Patient's page.

Diet and Heart Disease 

If you are concerned about heart disease, you probably know that you should cut back on your fat intake, especially saturated and trans fats. In fact, the statistics linking heart disease with saturated fat intake are staggering. Replacing 5% of saturated fat consumption with unsaturated fat reduces the risk of coronary disease by a whopping 42%, and replacing only 2% of calorie intake with unsaturated, unhydrogenated fats results in an estimated risk reduction of 53%.

So, what are saturated and unsaturated fats? Basically, saturated fats are animal in origin and are usually solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are vegetable in origin and are generally liquid at room temperature. Trans fats, also called hydrogenated fats, are often used to increase the shelf life of commercial food products. Trans fats should be avoided, along with saturated fats, as they have been found to increase cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.

   Saturated fats         Unsaturated fats

bacon      whole milk   sunflower seeds  fish
beef       butter       peanut oils      nuts
cream      pork         corn             soybeans
hamburger  coconut oil  avocados         olive oil
cheese     lamb

Following these simple dietary modifications will lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension:

* Replace red meat with fish at least twice a week, especially mackerel, salmon and albacore tuna.

* Replace white bread with whole grain bread.

* Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin C.

* Eat more nuts.

* Switch from vegetable oil to canola oil or olive oil

* Replace butter with soft margarine.

* Avoid processed food as much as possible, especially french fries, doughnuts, crackers and cookies.

* Avoid fried fast food.

* Read food labels--avoidance of trans fats and saturated fats will make a tremendous difference in your overall health, not to mention your appearance!

Diet and Cancer

While the research is not as complete in regard to diet and cancer, many of the above guidelines will also reduce your risk of developing cancer. Specifically, studies have found that high consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, lung, stomach, large intestine, larynx, pancreas, breast and bladder. Studies have also shown that eating red meat and meat cooked at high temperatures is associated with an increased risk of colon and pancreatic cancer.

Diet and Diabetes

The relationship between obesity and diabetes is well known. However, there are also dietary factors that may lead to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, regardless of weight. Studies reveal that a diet high in sugar-sweetened soft drinks, refined grains, diet soft drinks, red meat and processed meat, but low in wine, coffee, and some vegetables, are associated with increased risk. In addition, high levels of saturated fat in the diet are associated with a greater risk for developing glucose intolerance or diabetes.

Diet and Hypertension

The following modifications have been proven to lower blood pressure:

* Increase fruits and vegetables

* Attain or maintain a healthy weight

* Reduce the amount of salt in your diet

* Maintain appropriate levels of calcium and magnesium

* Exercise regularly

Diet contributes either directly or indirectly to 7 of the top 10 causes of death in the United States. A few simple modifications in your diet now could lead to a 10-year increase in life expectancy.

From "What Should We Eat? Evidence from Observational Studies." By Stephen Adams and John Standridge, Southern Medical Journal, July 2006.

The information on this page was compiled by the Editorial Office of the Southern Medical Journal, Johnson City, TN. Please feel free to photocopy this page and share it with your patients.

Jennifer McKinney, MA