Hamden, Ct. March 28, 2011 -- Mark Twain sadly reasoned that the only way to good health was to eat and drink what you what don’t like and don’t want. A new book by preventive cardiologist Richard Collins M.D., self-described food passionisto Rob Leighton, and Susan Buckley, R.D., takes the opposite view and shows how delicious foods can be healthy.
 

Part nutrition handbook and part cookbook, The Kardea Gourmet: Smart and Delicious Eating for a Healthy Heart (Linx, 2011) looks beyond the Mediterranean diet, South Beach and Atkins diets. “Human beings love to eat and love to eat well,” says Dr. Collins. "Diet by deprivation does not work and weight loss using unhealthy foods can do harm. Our book gives our readers the knowledge, cooking techniques, and recipes to navigate their own approach to heart-healthy eating.”

Leighton discovered Dr. Collins as part of his own efforts to control his genetically high cholesterol through natural, nutritional solutions. “There was so much conflicting information about what I should and should not eat,” says Leighton. “Dr. Collins offered a clear understanding of the science and joy of heart-healthy eating.”

 The two share a common passion for great-tasting, healthy foods and, along with registered dietitian Susan Buckley, coauthored The Kardea Gourmet. Adds Leighton,“This book is more than a collection of delicious recipes. It offers an understanding of how different nutrients come together to support all aspects of heart health, from cholesterol to high blood pressure and blood sugars to inflammation to weight management.” 

The Kardea Gourmet: Smart and Delicious Eating for a Healthy Heart (ISBN 978-098021188-7) is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, select Whole Foods Markets and leading independent book retailers throughout the United States or in the Kardea online store.