Tips for healthy heart

Since February is heart month it's appropriate to look at a healthy heart diet. The one that comes to mind is Dr. Dean Ornish's diet. He calls it the Program for Reversing Heart Disease.

Dr. Ornish showed that it is possible to reverse heart disease without drugs and surgery. His plan includes diet, exercise, support groups, meditation and yoga. His quotes a study that showed if you are 5% overweight you are 30 percent more likely to develop heart disease. Those that are moderately overweight have a risk 80 percent higher risk than lean people. And if you are 30 percent overweight you're over 300 percent more likely to contract heart disease.

His research showed that coronary heart disease can be reversed by making different lifestyle choices. The lifestyle changes include diet, stress management, quitting smoking, moderate exercise, and emotional support.

This weight loss program is a more healthful way of living. It is not just a diet with restricted calories. It involves moderate exercise. Note, moderate exercise has most of the same benefits of more intensive exercise without the risk of injury. Moderate exercise helps you lose weight and it strengthens your heart.

Stress management includes relaxation through meditation or yoga. Having a support team to cheer you on and encourage you is a big part of his program. To follow this diet program at home you need the support and encouragement of your family. The average person consumes about 40 percent of calories as fat. Dr. Ornish's diet recommends consuming only 10 percent of your calories as fat.

People in the study using this diet lost an average of twenty-two pounds the first year. On the diet you eat foods that are very low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates, and high in fiber. You avoid foods from animals, oils, high fat dairy, sugar, alcohol and any food with more than 2 grams of fat per serving.

This is pretty much a vegetarian, low fat, high fiber diet. There are no calorie restrictions, just good healthy food. Basically if you change the type of food you eat you to better quality food you can eat more of it. On this diet you eat more often and become healthier. This healthy diet and exercise plan has been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. It reduces chest pain or angina. And best of all it actually reverses coronary artery disease. It is more effective than traditional methods. The only drawback is that it is very hard to follow.

Dr. Ornish has shown that drugs and surgery are not necessary when people adhere to the program. It may take months to see a reversal in heart disease but you will start to feel better much sooner.