Can eating meals consisting of mostly vegetables (plant-based) reduce your risk of heart disease in Lafayette LA?

In the early 1970s, young men in Finland were dying from heart attacks at the highest rates in the industrialized world. In the Northern region of the country, home to 180,000 people, every family knew the pain of watching a young and fit man die young. While the Finns had very little obesity and very few sedentary jobs (factors that should have protected them from heart disease), they had high blood cholesterol and elevated blood pressure, and smoking was rampant.

In 1972, the Finnish government launched a project with the goal of lowering the quantity and type of fats eaten and to improve smoking rates. They coordinated an education program in schools, medical facilities, media, work sites, supermarkets, and even worked with the food industry to emphasize the health risks of smoking and offer tips to quit.

Residents were asked to switch from butter to vegetable oil-based margarine and replace whole milk with low-fat milk. By 1977, the drop in heart deaths was sufficiently impressive to roll the project out to the entire country and over 30 years of data are available.

Did the residents respond? They sure did. The rate of using butter on bread fell from 90% to less than 5% and one third of the population began to drink skim or 1% milk, up from zero at the outset. Overall dietary fat intake dropped and saturated fats fell to 16% of calories.

Beginning in 1979, the government introduced an additional goal of eating vegetables six to seven times a week. By 2004, about a quarter of the men and one third of the women of Finland were reaching that goal. Smoking in men fell from 52% to 31% and remained under 20% in women, the lowest in Europe.

The results for dying at a young age were stunning. In North Finland, men between the ages of 35 and 64 years enjoyed a drop in overall death by 62%, heart attack deaths fell 85%, all cancers deaths dropped by 65%, and lung cancers decreased by 80%. For the entire Finnish nation, the chances of dying from a heart attack during working years was reduced by a whopping 80%! When researchers looked at what caused the dramatic improvements in health, they found that the most powerful factor was the drop in animal saturated fat.

The lessons of Finland are powerful and point to ability of simple, coordinated, and consistent messages to the public and our families to not smoke, reduce animal fat intake, and increase vegetables and fruits in our diets to avoid unnecessary family tragedies from early deaths. The message that butter and animal fat is healthy is often heard and may confuse you but the health boom in Finland teaches a powerful lesson that cannot be ignored.

Cardiologist, Dr. Joel Kahn, MD, says that if anyone recommends you eat a diet high in animal fats, ask them if they have any long-term data on preventing heart disease, the number-one killer in the world.

Heart attacks in Lafayette LA are preventable and putting your fork in a plant (instead of an animal) remains your best health decision. Imagine a world where six out of seven heart attack obituaries disappear, six out of seven funeral home tables are empty, six out of seven hospital CCU beds for heart attacks are empty. Imagine all the people whose lives we could save!

Feeling inspired to eat a little cleaner this week, but don't know where to start? How about a whole day's worth of plant based meals to take the guess work out of it for you: (*NOTE - buy organic in Lafayette where possible)

For BREAKFAST - Smoothie

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
• 8 ounces unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 scoop raw protein powder
• 1 handful kale, chopped or baby spinach
• 1 cup fresh or frozen mangoes or peaches
• 1 teaspoon honey

Place all ingredients into a high powered blender and blend until smooth.

For LUNCH - Burrito Bowl

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 can of black beans (or red beans)
• 1 can of diced roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Cooked brown rice
• Fresh lime wedges

Heat olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic, bell pepper and onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the beans, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce and to the skillet, tossing to it combine with the other ingredients. Add Salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked brown rice and squeeze fresh lime juice for garnish.

For DINNER - Kale Salad with Creamy Dressing

• 1 tablespoon sesame tahini
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
•  Filtered water to reduce thickness of dressing to likeness
• 1 big bunch of kale, thinly chopped

Place all of the dressing ingredients into a blender, blending until completely smooth. If you are using dates, make sure you take the pits out of them before adding them to the blender. Place the chopped kale in a large bowl and pour the dressing over it, mix with hands to ensure even distribution of dressing to kale.

By Francesca Marino D.C.