Low Triglycerides

After a great deal of research, I’ve concluded that the best overall diet for healthy blood pressure, healthy cholesterol, healthy triglycerides and to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke is a combination of Mediterranean and Asian eating. 

In essence, this combines the healthy eating of Mediterranean cultures with the Asian emphasis on soy foods and seaweed. They have in common an absence of saturated and hydrogenated fats and an emphasis on fish and vegetables. There’s a remarkable amount of research to back up this healthy and delicious approach to nutrition. And best of all, it’s not really a “diet” so much as a lifestyle choice.

My Pan-Asian, Modified-Mediterranean (PAMM) Diet

I have been a proponent of the modified Mediterranean diet for years—even before it became fairly mainstream. In recent years, I’ve expanded that foundation to include the Japanese diet, because I believe that combined, they deliver the best of both worlds. They share an absence of saturated and hydrogenated fats and emphasize fish and vegetables. However, while Mediterranean people do not consume a lot of soy or seaweed, the Asians do.

I decided to call this updated approach to healthy eating the PAMM diet. It includes fresh fruits and vegetables in season, fish, and whole grains. Meat is used sparingly, often just enough for flavoring. Meals are based on numerous small portions for lots of variety, and the lightest meal is at the end of the day, when the body is quieter and the metabolism slower.

My PAMM eating plan includes 45 to 50 percent slow-burning, low-glycemic index carbohydrates; 30 percent healthy fats; and 25 percent protein. I’d also urge you to eat organic as much as possible.

Moderate Carbohydrates, More Protein and Healthy Fats

In a nutshell, the Mediterranean diet encourages eating cold-water fish such as salmon and halibut; “healthy fats” such as olive oil; low-glycemic carbohydrates such as beans, lentils, and oatmeal; and plenty of fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Instead of eating large chunks of meat, Mediterranean people use meat to flavor their sauces. At most meals, they eat fiber-rich fruits and vegetables teeming with phytonutrients and packed with vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols and monounsaturated fats crucial to well-being and cardiac health. Their diets are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, coenzyme Q10, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

The Mediterranean diet can help balance blood sugar and insulin levels and give you more energy. My patients report that they consistently feel better and experience a better quality of life.
 
For more information on cardivascular nutrition, visit www.drsinatra.com. 
 

After a great deal of research, I’ve concluded that the best overall diet for healthy blood pressure, healthy cholesterol, healthy triglycerides, and to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke is a combination of Mediterranean and Asian eating. 

In essence, this combines the healthy eating of Mediterranean cultures with the Asian emphasis on soy foods and seaweed. They have in common an absence of saturated and hydrogenated fats and an emphasis on fish and vegetables. There’s a remarkable amount of research to back up this healthy and delicious approach to nutrition. And best of all, it’s not really a “diet” so much as a lifestyle choice.

My Pan-Asian, Modified-Mediterranean (PAMM) Diet

I have been a proponent of the modified Mediterranean diet for years—even before it became fairly mainstream. In recent years, I’ve expanded that foundation to include the Japanese diet, because I believe that combined, they deliver the best of both worlds. They share an absence of saturated and hydrogenated fats and emphasize fish and vegetables. However, while Mediterranean people do not consume a lot of soy or seaweed, the Asians do.

I decided to call this updated approach to healthy eating the PAMM diet. It includes fresh fruits and vegetables in season, fish, and whole grains. Meat is used sparingly, often just enough for flavoring. Meals are based on numerous small portions for lots of variety, and the lightest meal is at the end of the day, when the body is quieter and the metabolism slower.

My PAMM eating plan includes 45 to 50 percent slow-burning, low-glycemic index carbohydrates; 30 percent healthy fats; and 25 percent protein. I’d also urge you to eat organic as much as possible.

If you’re trying to drop a few pounds, I invite you to visit my online Weight Loss Center.  There I provide tips, recipes, and support that will help you along your journey toward your ideal weight.

For more information on good cardiovascular nutrition, visit www.drsinatra.com.

Let’s take a look at how women’s risk factors for heart disease are different from men’s.

Diabetes. Diabetic women have a higher risk for heart disease than diabetic men. This is because the incidence of diabetes and its complications (including heart disease) is much higher in women. If you are a diabetic woman, your risk for heart disease is five to seven times normal, compared with a risk of only two to three times normal for a diabetic man. For you, proper heart sense means you should increase your physical activity and watch your diet to maintain a healthy body weight.

Overweight. Women have a higher heart disease risk from being overweight than men do. Recent studies indicate that being only 20 pounds overweight doubles your risk of heart disease. If you are overweight, I don’t want you to go on a diet. Instead, get physically active—it’s your most powerful weapon against fat—and begin eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, pasta, fish and lean poultry.  Eating this way is what I call “healthy heart nutrition” and it just makes sense. (See other blog entries for additional advice on cardiovascular nutrition.)

Cholesterol. Women have a higher risk for heart disease than men if they don’t have good cholesterol levels. More specifically, if they have have low levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol) they increase their heart risk factors.

You probably already know that there are two types of cholesterol. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol, which oxidizes in your blood and forms the plaque that clogs arteries. HDL carries LDL out of your blood vessels before it can do its damage. Volumes of data have shown that a high LDL is a powerful risk factor for heart disease in men. But for women, the story is different. Recent research indicates that a low HDL, not a high LDL, is the more significant risk factor for a woman to develop heart disease. (This means that some women may need to increase HDL cholesterol levels.)

The good news is that HDL is sensitive to factors such as smoking, obesity and lack of exercise. If your HDL is low (less than 35 mg/dL) you can raise it by quitting smoking and dropping excess weight through a combination of smart eating, healthy heart nutrition, and physical activity such as walking and dancing. If you are postmenopausal, you might also consider estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), which raises HDL, lowers LDL, and has other beneficial effects on your heart. Have your HDL level checked six weeks after you start an HDL-raising program. Chances are you will see a change for the better.

High Triglycerides. When you get your cholesterol checked, I also want you to have your doctor check to see if you have healthy triglycerides levels. Triglycerides are another type of blood fat. A high triglyceride level is more dangerous for women than for men, so if your triglycerides are elevated (above 200 mg/dL), I want you to put some effort into lowering them, especially if you are a diabetic. This is because if you are a diabetic woman who also has high triglycerides, your risk of developing heart disease increases to 200 times normal. Please stop and think about this. You can lower your triglycerides using the powerful combination of exercise and weight control.

For more information on heart risk factors for women, visit www.drsinatra.com.