Key points included:

• Sugar loaded foods that aren’t sweet,
• Green leafy heart protection,
• Spiritual aspects of healthy nutrition
• What makes a grain whole?
• Whole grains on parade
• Nuts to your heart health
• What doctors are (not) learning about nutrition
• What the Gaples Institute is doing about it

Dr. Bonow received his MD degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.  He has authored or co-authored more than 460 published papers and 100 book chapters.  He serves on the editorial boards of 10 medical journals and is one of the four editors of Braunwald’s Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Why would calcium in supplements act differently from that in food? The answer is unclear, but is likely due to the high concentration of calcium in pill form that triggers a sharp rise in blood levels. This rapid calcium shift is believed to contribute to plaque buildup and blood clots.

To be sure, studies linking calcium supplements and heart risk are conflicting. Some report no link to heart disease, others show problems only in the absence of Vitamin D, and still others found risk in only in men.  Still, given the growing number of concerning studies, it seems best to get the calcium you need from food instead of supplements whenever possible.

How much calcium do you need? Most experts believe that adults should have about 1,200 mg/day. Circumstances vary so check with your doctor for the best amount for you.

The million-dollar question: If 1,200 mg/day of calcium is your goal, how could you get that from food? See below for a sample daily diet strategy to obtain the calcium you need (divided for both omnivores and vegans):

Sample Omnivore Strategy for Daily Calcium Needs:

Greek yogurt (non-fat, 1 cup): 250 mg

Skim milk (1 cup): 300 mg

Soy milk (1 cup): 300 mg

Salmon (3 oz canned with bones) alternate daily with cheese (1 slice): both 200 mg

Kale (1 cup raw): 90 mg

Orange (1 medium): 60 mg

Omnivore Calcium Total: 1200 mg /day

Sample Vegan Strategy for Daily Calcium Needs:

Soy yogurt (1 cup): 500 mg

White beans (1 cup): 160 mg

Soy milk (1 cup): 300 mg

Kale (1 cup raw): 90 mg

Turnip greens (1 cup raw): 100 mg

Orange (1 medium): 50 mg

Vegan Calcium Total: 1200 mg/day

Experiential Nutrition Education for Doctors (see text)

stories-in large part due to the background material supplied by the Gaples Institute.

Doctors want to do the very best possible for their patients. Surprisingly, however, they are not supplied the tools when it comes to nutrition.

The average medical student receives 20 hours of nutrition education in total during 4 years of medical school-much of which takes place in the first 2 years when the focus is biochemistry. It only gets worse in later training. Shockingly, nutrition education is not part of the required curriculum for doctors in training in many specialties-including cardiology!

The Gaples Institute is working to change that. We are partnering with others to develop innovative educational programs for doctors, including an experiential program where cardiologists in training first attend a nutrition presentation and then are guided by a gourmet chef in the preparation of heart healthy food (see picture from the event).

We have more work to do until our health care system embraces  a true integrative approach-emphasizing nutrition and lifestyle-combined with the best in conventional medicine. But we are making progress!

Stephen Devries, MD

Executive Director

Read excerpts from the two front page newspaper stories including the Gaples Institute:

From the Chicago Tribune: http://bit.ly/13ji500

From the Virginian Pilot: http://bit.ly/Zf5QJU

And Mark the Date for June 13:

Tribune U Event Discussing Heart Health with  Dr. Devries and Tribune Health Reporter Julie Deardorff in Chicago. 6:00 PM at Tribune Tower.  Tickets required with limited availability. Reserve at:

http://ahealthyheart.eventbrite.com

• Patients with episodic bursts of atrial fibrillation were studied for 3 months before yoga and during 3 months of yoga sessions (60 minutes twice a week)

• Yoga was associated with 45% fewer outbursts of atrial fibrillation

• Were there side effects? Absolutely-a significant reductions in anxiety and depression were noted with yoga

Tantalizing as they are, these findings are completely in line with what we already know about yoga. Yoga has been shown to reduce the “traffic” of the stimulating circuits in the involuntary nervous system. As a result, yoga lowers blood pressure and reduces inflammation.

Placing the results in perspective, its important to keep in mind that yoga was used in addition to ongoing medication. Yoga was not intended to replace other medicines or procedures used to control irregular heart beats or prevent blood clots that can form with atrial fibrillation. Unfortunately, there are no proven replacements for these kinds of medications.

Still, as an add-on to other medical therapy for atrial fibrillation, yoga might be just what the doctor ordered. Ask yours!

Link to the original journal article: http://1.usa.gov/16xqISU

Why is it so important that the prescription for nutrition be filled quickly? 

• Dietary interventions are powerful: 72% fewer repeat heart problems in those with a history of heart disease after adopting a Mediterranean diet

• We can’t afford not to: eliminating deaths due to heart disease is estimated to save $48 trillion dollars (US national debt is $16 trillion)

• Simple changes make a big difference:  3 servings of strawberries or blueberries/week cuts the risk of a heart attack by 34%

• Physician training in nutrition is very limited: fewer than 25 hours total in med school and none required in later training programs in many specialties-including cardiology

• Doctors are also frustrated: 14% of doctors in hospital training believed they did not receive adequate training in nutrition

The Gaples Institute is helping with the solution: delivering innovative educational programs to health care professionals and the community and advocating for a greater emphasis on integrative medical care.  

Read the entire Tribune article: http://trib.in/YbmkXR

A new study on the Mediterranean Diet is out-with the wonderful result of highlighting much needed attention on the role of nutrition in health. Let’s unravel the report and put it into perspective.

The study examined the effect of a Mediterranean diet on people at high risk for heart disease. Participants were then asked to follow either a Mediterranean style diet  (either supplemented with olive oil or with nuts) vs a “control” diet with reduced fat.

The trial was stopped prematurely because the early results were so conclusive: the Mediterranean diet groups crushed the combined rate of heart attack, heart death, and stroke by 30%.

Why is this study important?

• Large numbers: examined a very large group -7,447 people – for an extended time – nearly 5 years.
• Prevention focus: Studied people who initially did not have known heart disease, so it was truly a “primary” prevention study
• Big results: 30% fewer vascular complications is on par with results from cholesterol lowering studies
• Relevant: Mediterranean diet was easy to follow

How to eat like they did in this Mediterranean diet study:

• Vegetables: about ¾ pound/day
• Fruit: about 1 pound/day
• Extra-virgin olive about 4 tablespoon/day OR about 1 handful of nuts/day
• Fish: 4 oz, or ¼ pound of fish daily. Equivalent of 1 serving every other day
• Legumes (beans, lentils, peas): 1 serving/day

See the helpful tips on our site to help accomplish these goals: http://www.gaplesinstitute.org/resources-for-the-public/

Limitations of the study:

• Did not evaluate added vegetables/fruit: All participants were already eating about 3 servings of vegetables and 3 servings of fruit at the beginning of the study and intake did not change appreciably during the trial.
• Did not compare the Mediterranean diet to a low fat diet: the “control” group did not eat a low fat diet as intended.
• Benefits mainly focused on prevention of stroke

Perspective:

• Weight of evidence is mounting: this study is completely in line with other reports, including the Lyon Mediterranean diet study, that was much smaller and studied people with confirmed heart disease, that showed a 72% reduced risk of cardiac complications.
• Mediterranean Diet is delicious and was found to be easy to follow.  No “special”, costly foods required.

The Gaples Institute is working on channeling the interest stirred by this study into action: improving nutrition education for health care professionals (and the community) and helping to make nutrition a foundation of medical care.  We are conducting classes and seminars and lobbying for changes to mandate nutrition education in all doctor training programs.

Link to the Study: http://bit.ly/VypTpg

My advice for women: Trust your intuition. If symptoms, however difficult to pin down, are new and seem “wrong”, get them checked out fast.

My advice for men: women are too often focused on other people to think about their own health. Help empower the women in your life by encouraging them to take action.

Learn more: NBC-5 interview with Dr. Devries on Women’s Heart Health

]]> http://www.gaplesinstitute.org/5-life-saving-facts-you-didnt-know-about-womens-heart-health-2/feed/ 0 http://www.gaplesinstitute.org/advisory-board-5/ http://www.gaplesinstitute.org/advisory-board-5/#comments Thu, 15 Nov 2012 03:20:15 +0000 admin http://www.gaplesinstitute.org/?p=264 David M. Eisenberg is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and Executive Vice President for Health Research and Education at the Samueli Institute. In addition, Dr. Eisenberg is the Director of the continuing medical …

A chartered accountant since 1984, Joe brings more than 25 years of financial services and wealth management experience in investment management, finance, and taxation to clients of Harris myCFO.

Joe graduated from McGill University in Montreal with a joint honors degree in Economics and Finance.