Diet therapy

Aline : Well Mr Jefferson, you’ll be out in an hour or so. And I hope that you’ll take it easy on yourself when you get home. I’m going to tell you about the do’s and don’ts concerning your diet, what you should eat and avoid in order to recover fast and not have any unexpected problem.

Patient : I’ll do exactly as you say !

Aline : So first of all, you keep away from chocolates and cakes. In other words, saturated fats in general.

Patient : All right, I’ll try to !

Aline : At least, you have to seriously cut down on full-fat products. I would recommend low fat and low sugar, or even fat-free food ! And that means you should avoid butter, eggs, and full-fat dairy products in general, like cheese and cream. And you must go easy on red meat as well. You can still have some lean meat though, from time to time. Give up snacking between meals, and of course, keep away from alcohol. Or else, just occasionally…

Patient : Oh, I know, otherwise it’s this atherosclerosis something…

Aline : … which, you mustn’t forget, is characterized by deposits of fatty substances in the arteries. Overtime, your arteries harden and narrow. The flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body is reduced. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack, brain stroke, or even death.

Patient : Yes ! But a hamburger with some chips, a nice ice-cold Coke and a cigarette wouldn’t do much harm, would they ?

Aline : Now this is exactly what will bring you back here again Mr Jefferson… or worse still ! All this is saturated with trans fats and unnatural sugar. And no pastries either !

Patient : And this is all I guess !

Aline : Oh no, we are not done yet. You must also have fruits and vegetables at each meal. Remember this saying Mr Jefferson, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Vegetables like aubergines and courgettes are excellent, either raw or cooked. Dried vegetables are also much recommended, you know, beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans…

Patient : So no more meat ?

Aline : Well not exactly. As I told you before, you can still have lean meat. However, you can have many fish servings per week. Fish contains Omega-3 fat that is good for the veins and heart.

Patient : Well, it doesn’t seem to be that hard to change one’s diet for a healthy heart ! And do I need any physical activity ?

Aline : Well of course. This is part of the whole diet therapy. You should walk for twenty to thirty minutes a day. It’s important for your heart and breathing. Any other question Mr Jefferson ?

Patient : Umm, no ! I guess that’s all right !

Aline : And don’t forget to take your pills as prescribed. Goodbye for now.