Heart Health: In Memory of Shawn Tompkins

This is a guest post by P.R. Cole  www.FueltheFighter.com.

I first met Shawn Tompkins in 2008 through mutual contacts in the MMA world. Having much in common we became friends quickly. One of the first conversations we had involved him poking fun at me for being a nerdy Star Trek fan even though hew as such a fan of the original series. For his birthday this year I gave him an Enterprise shaped pizza cutter to encourage him to make his own healthy pizza, of course he got quite a kick out of it.  

Shawn passed away this week due to a heart attack. He had a family history of heart disease. It was just this year that he became a client of mine and we began crafting a diet to help him meet his weight loss and long-term healthy eating goals. When it comes to heart disease, it's not just about maintaining an active lifestyle. A healthy diet is a powerful tool that can help fight genetic predispositions to cardiovascular disease.

While sports nutrition is a passion of mine, my other specialty is medical nutrition therapy for a variety of conditions.  For clients of mine with a family history of heart disease, here are some strategies that and yearly blood tests that I suggest. (Even without being genetically predisposed to heart disease, the following tests should be conducted annually as part of routine preventative medicine.)

Have yearly tests for the following

LDL Cholesterol

HDL Cholesterol

HDL lipoprotein fractions

Triglycerides

Total Cholesterol

Homocysteine

C-Reactive Protein

Blood pressure

Even if your levels are out of the normal range, many of these factors can be changed through diet and lifestyle often without medication depending on the severity of the test results.

Big Picture Strategy

• Balance calorie intake with physical activity to maintain a healthy weight
• Consume a diet rich in vegetables and fruits
• Choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods
  There are a variety of different kinds of fibers like soluble, insoluble and functional. The epidemiological support is strongest for fiber from grains protecting against heart disease. Adding oatmeal to your diet is a smart move!
• Consume fish, especially oily fish like salmon, sardines and anchovies, at least twice a week. (If you hate fish, you may take a daily omega-3 fish oil supplement)
• Limit your intake of saturated fat to < 7% of energy, trans fat to < 1% of energy, and cholesterol to <300 mg per day by
• Choosing lean meats
• Choose low fat or fat free dairy products instead of full fat versions
• Remove skin from poultry
• Minimizing intake of partially hydrogenated fats (aka trans fats, you will need to look at food labels closely)
• Minimize your intake of beverages and foods with added sugars
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt (watch out for salty soups and frozen dinners)
• If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation

Manage Blood Pressure

• Limit your sodium intake to no more than 1500 mg per day
  • Don't add any extra salt to your food, experiment with other seasonings like garlic, paprika, basil and chili powder.
  • Cut back in your intake of cheese, even most fat free or low fat cheeses are loaded with sodium
  • Take a close look at the food labels of soups and frozen dinners. They are usually extremely salty.
• Increase your potassium intake to at least 4,700 mg per day
  • A few good sources of potassium include lima beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, bananas, Brussels sprouts, halibut, kiwi, peaches and oranges.

* People who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ACE inhibitors, heparin, cyclosporine, Bactrim®, Septra®, or beta-blockers should not start a high-potassium diet or take potassium supplements without first talking to their doctor.

Fats to avoid

Butter, lard bacon fat, hydrogenated oils, tropical oils, shortening, hard margarine and trans fats (aka partially hydrogenated fats).

Healthier fats

Olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, wheat germ oil, flaxseed oil, peanut butter and other nut butter, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, avocadoes.

Meat/poultry/fish to avoid

Regular ground beef, T-bone, flank, porterhouse, brisket, corned beef, spare ribs, lamb chops, ribs, organ meats, poultry with skin, goose, duck, fried chicken, fried fish, regular luncheon meats( bologna, salami, sausage)

Healthier meats/poultry/fish

Top loin, sirloin, Canadian bacon, pork tenderloin, venison, skinless poultry, broiled or baked fish, salmon, pacific oysters, sardines, anchovies, halibut, tilapia.

Shawn was a dear friend, mentor and one of the best trainers I've ever worked with.  I feel so privileged to have known such an amazing person. He will be deeply missed.