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Reversing Heart Disease
It may be the nation's leading cause of death, but it needn't be yours. You can actually reverse heart disease!
1. Reduce blood cholesterol to less than 160 mg% with a cholesterol-free low-fat, high fiber diet and with cholesterol-lowering medication, if necessary.
2. Lose weight by eating more "foods-as-grown" and less refined foods and animal products.
3. Drop your high blood pressure by cutting the salt to less than 5 grams (or 5000 milligrams) a day, and by getting into a daily exercise program.
4. Stop smoking and reduce alcohol intake. |
Heart disease is responsible for almost every
2nd death in the North America—and smoking and diet are the leading causes. It's
been said that excess fat is the most harmful element in our rich Western diet. Isn't it time you reduced the amount of fat you are eating?
Getting the Fat Out
Here are four general strategies you can use to reduce fat in your diet.
Substitute: Drink skim milk instead of whole milk. Or, better yet, use a nondairy substitute. Try a bowl of chilled fruit instead of ice cream for dessert. Look for healthful substitutes for the high-fat items in your diet, such as cheeses, meats, dressings, and oils.
Reduce: Instead of ordering an eight-ounce steak, try a smaller portion with pasta or a vegetarian lasagna. Instead of a whole piece of pie, take just a sliver. Eating smaller portions of your favorite high-fat foods allows you to savor a few decadent bites while still
being able to reduce fat from your diet.
Eliminate: Eliminate as many temptations as possible. If you don't buy it and bring it into the house, you won't eat it.
Eliminating high-fat foods in your diet can
work wonders. In the headline-making studies by Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell
Esselston (Cleveland Clinic), the subjects that reversed the narrowing in their arteries were those who had eliminated meat and high-fat dairy products.
Construct: Processed foods are stuffed with added fat. If you want to regain control over what goes into your body, cook for yourself. Get
the Optimal Diet Cookbook and learn how to prepare delicious new dishes. It's the surest way to protect yourself from the deadly effects of too much fat.
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