SSW08:Cooking Cardiologist Has Recipe for Heart Health

LAS VEGAS—Wearing a whisk "scope" around his neck, Richard Collins, M.D., the "Cooking Cardiologist" entertained as much as he educated the crowd attending his featured presentation at SupplySide West. He is the director of Wellness at South Denver Cardiology Associates, where he also gives cooking demonstrations using heart-healthy recipes and ingredients.

A champion on preventive heart health, the former-conventional-turned-preventive heart doctor proposed we change from the current "illness" model to more of a "healing" model of heart care. His epiphany came after seeing the same patient on his operating table for the third time. So instead of routine stents, balloons and bypasses, he focused on dietary risk factors. However, he cautioned, "Diet by depravation does not work," as his many years in cardiology has shown this kind of diet causes more stress. "Food no longer is pleasure," he added. His motto? "Never give up what you like to eat. Just change the recipe."

He acknowledged the success of various heart medications such as statins, but adviced they only work to reduce cardiac events and mortality when coupled with lifestyle changes. As a matter of fact, addressing the notion that recent declines in mortality from heart disease is connected to statin use alone, Collins said, "We just have better ambulances."

One of the problem with heart care in this country, according to Collins, is that doctors are taught to be more like fire fighters than forest rangers, setting them up to react to disease rather than preventing it. Adding to the problem, he said preventing heart disease is more tedious than just putting in a stent after the artery starts to close up.

On the warpath to dispel popular misconceptions, he noted heart health is more than just cholesterol. In fact, he reported half of all heart attack patients had "normal" cholesterol at the time of infarction. He further noted half of all adult Americans have high LDL-HDL ratios, with 33 percent of people having "very "high" ratios. Add to this gloomy statistical monster a 57-percent increase in childhood obesity and a significant rise in both diabetes and high blood pressure, and you have an alarming situation Collins said is due to our "eating ourselves into oblivion."

Among his entertaining advice:

The Cooking Cardiologist concluded by recommending the audience follow his seven words for a long life: "Eat food in small portions, mostly plants."

The presentation was sponsored by Cognis Health & Nutrition, which sponsored the entire SupplySide West Education Program.

"Cognis was proud to sponsor Dr. Collins' presentation, because he serves as an important ambassador for heart health," said Sharrann Simmons, senior marketing manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, adding Collins understands the critical role ingredients like natural plant sterols and omega-3 fatty acids can serve in managing heart disease risk and has a special way of sharing this knowledge with patients and health leaders nationwide. "We applaud his passion and commitment to improving the lives of so many with his heart healthy recipes and unique approach to medical care."