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More people die from heart disease between December 25 and January 7 than at any other time of the year. American College of Cardiology ACC recommends having plant-based main dishes available at every meal. It also says that processed meats—bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs, and deli meats—should be off the menu entirely.
It’s almost that time of year: holiday heart attack season. More people
die from heart disease between December 25 and January 7 than at any other
time of the year. What’s the answer? Healthier food. As a cardiologist, I'm
calling on hospitals to lead by example. Historically, some hospitals have
been known for serving their heart attack patients breakfasts of bacon and
eggs, conveying a message to patients and families that food does not
matter.
That is all about to change. Earlier this year, the American College of
Cardiology released Heart-Healthy Food Recommendations for Hospitals, which
says that "hospitalization can be a 'teachable moment' for patients who are
ready to embrace nutrition as part of the healing process." The ACC
recommends having plant-based main dishes available at every meal. It also
says that processed meats—bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs, and deli
meats—should be off the menu entirely. The American Medical Association
followed suit, calling for similar improvements in hospital food offerings:
out with the bacon and sausage, in with the vegan choices.
The plan could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year. A study published
this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association linked not
eating enough fruits, vegetables and grains to more than 150,000
cardiovascular deaths a year and too much processed meat to 60,000 deaths.
Are you serious? you might be asking. Will hospitals really serve vegan
(plant-based) meals, and will patients really eat them (and like them)? The
answer is absolutely yes. A generation ago, hospitals banned cigarettes, and
the grumbling from smokers ended almost immediately. It was a clear-cut
message about what is healthy and what is not. It's time to do the same with
unhealthy foods.
The ACC and AMA recommendations also have benefits beyond heart health. A
recent report from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute
for Cancer Research found that eating three servings of whole grains per day
reduces colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent, while eating just 50 grams of
processed meat per day—about the size of a hot dog or a couple of slices of
bacon—increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.
Other organizations, like the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine, are working in hospitals to make healthful hospital food a
reality. This year, the Physicians Committee successfully encouraged the
University of Mississippi Medical Center and Arkansas Children’s Hospital to
remove hot dogs from patient menus, and convinced others to kick out fast
food restaurants. The doctors’ group also produced a Heart-Healthy Foods for
Hospitals booklet, which includes delicious plant-based recipes: Apple Sweet
Potato Breakfast Bake, Cheezy Potato and Veggie Breakfast Casserole, and
Mexican Lasagna. It also makes hospital managers’ lives easier by providing
list of contractors that provide heart-healthy foods, tips from
professionals for how to successfully implement the plan, handouts for
patients and cafeteria signage.
In other words, the change could not be easier. Let’s resolve to eat
healthfully, and let’s start with our hospitals. While some hospitals are
starting to do this, let’s see if we can get them all to take this on in a
whole-hearted approach. Instead of being the riskiest time of year, let’s
work together to make the holiday season the healthiest.
Andrew M. Freeman is a Denver-based cardiologist and co-chair of the American College of Cardiology’s Nutrition and Lifestyle Work Group.
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We began this archive as a means of assisting our visitors in answering many of their health and diet questions, and in encouraging them to take a pro-active part in their own health. We believe the articles and information contained herein are true, but are not presenting them as advice. We, personally, have found that a whole food vegan diet has helped our own health, and simply wish to share with others the things we have found. Each of us must make our own decisions, for it's our own body. If you have a health problem, see your own physician.