Lynn Sonberg - Foods that combat heart disease: the nutritional way to a healthy heart

Foods That

The Nutritional Way
to a Healthy Heart

LYNN SONBERG

Foreword by JULIUS N. TORELLI, M.D., Consulting Editor

This book was written as a source of information only. The information contained in this book should by no means be considered a substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional, who should always be consulted before beginning any new diet, exercise or other health program.

All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this book as of the date published. The author and the publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.

Heart disease takes the lives of nearly three thousand Americans every day! There are more than sixty-four million sufferers of this dreaded ailment in the United States alone! But there is an easy way to dramatically reduce the risk for men and women alike: eating foods that strengthen your bodys defenses so you can stop heart disease before it starts!

This invaluable book tells you how.

Understanding the new food pyramid

Distinguishing between harmful and helpful fatschoosing the right fats that actually protect the heart

Replacing refined carbohydrates that wreak havoc on the bodys insulin levels with heart-friendly whole grains

What to look for on food labels

Charts and tables, recipes and food preparation tips, and an essential nutrition counter to help you win the battle against heart disease

D id you know that if we eliminated all major forms of heart disease wed live an average of seven years longer?

Seven years.

Heart disease kills. Right now, more than 64 million Americans suffer from it, and each day nearly three thousand Americans will lose their lives to it. Thats more than the next five leading causes of death combined. Not to mention the fact that, although heart disease was once thought to be primarily a mans disease, heart disease is currently the number-one killer of both men and women. Yet the symptoms often differ by sex, as do the causes and the average age of onset. Women, for example, often experience their first major cardiovascular event ten years later in life than men.

What isnt different, however, is what you can changeand thats your diet. Whether youre male or female, the most dramatic prevention of heart disease (and of recurrent heart attack and stroke) starts with your diet. And while many of you may already feel too full of information about what and what not to eat, in order to maximize heart health you really do need to take stock of the heart-healthy foods available to you. Foods That Combat Heart Disease gives you the right information in the right contextinformation that until now youd be hard-pressed to find in one easy-to-use, quick reference.

With one in four of us now suffering from it (and 40 percent of us dying from it), its important to first understand what heart disease is, and what causes it. Also called cardiovascular disease, or CVD, heart disease doesnt just mean heart attack, nor does it refer only to one single disease or condition. Under the umbrella term of cardiovascular disease youll also find stroke, as well as a whole gamut of health issues, including peripheral vascular disease, or, simply, blood circulation disease. Peripheral vascular disease occurs when there is an obstruction of blood flow to the limbs (arms, legs, and feet), which creates cramping, pain, or numbness.

Its possible to be born with heart defects leading to some types of CVD, but in most people CVD develops over time. Conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels include the following.

• high blood pressure (this restricts blood flow to the heart)
• high cholesterol (this can lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries)
• type 2 diabetes, or insulin resistance (this can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke fivefold)

Types of cardiovascular diseases or conditions you might have heard of include the following.

• angina (chest pain caused by deficient blood flow to the heart muscle);
• arteriosclerosis (a hardening of the arteries, also known as coronary-artery disease)
• atherosclerosis (a narrowing of the arteries due to fatty deposits, known as plaque)
• congestive heart failure (a weakened heart thats no longer pumping well, which leads to a backup, and severe fluid retention, called edema)

A landmark international study that involved 262 scientists, 29,000 participants, 52 countries, and a decade of research (published in The Lancet in September 2004) reached some striking conclusions; namely, that 90 percent of the risk factors for heart disease were preventable. The risk factors were ranked according to level of importance, and the complete list is as follows: 1) a bad cholesterol profile, 2) smoking; 3) diabetes, 4) high blood pressure, 5) abdominal obesity, 6) stress, 7) inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, and 8) lack of exercise.

This study definitively proves that poor diet in particular can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetesall of which greatly increase your chances of dying from a heart attack or stroke. No one is saying its easy, but everyone agrees that you can change your diet. So the good news is that overall risk factors for heart disease are within your control. And the first step in taking control is changing your diet.

Of course changing your diet wont eliminate other risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking or not exercising (called a sedentary lifestyle). And it wont eliminate the high stress (leading to high blood pressure) that most of us cope with on a daily basis. But it can arm your body with vital nutrients for a healthier heart in spite of other risk factors, helping to offset the damage these other factors may cause.

Now thats good news.

Foods that Combat Heart Disease is designed to help you gain the advantage and take charge of what you can control to stop heart disease before it starts. If youre recovering from a heart attack or stroke, or are suffering from one of the many problems associated with CVD, the strategies outlined in this book will also help you avoid recurrent episodes, and improve your health in the long term.

So read on. Whether youre a newly health conscious consumer or a heart disease sufferer, this book will tell you what you need to knowin plain languageand in a remarkably easy-to-use format. Youll learn about the foods that adversely affect your heart, and youll also find more than 2,000 brand name and basic food alternatives, along with the heart-healthy nutrients found in these foods, based on serving size. In addition, youll learn how to shop for the best heart-healthy foods, and how to store and prepare them to make the most of their nutrients. With three full days of menus and easy-to-prepare recipes, youll also learn how to plan your daily diet to maximize heart health.

For life.

Are you ready to fight heart disease with every meal? Turn the pageyoull very quickly learn how!

Julius Torelli, M.D.

Director, Integrative Cardiology Center
High Point, North Carolina

T he evidence is in. You can dramatically reduce your odds of getting heart disease by watching what you put on your plate. Even people with advanced heart disease can actually eliminate their need for surgery by following a heart-healthy diet.