In a show of solidarity for our gluten-free marketer Lyssette Gonzalez, CareCloud sat in on a presentation today by Dr. Arthur Agatston, Medical Director of Wellness Prevention for Baptist Health South Florida and co-author of the best-selling nutrition plan,\u00a0The South Beach Diet.<\/p>\n
Dr. Agatston, one of the nation\u2019s leading alternative cardiologists, was this year\u2019s keynote speaker at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Symposium on March 21.<\/p>\n
His address to representatives from South Florida\u2019s biggest healthcare providers and suppliers focused on the harmful effects of gluten in our everyday diets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Gluten, a type of protein found in wheat, is extremely difficult to digest compared to simpler proteins like meats and rice. If a person is sensitive to gluten, consumption can lead to symptoms like bloating and abdominal cramps and in worse cases migraines, joint pain, brain fog and fatigue.<\/p>\n Dr. Agatston stumbled upon the benefits of a gluten-free diet while creating The South Beach Diet. During its first phase, the nutrition plan completely eliminates all bread, wheat and pasta.<\/p>\n After recommending phase one to his patients, the Miami cardiologist noticed a significant improvement in their health. This concept was the basis of his upcoming second installment to the series:\u00a0The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution<\/em>.<\/p>\n (Lyssette, we plan on buying you a copy for your birthday, so stay away from Amazon).<\/em><\/p>\n The renowned doctor also took some time to speak on the emerging importance of preventive cardiology in averting heart attacks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the best kept secrets in the country is that doctors who are practicing aggressive preventive cardiology have really stopped seeing heart attacks in their practices,\u201d said Dr. Agatston.<\/p>\n His approach to heart attack prevention contrasts today’s models. Currently, most cardiologists use cholesterol LDL levels and risk factors to predict whether a patient is susceptible to heart disease and should be prescribed Statin drugs.<\/p>\n Dr. Agatston, though, believes calcium deposits inside of the coronary arteries are a better predictor of blood clots and, in turn, an oncoming heart attack.<\/p>\n \u201cThe national guidelines as they stand now are useless,\u201d said Dr. Agatston. \u201cYou should not be reassured if you have a low cholesterol level because you still may be at risk<\/strong> for a heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n Because calcium can be detected through a non-invasive MRI, it\u2019s easier to identify and, according to Dr. Agatston,\u00a0more accurate measurement for looming heart problems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The Healthcare Symposium was meant to be a\u00a0timely discussion about the Affordable Care Act and the big, high-impact policies fast approaching health businesses this year. Although Dr. Agatston may have gotten a bit off topic, the morning’s\u00a0presenters\u00a0focused more on the ACA and its affect on healthcare.<\/p>\n Other speakers at the event included Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Deputy Director, Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); R. Paul Duncan, Ph.D., Chairman, Department of Health Services Research, Management & Policy, University of Florida College of Public Health & Health Professions; and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.<\/p>\n For more information on the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and its events, visit their homepage.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a show of solidarity for our gluten-free marketer Lyssette Gonzalez, CareCloud sat in on a presentation today by Dr. Arthur Agatston, Medical Director of Wellness Prevention for Baptist Health South Florida and co-author of the best-selling nutrition plan,\u00a0The South Beach Diet. Dr. Agatston, one of the nation\u2019s leading alternative cardiologists, was this year\u2019s keynote […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth"],"yoast_head":"\n