Health
Navigating Thanksgiving with heart disease: What to eat and what to avoid
This week, many American families will sit down to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal together — but those who live with a heart condition may need to put some extra thought into what goes on the plate.
Nearly half of U.S. adults live with some type of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association — and diet has a major impact on the risk of heart attack and stroke.
“Thanksgiving is a holiday that often results in overindulgence of food and alcohol, which can pose a risk to individuals with known or unknown heart disease,” Dr. Philip Nimoityn, clinical assistant professor of medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, told Fox News Digital.
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Dr. Sam Setareh, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, often sees the effects of that overindulgence.
Doctors offer tips on Thanksgiving foods to embrace and foods to avoid for people with heart disease. (iStock)
“Every year after Thanksgiving, I see patients that present to the emergency room or my clinic with heart failure exacerbation, hypertensive emergency or diabetic crisis,” he told Fox News Digital.
Foods to avoid
Salty, high-sodium foods are the main cause of congestive heart failure exacerbation and high blood pressure, according to Setareh.
“Canned gravies, processed meats (such as ham and sausage stuffing), and salty snacks can lead to fluid retention and elevated blood pressure,” he said.
Instead, he recommends opting for homemade alternatives with no added salt.
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Trans fats and saturated fats can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, Setareh said.
To prevent that, he recommends avoiding buttery mashed potatoes, heavy cream-based casseroles, gravy and store-bought baked goods.
When it comes to meats, Nimoityn suggests avoidingfo the fattier choices.
“Thanksgiving is a holiday that often results in overindulgence of food and alcohol, which can pose a risk to individuals with known or unknown heart disease.”
“Dark turkey meat from the thigh and leg contains significantly more fat than white meat, and ham contains significantly more sodium than turkey,” he said.
Also steer clear of store-bought cranberry sauce, advised Dr. Alan Rozanski, a professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine and director of nuclear cardiology at Mount Sinai St. Luke in New York City.
“They’re often packed with added sugar,” he warned.
“Traditional pies and sugary drinks can spike blood sugar and contribute to weight gain,” a doctor cautioned. “Choose desserts made with less sugar or natural sweeteners.” (iStock)
When it comes to beverages, Nimoityn recommends avoiding or limiting alcohol because of its direct effects and additional calories, as well as apple cider, which contains a significant amount of sugar.
Sugary desserts are another culprit to avoid.
“Traditional pies and sugary drinks can spike blood sugar and contribute to weight gain,” Setareh cautioned. “Choose desserts made with less sugar or natural sweeteners.”
Heart-healthy foods
For those with a heart condition, Setareh recommends choosing lean proteins.
“Turkey (without the skin) is an excellent source of lean protein,” he said. “Avoid deep-fried preparations.”
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When choosing sides, the doctor recommends fiber-rich options.
“Focus on vegetables like roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans and sweet potatoes (baked or mashed without added sugar),” he said. “Whole-grain stuffing is also a better choice.”
For a flavorful, nutritious side, a doctor recommends roast green beans, asparagus or carrots with olive oil and herbs. (iStock)
For heart-healthy fats, Setareh suggests incorporating ingredients like walnuts, almonds and olive oil into recipes.
“These provide omega-3 fatty acids and support heart health,” he said.
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For dessert, fresh fruit salads or baked apples with cinnamon are heart-healthier alternatives to traditional pies.
“Taking larger portions of the healthier foods will result in having smaller portions of the foods that are higher in fat, carbohydrates and sodium,” added Nimoityn.
6 healthy twists on traditional faves
Rozanski believes people with heart conditions can still enjoy Thanksgiving favorites by giving them a heart-healthy twist.
“Dark turkey meat from the thigh and leg contains significantly more fat than white meat, and ham contains significantly more sodium than turkey,” an expert said. (iStock)
Below are some of his tips.
Turkey: Use whole grains, fresh vegetables and low-sodium broth for a healthier stuffing — and go easy on the gravy, he advised.
Non-starchy vegetables: For a flavorful, nutritious side, Rozanski recommends roast green beans, asparagus or carrots with olive oil and herbs. “Classics like sweet potatoes with marshmallows and brown sugar, buttery mashed potatoes, creamy green bean casserole, and glazed carrots often come with loads of added fats and sugars,” he cautioned.
Salad: “A fresh, leafy green salad with nuts, seeds and a light vinaigrette adds a vibrant, healthy option to your table,” he said.
Mashed Potatoes: Swap traditional mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower as a lighter alternative, Rozanski suggested.
Dinner Rolls: The doctor recommends choosing whole-grain rolls over refined ones.
Desserts: “Enjoy pie in moderation or try healthier treats like fresh fruit, dark chocolate or air-popped popcorn with light seasoning,” Rozanski suggested.
6 more heart-healthy tips
The doctors shared some additional Thanksgiving health tips for those who have heart conditions.
1. Cut out the “high-ticket” items
Nimoityn recommends avoiding some of what he calls the “high-ticket” items that are often added at the table, such as butter, salt and sauces.
“This can markedly decrease the amount of these components in your meal,” he said.
Patients with heart conditions should consult with their doctors for specific dietary guidance. (iStock)
2. Start small
“Serve modest portions for your first plate,” Rozanski advised.
“Long meals often encourage seconds, so keeping your initial serving manageable is key.”
3. Eat mindfully
“Eating slowly and taking a break to enjoy the company of family and friends before rushing to fill a second plate can help to prevent overeating,” Nimoityn suggested.
“Give your body 10 to 15 minutes to recognize fullness before refilling your plate.”
Rozanski echoed that advice, encouraging people to “savor every bite.”
“Put your fork down between bites, chew thoroughly and focus on the flavors to help prevent overeating,” he recommended.
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Before going for seconds, Rozanski said it’s best to pause.
“Give your body 10 to 15 minutes to recognize fullness before refilling your plate,” he advised.
Experts recommend taking a brief walk after eating the Thanksgiving meal. (iStock)
4. Walk it off
Experts recommend taking a brief walk after eating the Thanksgiving meal.
“A post-meal walk can aid digestion, lower blood sugar and support heart health,” said Setareh.
5. Adhere to medications
“Ensure that you take all your prescribed medications as usual and avoid foods or beverages that may interact with them, such as excessive alcohol,” Setareh advised.
6. Make nutrition a habit
“Having a heart-healthy diet throughout the year — combined with comprehensive screening by a physician for future cardiovascular risk, including evaluation of lipid and vascular inflammatory markers — may help to prevent adverse cardiac events in the future,” Nimoityn said.
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Patients with heart conditions should consult with their doctors for specific dietary guidance, he added.
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A new injectable therapy is showing positive results in reducing melanoma throughout a five-year period.
The personalized mRNA cancer therapy, called intismeran autogene, combined with the cancer immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), is a collaboration between Merck and Moderna.
The results from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 27.
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After about a five-year follow-up, the combo drug was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone.
The researchers analyzed data from 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma whose cancer had been removed via surgery. The participants were split into two groups — one received the combo therapy and the other only received pembrolizumab, according to a press release.
The therapy was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone after a five-year follow-up. (iStock)
The findings revealed that the combination group saw benefits that were “sustained and durable over time.”
Intismeran autogene is designed using mutations identified in a patient’s own tumor, with the intention of teaching the immune system what the cancer looks like so that it can recognize and attack it.
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According to the researchers, intismeran is “well-tolerated” with a “manageable” safety profile.
The most commonly cited side effects of the personalized mRNA vaccine plus KEYTRUDA were fatigue, injection-site pain, chills, fever and headache. The researchers reported no new long-term safety concerns and no severe vaccine-related adverse events.
The combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study — the final confirmation stage.
Patients with late-stage melanoma have a “significant risk” of cancer recurrence, according to an expert. (iStock)
In a Merck press release from January, Kyle Holen, MD, Moderna’s senior vice president and head of development, oncology and therapeutics, noted that this data highlights the “potential of a prolonged benefit … in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.”
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“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA’s potential in cancer care,” he said.
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, also commented that for many patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma, there is a “significant risk of recurrence following surgery.”
Researchers confirmed that the combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study. (iStock)
“As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone,” she said.
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The company cited encouraging five-year follow-up data and pointed to upcoming late-stage INTerpath trial results with Moderna in several hard-to-treat cancers.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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