Midland Health Offers New Cardiac Program
February is American heart Month, and each year we are reminded to focus on our heart health. This year, instead of merely managing our heart disease, let us focus on how to prevent, treat and reverse it. Yes, I am talking about reversing heart disease. It is not new information; we have known about this for about 40 years, but it has somehow not trickled into mainstream medical practice.
Midland Health, in its commitment to making Midland the healthiest community in Texas, is excited to announce a unique non-invasive approach to reverse the progression of cardiac disease. Pritikin Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is an excellent addition to cardiac service line that we offer at Midland Health. We’re proud to announce that the Lifestyle Medicine Center is one of only medical facilities in our area to offer this groundbreaking program.
Great medical discoveries and invasive procedures have been mainstream of cardiology treatment in the past three decades. We have made great strides in treating acute life-threatening situations. At the same time, lifestyle measures were given nominal importance despite years of scientific evidence showing benefit, at times more than drugs and interventions.
We were taught in medical school that heart disease is a progressive disease by nature, and medications and interventions could only slow down the rate of worsening. But our understanding of the disease has evolved over the years. For many years, we believed that the only major mechanism causing reduced blood flow to the heart was coronary atherosclerosis or plaque. But now we know that there are other mechanisms, including changes in vasomotor tone, platelet viscosity, collateral flow and plaque hemorrhage. These are dynamic mechanisms and can have significant impact on our cardiac health in a relatively short time.
In the landmark study, “Lifestyle Heart Trial” -- a randomized controlled trial blindly assessed by independent observers -- showed that there was statistically and clinically significant reversal of coronary atherosclerosis after one year and even more reversal after five years with lifestyle measures without lipid-lowering drugs. Control group showed significant progression after one year and even more progression after five years.
Many physicians believe that their patients will not adhere to comprehensive lifestyle changes but patients who have gone through the Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation have been able to adhere to these programs. The underlying mechanisms that affect our health are so responsive to lifestyle changes, most people feel so much better so quickly that it becomes the reason for sustaining healthy lifestyle changes.
Who Qualifies for Pritikin ICR?
The below conditions may qualify you for Pritikin program through your insurance:
- Heart Attack
- Bypass Surgery
- Valve Surgery
- Heart Transplant
- Angioplasty / Stent placement
- Stable Angina
- Congestive Heart Failure
Now is a good time to consider this option because it is covered by Medicare and most commercial insurances.
Pritikin Program Pillars:
- Regular exercise: Focuses improved cardiovascular endurance, increased flexibility, strength and overall health.
- Heart-healthy eating plan: Focuses on affordable and satisfying meals, successful weight management, label reading guidelines and on simplified cooking and dining out options.
- Healthy mindset: Focuses on stress and anxiety management, communication skills improvement, effective goal setting and smoking cessation.
The Pritikin Program has been scientifically shown to reduce the risk of multiple chronic conditions including:
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
- Peripheral Vascular disease
- Angina pectoris
- Hypertension
- Metabolic syndrome
- Overweight/obesity
- Chronic inflammation
- Insulin resistance
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Prostate cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colon cancer
- Benign Prostate hypertrophy
Here is what our participants who started the program in January 2021 would like to share:
Following the Pritikin Program has helped me be able to drop weight, drop my blood sugar levels and increase my energy levels. I generally just feel better, to put it plainly. The system is simple to follow with the commonsense approaches that we all know but tend to forget. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone.
- Derrick Simpson
I have really enjoyed this Pritikin class. This class has motivated me to exercise frequently and understand what to cook and how to cook healthy. This class has not only helped me, but my family as well. The classes are very well explained, and in the exercise class the trainers are very motivating and encouraging.
- Olga Reyes
In the program you learn the science behind the recommendations and practical ways to incorporate them into our daily lives. I have found the programs lifestyle recommendations are easier to follow than other programs that which I am familiar. The instructors are very friendly, helpful, and they take their time to ensure you understand the lessons. The normal session involves supervised exercise, and a workshop, or a class. I have become much more aware of foods that limit calories but prevent excessive hunger. In the third week I noticed the following results: weight loss, more sleep, reductions in my medications, and greater physical stamina.
-John W. Cooper
If you would like to learn more about the Pritikin Intensive Cardiac Rehab program, please call, 432-221-2200.