When it comes to diet and nutrition, there are countless gurus and influencers claiming they have the best advice, but the truth is, depending on your overall health, some diets are just downright dangerous. If you have any heart or vascular conditions, you need to take caution with this type of advice and speak to your cardiologist about what’s best for you.
As an example, let’s look at the popular KETO diet. Many people are jumping on the ketogenic bandwagon, and while it’s beneficial for some individuals, it can wreak havoc on the endothelial and arterial walls if done improperly. Saturated fats, processed meats, and dairy might sound delicious, but they can be detrimental to heart health and cause excessive plaque to form in the arteries throughout the body. If you want to limit simple carbs like bread, pasta, chips, and cookies, that’s a fantastic idea and can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
There is no magic diet, but avoiding added sugars, white flour, packaged foods, and snacks is a great way to feel better, increase energy and reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and many other conditions. However, it’s not just about what we avoid that’s important, but it’s also critical to eat a healthy diet the majority of the time.
Increasing your intake of fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits is a great way to increase fiber, phytonutrients, and numerous vitamins in your diet. This will feed your cells and can even help to reduce some of the damage that may have taken place over the years. It’s also wise to add in lean proteins. These can be plant-based or animal products, or a combination of both. Things like finfish, shellfish, nuts, seeds, and legumes are an excellent choice to feed and nourish your body.
It’s also important not to go FAT-FREE. Yes, you may think all cardiologists favor fat-free diets, but those old ways of thinking are outdated. It’s important to avoid most saturated fats, but eating healthy fats is vital for the body to function properly. Foods like olives, avocados, walnuts, and extra virgin olive oil are full of essential nutrients and fatty acids that we need to thrive optimally.
There have been several recent studies on the effects of the Mediterranean Diet and Heart disease. Although the results vary somewhat, in the end, after following patients for several years, those on a Mediterranean style diet, which is rich in plants and fish, and limits sugar, meats, and packaged foods have a significantly less incidence of heart disease. The Mediterranean and similar diets also show that it has the most impact on those with high blood pressure, high lipid counts (cholesterol, triglycerides), diabetes, and obesity.
At Well-Being Medical Center of Naples, we offer:
Preventative Care
Our office offers all standard routine health exams for all patients. If further testing is needed, we will create a comprehensive plan to help each patient reach their optimal health.
Health Consultations
Our staff is composed of health professionals who are experts in their field. We work with our patients through one-on-one consultations to prioritize health goals and address any health concerns.
Patient Satisfaction
Our top priority is patient satisfaction. We go the extra mile to create and execute on individualize treatment plans to make sure each patient understands their heath journey from start to finish.
Contact Well-Being Medical Center of Naples today at (239) 315-7801.
Dr. Ricardo Martinez
Dr. Ricardo Martinez is an internist in Naples, FL and is affiliated with NCH Baker Hospital. He received his medical degree from Superior Institute of Medical Sciences of Santiago de Cuba and has been in practice 20 years. He also speaks multiple languages, including Spanish. He specializes in hospital medicine, ambulatory care and is experienced in hospice and palliative medicine, bariatric medicine, diabetes mellitus, food allergy, and infectious disease. As of March 16th, 2020, Dr. Martinez has founded Well-Being Medical center in Naples Florida. He is looking forward to providing Medical care within primary care settings and urgent care service throughout the Naples Florida area.
well-being medical center
239-315-7801
www.well-beingmedicalcenter.org
851 5th Ave. N. Suite 102, Naples, FL 34102