At the recent Jemez Valley Community Wellness community education event “Matters of the Heart: Nourishing Your Cardiovascular System,” attendees were introduced to how healthy food choices and meal preparation can help to improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and overall heart function to reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke. The program held on July 23rd was the second of five in the new JVCW “Food as Medicine” wellness series taking place at The Rose Center for Integrative Health.
To open the program, Dr. Juliette Sweet provided an insightful overview of cardiac function and typical causes of cholesterol imbalance and abnormal blood pressure, highlighting how specific foods can support improved heart function and the health of precious veins and arteries. Dr. Sweet is the Executive Director of JVCW and specializes in Naturopathic and Ayurvedic education, prevention, and treatment.
“Our hearts are muscles that work 24 hours a day and we need to treat them with care,” says Dr. Sweet. “We want people to understand how their diets can add stress to their cardiovascular system if they are eating too much saturated fat from animal products or not enough fiber from plant based foods. Through this series, we hope that people can learn more about selecting, preparing, and eating natural foods so that their bodies can work at their best which results in improved health, overall.”
As a special feature for this session, licensed EMT Ben Yeargin demonstrated the new AED unit now available to use onsite at The Rose Center for cardiac emergencies. He reinforced the need for more community members in rural areas to be trained in CPR.
“Irreversible damage to the brain can occur within 6 minutes of a cardiac event, and complete brain death can occur within 10 minutes,” Ben explains. “It can take a rural ambulance service twenty minutes or more to reach a patient AFTER the call comes into dispatch. Giving CPR to your neighbors and loved ones while waiting for first responders to arrive will keep the brain and vital organs oxygenated, drastically improving their chances for long-term recovery.”
According to Harvard Health, “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Maintaining a heart-healthy diet is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart disease.”
The six registered participants enjoyed a hands-on cooking demonstration by Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Fallon Bader. The recipes emphasized the role of ingredients with high-fiber and unsaturated fat to regulate cholesterol levels. Fallon showed attendees how to prepare iced hibiscus tea, a crisp slaw featuring massaged red cabbage and a light dressing, blue corn pancakes with local grains, and a simple blackberry compote with fresh fruit.
The seasonal selections emphasized natural ingredients with vibrant red and blue colors that indicate the presence of anthocyanins – important antioxidants that help to process LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and reduce inflammation. Samples were provided so attendees could taste the flavorful prepared ingredients.
“Most of the ingredients that we chose to feature in these recipes are common enough to find at the local grocery, but we are also looking for ways to encourage people to grow their own or buy from nearby producers in their own communities,” says Fallon. “Corn, berries, cabbage, and peppers are very nutritious and are generally easy to grow here in New Mexico.”
The monthly “Food as Medicine” series will continue through October. Each event supports a different body system with local ingredients and communal nourishment. Fallon will return each month to feature a cooking demonstration and tasting focused on seasonal healing through food. Dr. Sweet and other invited practitioners and special guests will provide an informational session to connect natural foods to whole body health and wellness.
On August 20, the next program is “Seasonal Shield: Food as Your First Defense.” The focus will be on the immune system around the time school starts before fall weather rolls in. Food and drink recipes will feature medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Oyster varieties (harvest permitting). Kiki Trout is the special guest presenter.
The in-person events are held from 5-7pm at The Rose Center for Integrative Health at 8372 Highway 4, across from Jemez Valley High School. Attendance is limited; registration is required with a suggested donation. See more at https://www.jvcw.org/specialevents.
