Grains:
6-8 servings a day; half from whole grain sources
Vegetables:
4-5 servings a day
Fruits:
4-5 servings a day
Fat-free or low-fat dairy:
2-3 servings a day
Lean meats, poultry, seafood:
Less than 6-ounces (cooked) a day
Fats and oils:
2-3 servings a day
Nuts, seeds and legumes:
4-5 servings per week
Sweets and added sugars:
Less than 5 per week
Sigh. Doesn’t this just clear everything up for you now?! HA!
You know, I wonder why the AHA nutritionists have been so afraid to take Regina up on her challenge since they were the ones who came up with these brilliant dietary suggestions in the first place? Why have they been so silent and refused to even take advantage of this opportunity to silence a very vocal critic of their recommendations? Hmmm? It really makes you start to wonder.
In fact, according to this post at her “Weight of the Evidence” blog today, Regina reports that “none of the menus I’ve received comply with” what the AHA is expecting people to come up with on their own. How sad is that?! How the heck are all of us average, everyday Americans supposed to know how to make meals for our family if all these “experts” can’t even make ONE DAY’S worth of meals, much less a whole week or month?!
This is quite disturbing considering the fact that there have been some very high-profile and very well-trained professionals in the field of health and nutrition who have taken The Wishire Challenge are just kinda scratching their heads trying to manipulate the menu to make it accomodate what the AHA is suggesting AND keep it nutrient-dense. So far, they have ALL failed to do it. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!
But Regina is willing to give all of those who previously failed to provide an adequate menu to try, try again so they can incorporate these new standards that the AHA has mandated as an addendum to their previous suggestions. Of course, The Wilshire Challenge is still open to ANYONE who can come up with their own menu so take your best shot at it.
If you think you are up to the $1,000 Wilshire Challenge, then CLICK HERE to e-mail Regina a copy of your sample menu. GOOD LUCK (you’re gonna need it!) and be looking for Regina to respond to you with a yea or nay (including why it was rejected) regarding your submission. I’m anxious to see if ANYONE can actually do this. Come on, isn’t there ANYONE who can do this? ANYONE?!
AHA, do you see how incredibly impractical and arduous you have made this that we can even find ONE person who can adhere to the mandates you have placed on what constitutes a “healthy” diet? Doesn’t that tell you something?!?!?! It may be time to go back to the drawing board and figure out another way because clearly this one’s not working very well.
