Foods As Good As Your Heart Medicine

Richard Collins, MDSusan Buckley, RD

Sobering Statistics

• According to a new report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Americans from all socio-economic classes die sooner and seem to be sicker than people in other high-income countries.

• The United States was compared to 16 affluent democracies that include Australia, Canada, Japan, and many western European countries.

• Of the 17 countries included in the study, the U.S. ranked last for life expectancy at birth for men and No. 16 for life expectancy at birth for women

Sobering Statistics

• Specifically, we have significantly higher rates than other countries of infant mortality, injuries and homicides, adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS, drug-related deaths, obesity and diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease, and disability.

Sobering Statistics• Health behaviors. We're more likely to be

overweight, abuse drugs, be in traffic accidents involving alcohol, and be victims of violence and firearms. We're also less likely to use seatbelts.

• Physical environments. Our landscape is built around transportation via automobiles, leading to less physical activity and more obesity.

• This shows that while we know how to live longer, healthier lives, a large portion of our population is just not doing it. This advantage -- knowing what we should do -- seems to be used chiefly by people who take the time to educate themselves about healthy behaviors and have the economic means to act on their insights.

Healthy Diet

• Each year, at least 20 million people worldwide survive a heart attack or stroke

• People with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes are at increased risk of another event or new CVD event compared with healthy individuals

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• Drugs such as antiplatelet agents, statins, angiotensin modulators and beta blockers each reduce the risk of CVD by about one quarter and their combined effects are substantial

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• Lots of epidemiological studies have shown a lower risk of developing CVD in people eating a healthy diet

• Very few studies of diet quality and CVD outcomes in people with established CVD

• Does a healthy diet have additive benefits in addition to drug treatment in preventing a second heart attack?

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• Research published in Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association, in December 2012

• 5- year study of almost 32,000 people

• Average age 66• Involved 40 countries

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• The study looked at people who had suffered a heart attack or stroke or had type 2 diabetes and were thought to be getting the best medicine possible

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• Those who ate a heart-healthy diet had:• 35% reduction in risk of cardiovascular death• 14% reduction in risk for new heart attack• 28% reduction in risk for congestive heart

failure• 19% reduction in risk for stroke• These % are in addition to drug benefits in

lowering risk of secondary event

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• Researchers used Food Frequency Questionnaires

• Participants were asked “In the last 12 months how often did you eat foods from each food category”

• They did not ask about portion size• Researchers measured intake of:

vegetables, fruits, nuts, soy protein, whole grains, deep-fried foods, and ratio of fish to meat, eggs, poultry, and alcohol intake

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• Of the 31,546 people in the study: • 5,190 experienced a CV death,

heart attack or stroke or went into congestive heart failure

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• Researchers observed a significantly reduced risk of CV death, heart attack, stroke or congestive heart failure with increased intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, legumes, soy protein, and higher intake of fish relative to meat, poultry and eggs

• Increased risk with greater intake of meat, poultry and eggs

• Researchers found a heart-healthy diet offered a “consistent benefit” over and above the benefits of taking medications to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Healthy Eating

• Those people in the study eating the healthier diets tended to:

• Be older• Be less likely to smoke• Consume more alcohol• Be more active• Have a lower BMI

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• Researchers stated:• “It is a very common misconception

that medications for heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular problems will solve or cure the issues at hand.”

• The medications give patients a false sense of protection and security!

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• Even if someone is taking medications, eating a lot of bad foods - like saturated or trans fats, fast and junk foods, red and processed meats, sweets and refined and processed foods – will still wreak havoc in the body

• These foods increase inflammation, contributing to the deregulation of sugar and insulin and to the exacerbation of the cardiovascular diseases

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• It is important to consider our food as medicine and be as thoughtful and dedicated to healthy eating as we are to taking prescribed medications

• Researchers concluded, “Physicians should advise their high-risk patients to improve their diet and eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish. This could substantially reduce cardiovascular recurrence beyond drug therapy alone and save lives globally.”

Healthy Diet

• Protective Foods:• Vegetables: Leafy green

vegetables, cooked and raw vegetables

• Serving: 1 cup raw, ½ cup cooked• Shoot for 5 servings a day

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• Tips for eating more vegetables: • Pick up pre-washed bags of salad

greens and spinach• Choose no-chop veggies like baby

carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, pre-cut celery and sugar snap peas

• Make a big salad for several days• Use frozen veggies!

Healthy Diet

• Eat twice the servings of vegetables as starches per meal: 2 cups veggies for every 1 cup rice, potato, or pasta

• Eat 2 or more meatless, vegetable-rich meals per week. Meatless Mondays!

• Drink low-sodium tomato juice as a snack• Add vegetables to sandwiches – try onion,

bell peppers, bean sprouts, broccoli sprouts, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, etc.

• Add salsa to your dishes!

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• Use lots of low-sodium canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste in soups, stews, casseroles, spaghetti. Also POM tomatoes

• Roast veggies in a 400 degree oven for great caramelized flavor: spritz yams, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc. with olive oil/spices and bake 30-40 minutes

• Stir-fry! Use fresh or bagged broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc

• Mash carrots and cauliflower into mashed potatoes or mashed butternut squash

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• Buy frozen bags of vegetables; thaw and stir-fry with chicken or lean ground beef or tofu/edamame. Add a sauce.

• Add peas, carrots, celery, onion, green pepper, mushrooms to casseroles and mixed dishes and stews

• Make spinach or broccoli dips, using yogurt or cottage cheese as base

• Make a veggie pizza with whole grain crust

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• Fruit: Includes all fruit and natural fruit juice

• Watch the fruit juice – high in sugar• Serving: 1 cup berries, 1 apple,

orange, pear, etc. ¾ cup juice, ¼ cup dried

• Shoot for 2-4 servings/day

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• Tips for eating more fruit• Buy fruit!!• Choose fresh fruit in season when it is

less expensive and more flavorful• Frozen fruits are wonderful too• Bring an apple, pear, orange with you

to work or on errands• Mix small amounts of dried fruit/nuts

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• Have a snack of fruit and nuts; apple and 10 almonds, pear and walnut halves, banana and peanut butter

• Have fruit for dessert drizzled with dark chocolate

• Add diced fruit to tuna salad: apple or grapes

• Add apples, pears, oranges to tossed salads• Puree frozen fruit and pour over yogurt;

heat and pour over pancakes

Healthy Diet

• Whole grains: whole wheat flour, cracked wheat, brown/wild rice, corn, oats, couscous, barley, whole wheat pasta

• Serving: 1 slice bread, ½ cup cooked grains, 1 small potato, ½ cup corn/beans

• 3-6 servings/day

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• Nuts/Seeds: Peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, walnuts

• Serving: 1 oz nuts, 2 Tbsp nut butter

• 1 serving/day

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• Soy Protein: Soy milk, tofu, soybeans, textured vegetable protein

• Serving: 3 oz tofu, ½ cup edamame, 1 cup soymilk

• 1-2 servings/day

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• Fish: fresh-water and sea-water fish, canned fish, shellfish and crustaceans

• Serving size: 4-5 oz• 3-5 servings/week

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• Increased risk with greater intake of meat, poultry and eggs

• Meat/poultry: beef, pork, lamb, mutton, goat, veal, rabbit, chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, liver and sausages

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• Eggs: Chicken, duck

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• Remember: Your choices matter . . . • Treat yourself well• Cook well, live long!

•Let’s Get Cooking!