Carbohydrate Consumption Linked to Heart Disease

From the ACC: Some Nutrition Experts Blame Excessive Carbohydrates For Obesity, Heart Disease. In a special piece, the Los Angeles Times (12/20, Jameson) reports, "A growing number of top nutritional scientists blame excessive carbohydrates -- not fat -- for America's ills," saying that "cutting carbohydrates is the key to reversing obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension." At present, "Americans, on average, eat 250 to 300 grams of carbs a day, accounting for about 55% of their caloric intake." But, "the most conservative recommendations say they should eat half that amount." Notably, "consumption of carbohydrates has increased over the years with the help of a 30-year-old, government-mandated message to cut fat," the Times points out.

The bottom line is to eat a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, proteins, and omega 3 fatty acids

Your Burbank Cardiologist

Heart Health and Brain Health Linkage

Good news! Yet another report indicating that things that you do to promote heart health also promote brain health. A study published in the Dec 14 issue of the Archives of Neurology shows that those people who have a high concentration of good cholesterol in their blood (HDL) are at lower risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease (as well as being at lower risk for developing heart disease). Your Burbank Cardiologist Dr. Lisa Matzer

Vitamin D Levels

Good news about Vitamin D levels. The institutes of medicine have concluded that most Americans get enough Vitamin D in their diets. And as a result, they do not recommend routine supplements of Vitamin D. However, they did not address the issue of testing for vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many diseases and treatment of a demonstrated deficiency may lower your risk of disease. Read more about other measures to lower your risk of disease at Los Angeles Cardiologist

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Dr. Lisa K Matzer is listed at DoctorsDig.com

Nuts are Heart Healthy for Women

I am always pleased when I can give advice that is easy to follow and that I myself also do. A few nuts a day can  affect levels of cholesterol and other fats in beneficial ways. This great news was published in the Archives of Internal Medicineby by researchers at  Loma Linda University School of Public Health who did a meta-analysis. They looked at the data from many different studies. The great news about the beneficial effects of nuts on the heart is: Eating about 2.3 ounces of nuts a day (67 grams or about 1/3 cup) lowered overall total cholesterol levels about 5.1 percent, reduced LDL levels about 7.4 percent, and changed the ratio of bad LDL to good HDL cholesterol by 8.3 percent.

What types of nuts should you eat?  Walnuts are probably the most heart healthy but other nuts including  almonds, pecans,  hazelnuts, macadamias, and pistachios are also probably good.. My advice is to eat a variety of types of nuts. One warning do not overdo you nut consumption. Moderate amounts of nuts are heart healthy but nuts have a lot of calories so don't overdue it. One of my favorite ways to limit nut consumption is to get the 100 calorie snack packs. Eat well! Your Burbank Womens' Heart Doctor serving Los Angeles.

Sweetened Drinks and Soda Linked to Diabetes and Risk for Heart Disease

A new study Sweetened Drinks Linked to Diabetes was recently published that showed that drinks that contained fructose are linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of heart disease in women. The authors of the study showed that for each additional 12 oz serving of a drink sweetened with high fructose corn syrup there was a approximately 25% increase in the chance of developing diabetes. The bottom line is that you can save money and lead a healthier lifestyle if you drink water instead of sweetened drinks.--- Dr. Matzer A Los Angeles Cardiologist for Women

How to Find the Best Cardiologist for Women

It is very difficult to find a cardiologist who specializes in women's heart disease. Many studies have shown that the cardiac symptoms of women are often not taken seriously by doctors, because the symptoms that women have tend to be atypical. Most female cardiologists seem to have a greater awareness of the special nature of women's heart disease. I recently posted an article in Go Articles about the qualities that one might consider when rating a physician How to Find a Cardiologist.

Decrease Your Risk of Diabetes without Losing Weight

We all know how hard it is to lose weight and keep those pounds off. Most diets end up being like yoyos. The sad fact is that for most people diets are not that effective in the long run. We all want to be thinner and yet we are constantly being told that we are getting heavier and heavier. The incidence of diabetes is increasing along with America's increasing waistline. The drumbeat of bad news continues.

Finally, some good news. A remarkable study was recently published that demonstrated that a Mediterranean diet reduced the chance of developing diabetes by about half over a 5 year period when compared to a low fat diet. In the subjects, neither calorie restriction nor physical activity was promoted. No surprise- there was no weight loss. Big surprise- the chance of developing diabetes went down by half.

What does the Mediterranean diet consist of:

• Abundant use of olive oil for cooking and dressing.
• Increased consumption of fruit, vegetables, legumes, and fish.
• Reduction in total meat consumption, recommending white meat instead of red or processed meat.
• Preparation of homemade sauce with tomato, garlic, onion, and spices with olive oil to dress vegetables, pasta, rice, and other dishes.
• Avoidance of butter, cream, fast-food, sweets, pastries, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
• In alcohol drinkers, moderate consumption of red wine.

Bottom Line: Consider the Mediterranean Diet for your health

Salas-Salvadó. J, Bullo M, Babio N et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with the Mediterranean Diet: Results of the PREDIMED-Reus Nutrition Intervention Randomized trial. Diabetes Care 2010: DOI:10.2337/dc10-1288. Available at: http://care.diabetesjournals.org.