Nutrition for Cardiovascular Disease
Nutrition plays a key role in causing many cardiovascular diseases (CVD). But, on the flip side, proper nutrition can help prevent or manage CVD. Thankfully, researchers have thoroughly investigated how food and nutrition can improve cardiovascular health.
Cardiovascular disease shows up in many forms. High blood pressure and vascular plaque formation tie these conditions together. So, our nutrition approaches focus on reducing high blood pressure, preventing the body from forming plaque, and allowing the body to shrink some of the plaque.
Nutrition Therapies
Medical nutrition therapy for heart disease encompasses many dietary and lifestyle factors. Whether you’re in the prevention stage or the treatment/management stage of cardiovascular disease, there are four fundamental areas of focus:
These broad strategies create a healthy biological environment where CVD does not thrive. But these are not the only strategies for heart health. Co-occurring conditions like hypertension and obesity and physiological issues like elevated cholesterol call for their own medical nutrition therapy. Common supplementary areas of focus:
The Process
Our first meeting together focuses on gathering information. After you schedule your appointment, you’ll receive and fill out your intake forms. When we meet, we’ll review the form. Next, we’ll discuss your health goals, diet pattern, health history, medications, physical activity, sleep, and stress. After completing this overview, we’ll discuss our next steps depending on your interests and motivations. Finally, we’ll conclude with a goal or task to achieve before our follow-up.
During Follow-ups, we discuss your successes or barriers with the goals/tasks. Sometimes we tweak the goal/task, and sometimes we try something completely different. Follow-up appointments are also a great place to reflect on the positive behavior changes and outcomes of those changes.
Managing CVD is possible through medication and some nutrition and lifestyle changes. However, an all-encompassing approach helps clients recover from cardiovascular damage. A heart-healthy lifestyle gives your body a chance to shrink plaque, dissolve clots, and strengthen the heart and blood vessels.
Call or schedule an appointment today if you’re ready for your cardiovascular nutrition consult!
FAQ
It’s common for people to think their nutritionist will tell them they have to “eat this way” and “stop eating those foods.” While many professionals may give this advice, I know that it causes feelings of deprivation, disrupting your progress.
When we work together, my job is to inform and problem-solve with you. Then, we come up with possible changes together. These changes can be focused on nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, or supplemental/herbal products when relevant. In the end, you decide on a change you’d like to try.
The change can be a baby step such as eating a serving of fresh fruit five days a week or as complex as switching to a Mediterranean diet. When we meet again, we’ll review your experience with the change and consider your next steps.
Luckily, there are many roads to your health goal. If you aren’t interested or motivated by a specific nutrition strategy, we’ll develop something new. Ultimately, it’s all about sustainable changes for lifelong health, so there’s no need to stick with methods that don’t work.
It’s typical to meet a nutritionist weekly for 55 minutes for 4-6 weeks. However, some people prefer a written plan to follow on their own.
Everyone has lots to learn when they first talk with a nutrition expert, and many are trying to find the motivation to change their diet pattern. Regular, weekly meetings with a behavior change specialist have proven to help jumpstart behavior changes.
Alternative schedules are an option as well. Some would like more frequent meetings or less frequent meetings. I also offer shorter, follow-up sessions and a RD Concierge service if that works best for you.
My training included nutrition for all medical conditions impacted by diet.
Food allergies – kidney & liver health – lifecycle nutrition – weight management – cancer (prevention and complementary care) – inflammatory conditions including chronic inflammatory response syndrome – men’s health – and more!
My specialties lie in cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal tract issues, and conditions related to blood sugar (diabetes).
Lifestyles in Nutrition is an outpatient clinic and does not provide medical treatments. However, I can collaborate with your team if you’re receiving medical treatment from another facility and are interested in additional nutrition consulting or a complimentary care plan.
There are many conditions that I can address. If you’re concerned about a condition not listed, call me and we can explore our options.
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Medicare
Currently $20 OFF your first appointment.
Nutrition consults are $95 for 55 minutes. While follow-ups are typically 55 minutes I do offer 40 min. or 25 min. follow-ups depending on the needs of each client. Clients get 15% OFF of nutrition consults when purchased in a package of four.
Our work together goes through the entire nutrition care process. This includes:
- Personalized assessment where we identify the nutrition problem
- Education and a nutrition intervention which you and I design together
- Follow-up monitoring and evaluation to help us understand if our strategies are working of if we need a new approach
If you have more questions or would like to talk further before scheduling your initial session, we can set up a 10 minute exploratory phone call for us to chat about how I can support you with your nutrition goals.
Herbal medicine and/or supplement guidance consults are $65 for our first appointment (55 minutes). We review your health history and gather necessary information so that we can create a plan that is safe and effective. Our follow-up consults for herbs and/or supplements are typically 40 minutes or shorter.
Herbs and supplements are sold separately. Supplements are 15% off for all clients.
For further question, call (425) 633-2022 or email at MKoontz@LifestylesinNutrition.com. If you’re ready to work on your eating habits, schedule online today!
Training in western herbal medicine revolves around herbs native to North America and Europe. The tradition began in ancient Greece and Rome and was refined with time; by the 1800s, herbal physiomedicalists organized and printed traditional herbal uses. The physiomedicalist tradition was central to my herbal medicine education.
I incorporate today’s scientific evidence and the modern understanding of human pathophysiology to guide formulation. Modern science helps me create an effective and safe formula and better understand the values and limitations of herbs. As a result, well-educated professionals can use herbs more effectively than ever before in human history.
Appropriate contexts for herbal medicine
- Gastrointestinal system & digestion
- Respiratory system
- Immune system & inflammation
- Mucosal membranes (nose, throat, etc.)
- Fever & cold
- Skin & topical infections
- Autoimmunity, especially food sensitivity
- Kidney & Liver functions
- Cancers
- Sleep
- Stress
Important: medical care supersedes herbal therapy. Getting a doctor’s opinion and insight into your condition is essential. In many cases, herbs will supplement your medical care plan, not replace it. In some cases, herbs are not recommended.
Absolutely! Supplement recommendations are already provided to clients receiving nutrition consulting. But for those who just want a supplement plan and no nutrition guidance can schedule as well.
Supplements are 15% off for clients & 10% off for everyone else!
What to Expect
We will meet for 55 minutes to review your health history, current medication, allergies, health concerns, as well as past and current supplement use. Certain combinations of drugs, supplements, herbs, and food can cause unwanted interactions. So, a thorough background is necessary to ensure safety.
Based on the supplement and condition, we may choose to meet up again briefly to re-evaluate the supplement plan. We may discontinue or swap out supplements based on changes in signs and symptoms as well as clinical standards. Most supplements aren’t meant for long term use.
I can see individuals, couples, families, or other groups. It’s often helpful to bring family members to our meetings and get them on the same page. Having family support helps immensely.
I don’t organize group nutrition education. However, I can lead your group through nutrition education or facilitate nutrition-related support groups. Guest speaking is another option. Contact me if you’d like more information.
