“Celebrate a World of Flavors” is the theme of National Nutrition Month 2022. What a perfect time to explore a couple of diets that encourage making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. It is no secret that cardiovascular disease, or heart disease, is the leading cause of death in the United States and around the world. Because this chronic disease is so prevalent, research is ongoing, and much is known about the causes of heart disease.
It is no mystery – poor dietary quality is the top risk factor, accounting for approximately half of cardiovascular disease deaths globally. The American Heart Association has shifted their 2030 goals from managing heart disease to preventing heart disease. The new AHA focus emphasizes support of healthful behavior changes – particularly healthy eating and physical activity – in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
Two well-researched dietary patterns have been shown to make a real difference in heart health: the DASH dietary pattern and the Mediterranean-style dietary pattern. I will be sharing in detail the benefits of both of these plans in educational programs set for next week. “Make a Med DASH to a Healthy Heart” will be presented Wednesday, March 9, at 10:30 a.m. at the Great Bend Senior Center, 2005 Kansas. The same information will be shared during a Stop and Learn session at noon the same day, at the Great Bend Activity Center, 2715 18th St.
During my presentation I will share specific steps to help you adopt a Mediterranean or DASH eating pattern. The focus of any healthy diet is to eat more nutrient dense foods and less refined or highly processed foods. A fact sheet written by two K-State Research and Extension Specialists will be shared during the presentations. Additional handouts from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the medinsteadofmeds.com website contain great information about this important topic. Both programs next Wednesday are free and open to everyone. I hope to see you soon!
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. Contact her at 620-793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu.
