“In the United states, the most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to heart attack. You can greatly reduce your risk for CAD through lifestyle changes and, in some cases,

Medication.” – Centers for Disease control

There are a plethora of lifestyle and

dietary changes that minimize

factors contributing to heart

disease. Consider the following

dietary findings:

1) In a 1999 study, a Cretan diet

high in olive oil and low in dairy and

red meat (similar to the

Mediterranean diet) showed a

greater reduction in the risk of

death or recurrent cardiovascular

disease (CVD) than a control group

that was on a low-fat diet as

suggested by the American Heart

Association2.

2) The consumption of legumes has

been shown to not only reduce LDL

(which is often thought of as “bad”

cholesterol), but to also increase

HDL (“good” cholesterol)3.

3) A study that aimed to

differentiate between the types of

fiber and their role in heart disease

prevention, found that a diet rich in

sources of insoluble fiber could aid

in the prevention and management

of hypertension, lipid profile, and

[metabolic syndrome]4, all factors

that contribute to heart disease.

4) A 24 year follow-up that took

place in Japan showed that

individuals who had practiced a

diet rich in fruits and vegetables

experienced significant reduction in

the prevalence of CVD when

compared to their counterparts

who had consumed fewer fruits and

vegetables5.

Finally, the risk factors for CVD, a

preventable disease, according to

the CDC:

• Diabetes

• Overweight and obesity

• Poor diet

• Physical inactivity

• Excessive alcohol use

References 1. Korre M, Tsoukas MA, Frantzeskou E, Yang J, Kales SN. Mediterranean Diet and Workplace Health Promotion. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports

2014; 8(12):416. Doi:10.1007/s12170-014-0416-3

2. De Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin J-L, Monjaud I, Delaye J, Mamelle N. Mediterranean diet, traditional risk factors, and the rate of cardiovascular complications after myocardial infarction: final report of the Lyon Diet Heart Study. Circulation 1999;99: 779-85.

3. Mohammadifard, Noushin, Nizai Sarrafzadegan, Zamzam Paknahad, and Fatemeh Nouri. “Inverse Association of Legume Consumption and Dyslipidemia: Isfahan Healthy Heart Program.” Journal of Clinical Lipidology (2014): n. pag. Web.

4. Franco, Belen M., Monstserrat L. Latre, Eva M. Esteban, Jose M. Ordovas, Jose A. Casasnovas, and Jose L. Penalvo. “Soluble and Insoluble Dietary Fibre intake and Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease in Middle-aged Adults: The AWHS Cohort.” Nutricion Hospitalaria 30.6 (2014): 1279-288. Web.

5. Okuda, N. , K. Miura, T. Okamura, R. D. Abbott, N. Nishi, A. Fujiyoshi, Y. Kita, Y. Nakamura, N. Miyagawa, T. Hayakawa, T. Ohkubo, Y. Kiyohara, H. Ueshima, and the NIPPON DATA80 Research Group. “Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease in Japan: A 24-year Follow-up of the NIPPON DATA80 Study. “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition” (2015): n. pag. Web

Nutrition Therapy for the Prevention

Of Heart Disease

Implementing appropriate diet and lifestyle changes in the workplace will result in a

decrease in avoidable sickness, an improvement in company

morale and happiness, improved company longevity, and help combat heart disease, the leading killer in the U.S.1

Zachary Zimmerman Nutrition Therapy - 2015