Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

Chapter 16 / A Guide for Physicians 269
Table 9 (Continued)
Council for Responsible Nutrition
http://www.crnusa.org/
CRN represents its herbal and dietary supplement companies’ interests to the
media, healthcare professionals, government policy makers, and consumers.
Foundations and Nonprofit Organizations
American Botanical Council
http://www.herbalgram.org/
ABC is an educational organization for public and professionals on the use and
regulation of herbs. Publishes HerbalGram, quarterly publication of news on
herbs and the industry.
American Herbalists Guild
http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/
Provides a professional member referral list (by state), books and monographs,
a listing of its books, and a Directory of Herbal Education.
Herb Research Foundation
http://www.herbs.org
The foundation offers science-based information on the health benefits and
safety of herbs.
2. Diet, Nutrition, and Lifestyle
Diet is a key aspect of CVD prevention and treatment programs. Until recently,
the recommendation has been to decrease saturated fat and cholesterol and to
consume more vegetables, fruit, and whole-grain products. Professionals and
public alike are understandably confused by the latest claims that low-fat diets
and refined carbohydrates are at the root of the obesity problem in the United
States. The consensus is that amount of calories, with lack of exercise, is the
main culprit, leading to CVD and other obesity-related health problems. The
Dean Ornish program recommends a low-fat diet with other lifestyle
interventions, including support groups, meditation, and exercise. Exercise, in
the conventional sense, has not been included in the following Web sites,
although some forms of martial arts are included under C.
The Mediterranean Diet
circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/103/13/1823
A series of articles comparing the American Heart Association
recommendations with the controversial Mediterranean diet, high in cereals,
grains, vegetables, pulses, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, seafood and fruit and
that includes wine, meat, and poultry can be accessed from this site. Most can
be downloaded full text.