Not so long ago I read a story about Jim Fixx a runner who died of a heart attack at age 52, in 1984.
Jim Fixx used to be overweight and he smoked. His family history was positive for heart attacks. However he decided to exercise hard and ten years later lost 70 lbs. He also gave up smoking and appeared on numerous media outlets as a famous runner who used to be fat, inactive and who smoked, but now provided a role model to millions of the benefits of exercise.
The point was simple: change to a more active lifestyle and anyone who really wanted that can achieve such a goal
However Mr. Fixx died of a heart attack. Why?
Because he did not eliminate or control stress that well; he ate very unhealthy foods, thinking it was simply a matter of burning it all off with intense exercise.
The lesson and reminder to us all is that exercise alone is not enough; we must avoid processed foods, eat more plant-based foods, limit red meat, and avoid excessive amounts of sugary drinks
If there is one diet that seems to have passed the test of time over and over it’s the Mediterranean Diet. I recommend it on a daily basis to all my patients.
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