HEART DISEASE
The ideal diet for someone with heart disease would be a low fat diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables. A pure vegetarian diet, using no meat, dairy products, or eggs is optimum. Meat and dairy products average 50% to 85% of their calories as fat. Some dairy products are as high as 90% fat. See accompanying chart.
Our bodies need some fat and it is best to get our fat from a natural source, not a refined source. An example of a natural fat is an avocado. Natural fats can also be found in nuts and seeds. An example of a refined or unnatural fat is corn oil, which is 100% fat. It takes 12-14 ears of corn to produce one tablespoon of oil. And, ounce for ounce, fats have over twice as many calories as sugar.
CHOLESTEROL AND HEART DISEASE
Cholesterol is a substance that can only be found in meat, poultry, and animal products such as eggs, (3 eggs have as much cholesterol as 2 lbs. of hamburger) milk, cheese, etc. Foods from the plant kingdom, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, etc. do not contain any cholesterol. There are two types of cholesterol: High density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the good kind that our body produces. The other is Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the undesirable kind. Meats, animal products, refined shortening, and oil (even though they themselves are cholesterol free) are the foods most responsible for creating high cholesterol levels in our bodies.
Exercise is important for those who have heart disease, and also for those who want to prevent heart disease. A daily walking program, outside in the fresh air and sunshine, is very beneficial. Spas, gymnasiums, and workout rooms are not advantageous. Fresh air and sunshine, which are very important, are lacking in such places. Those who are engaged in sedentary work, especially, need more physical outdoor exercise.
Several prescription drugs used to lower cholesterol have proven to be more dangerous than therapeutic. As a result of the six-year Coronary Drug Project conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and published in 1975, two of the then commonly prescribed drugs were abruptly taken off the market when the study showed that more people died in the group taking the drugs than in the group taking a placebo(1). There are many herbs that are good for the heart. Some of these are Blue Cohosh (for heart palpitation), Borage, and Hawthorne Berry (to strengthen the heart). Always use distilled water when making herb tea. Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and add 1-2 tsp. herb per 8 oz of water. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain and drink.
(1) Coronary Drug Project Research Group (1975): Clofibrat E and Niacin in Coronary Heart Disease; JAMA 231:360-381.