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The South Beach Heart Program was developed by Arthur Agatson, MD, author of the popular South Beach Diet book series. The program consists of four steps:
Best bets: Emphasize low-glycemic-index carbs like whole grains, salad vegetables, and fruits like pears and apples. Choose healthy monounsaturated fats instead of disease-promoting saturated fats. Look for South Beach diet products and see our Low-Glycemic-Index Diet article for more information.
The South Beach Heart Program is specifically designed to prevent heart disease and stroke, two of the most common causes of death and disability in the Western world.
Agatson, a cardiologist, says that the medical profession is oriented towards invasive treatment of existing heart disease rather than preventing the disease in the first place. He believes that certain noninvasive techniques for evaluating heart disease risk are underused by the medical profession, and that addressing risks identified by those diagnostic techniques using South Beach diet principles, regular aerobic and core-strengthening exercise, and use of medications as necessary will reduce the need for invasive procedures such as angioplasty and bypass surgery. Agatson terms this approach “aggressive prevention” and claims he has seen vast reductions in the number of heart attacks and referrals for heart surgery in his own medical practice as a result of this approach.
So far, there has been no significant critical evaluation of the South Beach Heart Program. Critics of other diet and lifestyle programs say that they are often difficult for people to adhere to. Critics of the newer noninvasive tests such as those recommended by this program, say they are expensive and have not been adequately tested for reliability.
The dietary principles used in the South Beach Heart Program are the same as for The South Beach diet weight-loss program. However, certain foods are emphasized for their specific health effects:
For reducing risks associated with LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
For raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol
For lowering triglycerides
For lowering blood pressure
The South Beach Heart Program: The 4-Step Plan that Can Save Your Life by Arthur Agatston, MD. New York: Rodale Press, 2006.
Official Web site for the South Beach diet: www.southbeachdiet.com
The South Beach Diet. Special Feature Section of WebMD. www.webmd.com/content/pages/15/96038.htm; accessed 1/26/2007.
Arthur Agatston, MD. The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss. New York: Rodale Press, 2003.
Copyright © 2007 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com
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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008.
