I’m really thrilled today to be able to finally announce my 8th print publication The 5-Ingredient Heart Healthy Cookbook, which brings together some of messages and philosophies of a number my previous works and packs it all neatly into one place.
I fully appreciate the type of year it has been for so many of us, and how tired we are all of the current situation.
With that in mind, it was very important for me to deliver a book that really delivered the most value for the least effort – both in terms of the actual cooking required and the overall conciseness of the nutrition information within.
I think I achieved the perfect balance with this book, and can’t wait to share it with you all.
Before we get to the good stuff though, a friendly reminder that book pre-orders are NOW AVAILABLE ahead of the April 28th release date.
A strong pre-order count is essential for the book’s successful launch so I really encourage anyone reading this who has this book on their list and wants to support my work to go ahead and grab your copy today!
Thank you!!!
Now we can get to the heart of the matter.
A Note On Heart Health
You probably don’t need me to tell you how important heart health is for your quality of life in both the short and long-term, but I will anyway.
In both Canada and the United States, heart disease becomes the second leading cause of death once we start looking at individuals who are 45+.
But the signs of future heart damage start much younger, especially in men.
In fact, Canadian men aged 25-44 represent a demographic for whom cholesterol and blood pressure medication are in the top 5 most frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals.
When looking at both men and women in sum across the 25-79 demographic, these same medications are in the top 5 for both although more frequently prescribed in men.
High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are two major risk factors for future heart disease.
So right off the bat we can identify massive potential for adopting a more heart healthy dietary pattern as it relates to both reducing the likelihood of requiring medications in the first place or, at the very least, reducing the amount you require.
But there’s more…
Not Just A Problem For The Future
I know that not everyone is compelled by the future promise of longevity or the mitigation of prescription pharmaceuticals.
But how about your sexual health?
I bring this up because good sexual health and functioning for both men and women is largely contingent on a healthy heart being able to effectively and efficiently supply blood to the sexual organs.
It’s no coincidence that poor heart health is a leading risk factor for erectile dysfunction and a host of other sexual health concerns and that a heart healthy dietary pattern can play a significant role in reducing one’s risk of ever dealing with these issues.
But what is a heart healthy dietary pattern?
The answer to this question is blurred both by individual differences in food preferences as well as confusing and conflicting messaging coming from popular but questionable sources of scientific information (bloggers, celebs etc).
That’s where my book comes in.
An Introduction To The 5-Ingredient Heart Healthy Cookbook
There are a number of different dietary patterns that may be fairly considered “heart healthy”, and I’ve actually written a number of books and blog posts that are inspired by many of the most prominent ones.
These include:
- The Portfolio Dietary Pattern
- The DASH Dietary Pattern
- Pescatarianism/Mediterranean Diet
The terms above may sound familiar to you and each of these paradigms offer a slightly different approach to nutrition and a level of nuance that means they may resonate more or less with certain individuals.
My goal with the 5-Ingredient Heart Healthy Cookbook is capture the best aspects from each of these highly effective philosophies and offer them forward in a digestible manner that supports diverse palettes while setting practical and obtainable standards which are brought to life by simple yet delicious five ingredient recipes.
There is something in this book for everyone, and I’ve made sure it not only will leave you with a strong understanding of how to embrace a heart healthy lifestyle but also provide you the actual tools you need to bring to life in your daily routine.
And because I don’t want you to just take my word for it, you can expect sample recipes from the book to be released onto my website in the promotional period between now and after the book’s launch.
Which, I must remind you, is April 28th AND pre-orders are available starting TODAY! ( go get yours!)
The Four Pillars Of Heart Health
Before closing today’s post I’d also like to address a bit more of my heart health philosophy, so that you can understand a bit more of the angle I will be coming from in the book.
For me, there are four primary nutrition pillars (each with a fair bit of nuance and some overlap) that most strongly dictate one’s cardiovascular health.
These include:
The Cholesterol Management Pillar – Which is dictated largely by one’s balance between plant vs animal protein intake. (relative role of red meat and poultry vs nuts, seeds, legumes, fish).
The Blood Sugar Management Pillar – Which is dictated largely by the characteristics of the carbohydrates one is consuming (fibre content, glycemic index etc).
The Blood Pressure Management Pillar – Which is dictated largely by the dietary balance between the key electrolytes sodium and potassium. ( most people over consume sodium, under consume potassium)
The Uniquely Beneficial Nutrients Pillar – Which is dictated largely by the inclusion of exceptionally nutrient dense foods, some (but not all) of which may already accounted for in the previous pillars. ( antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and other anti inflammatory dietary components).
While some of the above might sound like a bunch of fancy jargon, it will be presented in a concise and subtle way within the book with just enough detail for you to understand both the what and the why behind these principles.
I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read today’s promotional post and sincerely hope you will consider taking your support a step further by pre-ordering the book and telling all of your friends and family about it.
It’s a super helpful resource that I’m very proud of.
In fact, you might even say I put my heart into it.
You might.
Until next time,
Andy De Santis RD MPH
