Lean, green heart-health routine
Been told by your doctor to protect your heart by lowering your cholesterol?
If you ask San Mateo resident Rick Brandly, he’ll tell you it’s a walk in the park.
The 59-year-old warehouse manager steps out every day for a 45-minute jaunt around his neighborhood as part of a new routine that has put his blood lipid levels in healthy ranges.
Last summer his Mills-Peninsula cardiologist Katy Lease Lonergan, M.D., found his numbers were putting him at risk following surgery to repair a valve causing irregular heart rhythms.
“I met with a nutritionist at Mills Health Center, and she helped me turn everything around by changing my diet and getting more regular exercise,” he said.
He kicked his soda and ice cream habit, made fruits and vegetables his snacks and changed his numbers drastically.
“My cholesterol went from 206 to 189, and my triglycerides from 256 to 139,” Brandly said.
“If Rick’s able to maintain this improvement, he’ll have lowered his risk of developing coronary and other vascular disease in the future by dramatically improving his lipid panel, particularly his triglycerides,” Dr. Lonergan said.
She says that nutrition is a subject of daily conversations between cardiologists and their patients.
“Diet and nutrition play an important role in lowering the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and coronary artery disease,” the doctor said.
She points to data collected in the last five to 10 years confirming dietary changes do reduce the risk of adverse cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke.
“A lot of focus has been on the Mediterranean diet which emphasizes olive oil, fish and other foods with omega 3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease,” she said.
Omega 3s are “good” fats linked to less inflammation in the blood vessels, the doctor explained.
She suggests using extra virgin olive oil and canola oil as much as possible when oil is called for in cooking.
“Olive oil has lower levels of saturated fat, and more antioxidants in addition to the omega 3s.”
Cardiologist Jeffrey Guttas, M.D., says more doctors are calling attention to the differences between good and bad fats.
“Essentially, we need to liberate fats,” he says. “It’s primarily the processed and refined foods we are eating – white flour and corn syrup – causing most of our weight problems and related health conditions.”
Bad fats – such as trans fats found in processed foods – leave deposits in the arteries leading to arteriosclerosis, whereas good fats actually help clear the cholesterol away, Dr. Guttas explained.
Good habits – such as eating more whole grains, fish and vegetables in place of candy, white breads and processed foods – should start in childhood and continue throughout life, Dr. Lonergan stressed.
“However, chocolate lovers will be happy to know that not all treats are bad for you,” she said.
Recent research shows the flavinoids found in dark chocolate improve blood vessel function, Dr. Lonergan reports.
“So substitute a small dose of dark chocolate for sweets that are higher in fat and sugar, and you’re actually doing something good for your heart.”
For more information on Mills-Peninsula Cardiovascular Services, visit www.mills-peninsula.org/hearthealth.