Cardiovascular Disease- How to Reverse Heart Disease

American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement, Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations for Cardiovascular disease (Revision 2006 by Lichtenstein, AH et al) (82):

Diet recommendations by the AHA:

• Eat a healthful diet the majority of the time including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low fat dairy, beans, lean meat, poultry, and oily fish at least twice weekly. Limit total cholesterol to 300 mg per day for healthy adults and for patients with LDL cholesterol under 100 mg/dl. Limit cholesterol to 200 mg per day for patients with coronary artery disease.
• Total fat intake limited to under 25–35 percent of total calories per day.
• Saturated fat intake limited to under 7 percent of total calories per day.
• Trans fat intake should be under 1 percent of total calories per day.
• Other fat in the diet should come from monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils from unsalted nuts, seeds, oily fish, and vegetable oil such as canola or olive oil.

Maintain a healthy bodyweight:

Maintain a healthy bodyweight with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-24.9 kg/m². The AHA defines overweight as 25-29.9 kg/m², and obesity as greater than or equal to 30 kg/m². BMI can be calculated from the basic formula: [Weight (lb) / (Inches of height)²] x 703. BMI may also be calculated using a commonly available BMI calculator such as that available here: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm from the NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Please see weight loss in Preventive Health Advisor.