April 3, 2025
USA
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Introduction

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.”

– MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Every 40 seconds a person in the United States will have a myocardial infarction (heart attack), approximately 805,000 each year. And every 40 seconds a person in the United States will have a cerebral infarction (stroke), approximately 795,000 each year. Over 900,000 people in the United States die annually from cardiovascular diseases, making them the leading causes of death, accounting for 1 of every 3 mortalities.

However, cardiovascular diseases do not have to be a fatal diagnosis. Clinical research studies estimate that over 90% of cardiovascular diseases can be prevented when patients have access to essential health and wellness resources.

Tragically, our healthcare system is in an escalating state of crisis, failing to support all patients in their journeys toward optimal health. Despite innovative new prevention protocols, medical therapeutics, diagnostic modalities, and minimally invasive interventions, over half the population in the United States is afflicted with the rising epidemics of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol), obesity, and nicotine dependence — chronic conditions and risk factors that lead to cardiovascular diseases when left unmanaged.

Of primary concern is the cardiovascular health of patients in underserved communities, where access to nutritious food, open spaces to exercise, and preventive healthcare services is severely limited. Residents in these communities experience food insecurity, foodh deserts, excessive promotion of unhealthy ultraprocessed (junk, fast) foods and nicotine products, and reduced access to quality medical care, all of which lead to an unequal incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. According to recent national data, patients in underserved communities experience a 30% increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases compared to patients in better-resourced communities. This represents an extremely significant disparity of morbidity and results in dramatically reduced life expectancy, including death 15 years prematurely for the most vulnerable underserved communities. As a result of these lethal healthcare disparities and inequities in the United States, underserved communities suffer millions of lost years of life every decade.

Health disparities and inequities are the devastating consequences of historical and current economic, political, social, and environmental injustices entrenched in our healthcare system and society, including structural racism, generational poverty, and residential segregation. These social determinants of health severely impact the lives of underserved communities, precluding us from achieving our full physical and mental potential, and significantly limiting our longevity. Health inequity can only be overcome through radical and revolutionary changes in our medical system, including universal single-payer healthcare, expansion of community-based healthcare centers in every population, and a publicly subsidized focus on preventive health for every community. Health activists, progressive healthcare providers, and grassroots organizations are fiercely engaged in this important struggle, and we must all contribute to this vital movement to ensure their efforts and sacrifices achieve equity for everyone.

UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Underserved communities are the People experiencing significant health disparities and inequities because of historical and current economic, political, social, and environmental injustices:
  • Financially under-resourced and economically disadvantaged communities and households, including the working class and people struggling with poverty, experience limited access to quality, timely medical care and endure significant healthcare disparities
  • Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian and Pacific Islander communities are underserved and experience healthcare disparities independent of income
  • Collectively, underserved communities represent more than 75% of the United States population

A STRATEGY FOR THE UNDERSERVED

Until we implement fundamental changes and transform healthcare into a truly guaranteed basic human right, underserved communities need our own evidence-based strategy to preserve our health and protect our lives.

This patient-inspired book, HEART FOOD for the People, introduces this strategy — Health Empowerment — and provides guidance for the millions of people who lack the direct support they need to lead the healthiest lives possible.

HEALTH EMPOWERMENT

Health Empowerment is the lifelong process of maximizing your potential for wellness, independent of the healthcare system.

It involves self-directed, health-promoting behaviors that focus on nutritious food, regular exercise, and disease prevention strategies.

The Health Empowerment strategy is based on extensive clinical research that proves you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases, and the chronic conditions that cause them, by implementing healthy lifestyle choices. When you make the change to heart-healthy nutrition, exercise regularly, and prioritize prevention and wellness, you empower yourself to live a longer life in good health.

Start your Health Empowerment strategy by reading HEART FOOD for the People in its entirety several times, and then, beginning with the aspects that resonate with you most, progressively implement all of the recommendations in every section. During your personal journey to optimal health always use this guide as an essential resource.
We encourage you to make changes on your own timetable. To help you succeed, we offer recommendations for introducing a new way of eating and healthier behaviors at different paces: gradual, slow, moderate, or immediate.
Your path to better health begins now. Implement the Health Empowerment strategy starting today, and you will live longer and live better.

HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE

Changing health behaviors is very challenging, especially given the deep-rooted obstacles imposed by societal injustices. But Health Empowerment is a necessary reality to ensure the wellness of everyone in our communities.

We must make a change now, and this book addresses the challenges underserved communities face to embrace Health Empowerment. It offers evidence-based strategies, basic recommendations, and empowering resources that will help you and your family achieve wellness, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and overcome the disparities in our healthcare system that affect your right to a long life free of preventable diseases.

The Health Empowerment strategy is outlined in seven sections:

A DETAILED NUTRIENT GLOSSARY

and a focused description of cardiovascular disease mechanisms to ensure you understand the basic and essential elements of a hearthealthy diet and how each food and nutrient you eat promotes wellness and prevents cardiovascular diseases.

HEART-HEALTHY SNACKS AND HEALTHIER FOOD OPTIONS

to eliminate unhealthy food items and ensure everything you eat and drink will make you live longer and live better.

A DETAILED SHOPPING LIST

of heart-healthy foods and beverages every person should include in their diet. We understand the limitations imposed by food deserts, where nutritious and healthy foods are hard to find. Therefore, we have included food options that are available in traditionally underserved communities.

A DETAILED 3-MEAL-A-DAY FOOD PLAN FOR 7 DAYS

presented in an easy-to-follow format that gives you 21 separate healthy meals plus healthy snacks you can implement immediately, with explanations of why each food is heart-healthy.

A PLAN FOR INTEGRATING EXERCISE INTO YOUR HEALTH BEHAVIORS

and resources for implementing additional heart-healthy alterations to your lifestyle.

A STRUCTURED PLAN FOR MONITORING YOUR RISK FACTORS

to optimize your Health Empowerment strategy, promote wellness, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

A STRATEGY TO TRANSFORM YOUR PERSONAL JOURNEY TO OPTIMAL HEALTH

into a movement that advocates for equity, makes meaningful change, and creates a reality where healthcare is a truly guaranteed basic human right for everyone.

Please download a free ePDF of HEART FOOD for the People: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Health Empowerment by selecting the links below:

Download English PDF
Download Spanish PDF
Share this resource and EMPOWER your community

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