FEB. 7, 2005 | Do you want to treat your Valentine right this year? Then skip the candy and switch to a heart-healthy lifestyle.

February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness of coronary heart disease, the nation’s second leading killer after cancer.  Heart disease has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, yet the medical community often gives mixed signals as to which diets can improve heart health.

While numerous diets claim to be heart-healthy, doctors at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) determined in a recent study reported in The American Journal of Cardiology that there is no silver bullet for fighting coronary heart disease. There are, however, healthy changes that can reduce the risks.

“There is no ‘one-size fits all’ diet for heart health,” explained Jay Mehta, M.D., Ph.D., director of the division of cardiovascular medicine and professor of internal medicine, physiology and biophysics in the UAMS College of Medicine.

Mehta found that doctors themselves cannot agree on the best diet and that all the diets reviewed had shortcomings. He said that Americans must be willing to make lifestyle changes in order to reverse the epidemic of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes.

“It was only two to three decades ago that people walked to work when they could and ate to live. Today, we live to eat and take an automobile wherever we need to go, even around the corner, and park as close as possible to the entrance to the store,” Mehta said.

Y. Wady Aude, M.D., director of coronary care units and assistant professor of internal medicine, and Georges Chahoud, M.D., instructor in the College of Medicine, also contributed to the article, which ran in the Nov. 15 issue.

These cardiologists reviewed several studies of low-fat, low-carbohydrate and balanced diets, including the Ornish Diet, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Mediterranean Diet, and the American Heart Association’s dietary recommendations. They compared the amounts of fat allowed on each diet, the types of fatty acids present in the foods consumed and the effects the diets had on the health of the studies’ participants.

The physicians concluded that in some cases low-fat diets did significantly lower the incidences of coronary heart disease, improve cholesterol levels and lead to weight loss, but these diets were difficult for people to maintain for an extended amount of time. Low-fat diets also had the potential side effect of metabolic syndrome.

Low-carbohydrate diets lowered cholesterol and contributed to short-term weight loss, but studies provided no evidence towards their ability to lower the risk of coronary heart disease. They also had the potential side effects of gout, renal disorders, hair loss, constipation and bad breath. Like low-fat diets, low-carbohydrate diets were also considered difficult to maintain for long periods of time.

More balanced diets, like the American Heart Association’s dietary recommendations, showed evidence of lowering the risk of coronary heart disease, though with less of an effect than low-fat diets. Balanced diets faired better in their ability to lower triglycerides and total cholesterol while increasing the HDL, or good cholesterol. Significant weight loss is not shown as an effect of balanced diets, although balanced diets are easier to maintain for longer periods of time. Mehta said the only downfall of balanced diets is the higher cost of fresh, healthy foods, as many people will give up eating healthy in order to eat within their budget.

Ultimately, Mehta said, it is up to the individual to make a conscious choice to eat healthier foods in smaller portions and to exercise regularly in order to drop the pounds and then maintain a healthy weight. He added that the medical community must be seen as a role model for the public and parents must become role models for their children.

“If I go and eat a double cheeseburger with my son, I’m not a good role model,” Mehta said, speaking both as a physician and a parent.

• Other lifestyle changes Mehta suggested include:

• Park at the back of the parking lot and walk in instead of searching for a closer parking spot.

• Make a point not to finish all the food on your plate.

• Cook leaner cuts of meat.

• Bake foods instead of deep frying them.

• Use a vinaigrette-based salad dressing.

• Sauté foods instead of slathering them with heavy sauces.

• Eat more ocean fish, which are rich in heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

• Use safflower and canola oils. Olive oil is touted as healthy, but Mehta said it is high in calories.

• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, but be aware of the sugar content in some fruits.

One of the most important lifestyle changes a person can make, Mehta said, is to determine why they are eating so much. “Overall I think that people eat because they are unhappy and they are looking for quick satisfaction.”

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