Originally published at Mended Heart Southern Oregon.

Those of you who missed the March meeting, missed an excellent program.  Kellie has a unique point of view on a heart healthy diet that we haven’t heard before.  Her presentation was engaging and she is extremely knowledgeable.  Although there are other heart healthy foods, Kellie went into detail on her 10 favorites – Wild caught salmon, Leafy greens (especially spinach), Avocado, Nuts & Seeds (especially walnuts), Flaxseed that is ground just before you use it, Tomatoes, Green Tea, Whole Grains, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (don’t use Canola Oil – ask her why at a meeting) and Beans.  She provided a great recipe for each of the 10 items.

Kellie went over her 10 favorites after giving us her story as a bypass patient.  Her tenacity really paid off in saving her life when the ER docs were going to send her home.  She also talked about the Lyon Heart Study, why not all saturated fats are equal, the Physicians’ Health Study of over 15,000 men after 12 years, the DASH study and a compilation of studies from The British Medical Journal to support her conclusion that whole foods are the key to a healthy heart.

It was very interesting that she emphasized eating Vegetables and Fruits in a ratio of 4:1.  We know that we should eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day, but we gravitate toward the fruit because it is sweet.  Fruit has a lot of sugar that can affect blood sugar balance.  We really need to consume substantially more vegetables than fruit.

Check Kellie out on her website: therightplan.com.  You’ll be glad you did.