Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation Nutrition Program
The Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Program is based on scientific research and national recommendations. We believe that diet and lifestyle management is at the foundation of heart disease risk reduction. Our nutritional guidelines are based on extensive epidemiological and clinical research involving diet patterns associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. These dietary recommendations include those established by the American Heart Association and National Cholesterol Education Program, yet are broadened to include and emphasize cardioprotective, health-enhancing foods such as unrefined grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. These dietary patterns have been linked to a reduction in coronary disease risk as well as other debilitating conditions such as cancer, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
Nutrition recommendations in Preventive Cardiology are unique to an individual’s health needs, lifestyle and goals. Incorporating a variety of cardioprotective, plant-based foods set the stage for prevention. We believe prevention of heart disease can be achieved when the following life strategies are emphasized:
- Achieving or maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Minimizing refined starches and simple sugars and emphasizing fiber-rich foods to achieve weight goals and reduce cardiovascular risk factors.
- Minimizing saturated and trans fat and optimizing unsaturated fat food sources, with a special emphasis on omega-3 fatty acid food sources.
- Choosing a variety of plant-protein foods and de-emphasizing protein from animal sources.
- Enhancing the whole foods concept to reap the cardioprotective benefits from legumes, unrefined grains, fruits and vegetables.
- Engaging in a regular physical activity regimen.
Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Program offers a wide-array of resources to help our patients enhance their overall health and maximize their reduction of heart disease.
Nutrition services include:
- Individualized goal setting and nutrition counseling. This includes a thorough nutrition assessment utilizing your nutritional history, medical history, body mass index, risk factor evaluation, and lab work as needed. This service can be obtained in one of two ways.
- Educational Materials. We offer a variety of educational handouts and materials to support healthy eating, grocery shopping, food preparation and dining out (link to web information). We are continuing to strive to provide the most up-to-date materials to our patients.
- Cooking classes and recipes .
- Nutrition research. We participate in and actively seek out nutrition oriented research activities to help us learn more about the role of nutrition in disease prevention.
- Corporate consultation. We provide corporate lectures and nutritional expertise to corporations all over the country. We can also provide assistance to grocery stores to help with marketing healthful foods and educating consumers on healthful food choices.
To a great degree, health is a product of the choices we make every day about what we eat, how much we exercise, and how knowledgeable we are about our own risks for disease. Our energy level, ability to concentrate and manage our weight, blood sugar and cholesterol – these are but just a few of the many conditions that can be favorably influenced when we provide our bodies with the right mix of nutrients, in the right amounts.
For more information on any of the above services, please contact Julia Renee Zumpano RD, LD
Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation; Office: 216.445.4306 (toll free 866.289.6911, extension 54306) or Contact Us.
This information is provided by Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace
the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider.
Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.
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