Customer Reviews

The Road to a Healthy Heart Runs through the Kitchen

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I like Joe Piscatella because he explains things in an easy to understand, clear manner. He is very health concious himself, because when he was 32, he had triple bypass surgery. He was on the tennis court on a Monday and then the Wednesday on the operating table. This completely changed him and his life and learned everything he could to help himself beat the odds.
He talks here in laymans terms to explain why we should avoid butter and use soft margarine. Why to avoid white bread and use wholewheat or multigrain instead. Why to eat fresh fish and why you can (only from time to time) fry foods if they are done in a non-stick pan with olive oil. He says that there should be no sodas because he believes that's why we are primarily overweight.
He says we think too much about foods we can't eat and don't think about those that we can eat and he says there are plenty we can eat. Beautiful coloured fruits and vegetables because they have anti oxidents and help prevent heart disease and cancers and these foods should be the center of how we eat.
Anyway, if I go on, you may not need to read this book, but I will say that apart from all the good information in here that I've mentioned, it also has really nice recipes that are easy to follow. The classic pasta salad recipe and the cranberry crisp are two that I've tried and loved. I can't wait to try more because it's showed me that there are healthy foods out there that can taste great (Now if only I could give up Coca Cola!!!). Highly recommended book.

As a practicing Family Physician, I have been recommending this Book to my patients. The book has 2 sections, the first part is an excellent resource of helpful information regarding coronary artery disease and dietary and lifestyle changes helpful in improving the health of the heart. The writing is easy to understand and backed by solid research. I would not call this a diet book so much as a Lifestyle change book based on a healthy Mediterranean approach to eating. I have tried a couple of the recipes so far and found them delicious. I highly recommend this book.

THE ROAD TO A HEALTHY HEART provides cardiac patients and their loved ones with a step-by-step guide to cooking which links culinary issues with health and heart connections, and represents a complete revision of the classic DON'T EAT YOUR HEART OUT COOKBOOK - a revision some ten years in the making. The Piscatella diet is at the heart of the matter and while 300 recipes pack ROAD TO A HEALTHY HEART, plenty of details on diet and nutrition are included too. A 'must' for any serious about health.

This is the book for those looking for a sensible and doable approach to a heart-healthy lifestyle. There is plenty of detailed yet understandable information about your heart and how to treat it. The recipes provide flavor with their healthfulness. If you want a book with the facts without the fluff, this is the one to get.

Every year there are advances in research and treatments in medicine, and while this book was published originally some time ago (first printing was 2005), it has 520 pages of comprehensive, easy-to-understand information and recipes. The first 229 pages are dedicated to education about heart health and, in particular, how food plays a role in overall heart health. There actually IS a chapter about sodium, and I'm not sure why an earlier reviewer didn't spot this; it begins on page 183, and definately makes a case for a low sodium diet.

Many of us have someone in our family history with heart disease, yet this book isn't limited strictly to heart patients even if it was written by one (Mr. Piscatella). Diabetic patients (some of my family members) are also treated as heart patients, and newly diagnosed diabetics are now carefully monitored for cholesterol and high blood pressure, often being given prescriptions for both conditions as a preventive measure against later complications with the heart from diabetes. Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are also at risk for both diabetes and heart disease, and many doctors have become more agressive in treating those patients in preventative therapies. Asthma patients are at greater risk for congestive heart failure down the road, and some of their doctors also recommend following therapies and diets in prevention. My 17 year old son's doctor presented that line of medical thought (my son has mild asthma). My point? Anyone can benefit from the information in Mr. & Mrs. Piscatella's book. Our friends, loved ones, and each of ourselves are worth two bucks a piece--Amazon's discounted price--for a book that could help us live longer, healthier lives. It's less money than a greeting card! I'll be ordering more as Valentine's Day gifts.

The recipe section begins on page 233. I'm a published food writer and cookbook author dedicated to easy, healthy meals. Martha Stewart, I'm not, and like most folks, prefer to keep my "everyday cooking" as fast and simple as possible. This book is loaded with 300 recipes that are (for the most part) quick and not too complicated. NOTE: I would suggest substituting low sodium canned goods whenever possible in the recipes that call for canned foods. That would help reduce overall sodium. I'd also encourage throwing in some extra veggies here and there where possible and according to taste. For example, the Tortellini Soup on page 252 already has 4 cups of fresh spinach, but the spinach cooks down significantly, so throwing in some extra carrots and adding fresh onion and celery would be something I'd automatically do to both enhance flavor and add fiber. The seafood recipes beginning on page 386 are wonderful! Not into seafood? There are plenty of recipes for poultry, and some for other meats. Each recipe tells how many servings per recipe at the title--nice touch! Amazingly (and happily) the use of refined sugar is very limited in the dessert section; Mrs. Piscatella relies mainly on fruits to add sweetness.

In summary, this is probably the best buy you'll ever find for a book this useful. It's much, much more than I expected when I ordered it. That's why I'll be ordering extras for friends and family!

This book is amazing! The health and lifestyle information is not only for heart patients but for everybody! The information is easy to understand and easy to incorporate into your everyday lifestyle. It shows you how to changes everyday to have a longer healthier life. A lot of the info was new even though I read numerous heart healthy lifestyle books before reading this one. I enjoyed it so much I had to buy it after borrowing it from the local library. This book was the only one I bought! And don't even get me started on the recipes! They are outstanding! I started out marking the pages with things I wanted to try, I gave up since there were so many! I'm now just going to go page by page to try them all! Haha!

My husband had open heart surgery on Valentines Day. I knew I had to change the way I prepare meals. Butter, chocolate, and cream are my three favorite ingredients! I thought we were doomed to a lifetime of tasteless eating until I purchased this book. Everything I have tried is wonderful. All hospital dieticians should recommend this book to their patients.

While Mr. Piscatella promotes a Mediterranean Diet with lots of fruit & vegetables, most doctors also recommend lowering the consumption of sodium. The receipes in this book, with exception of desserts, are considerably high in sodium even for a healthy heart. Most of the general information can be found easily at other sources.

This is a Christmas gift for my brother who had to have a triple bypass in July 2008. He doesn't know he's getting it from me and it was recommended by his cardiologist so help him eat and live healthier.

I purchased this book a couple of years ago and I've used it so much that I've broken the binding. These recipes have become a permanent part of my cooking repertoire. They are easy, tasty and I feel good about serving these meals to friends and family. The authors have found a way to let us all enjoy eating in a more healthy way without sacrificing taste. Enjoy!