Taking CardioTabs® supplements is o­ne step in taking care of your heart.* You should also exercise, avoid stress and eat right. Many of us have become swept up in today's fast-paced, hectic world and feel too busy to exercise or even to cook dinner. That's why fast food has become a national habit that we must learn to avoid. However, with so much confusing and contradictory advice being offered in the media today, what is the best alternative for a sustainable and healthful diet?

The national dietary debate has focused o­n two extremes-a diet high in protein and saturated fat, but extremely low in carbohydrates made popular by Dr. Atkins versus a diet very low in fat and high in carbohydrates promoted by Dr. Ornish and others. We advocate neither of these extremes. Instead, the researchers at CardioTabs® recommend following a diet that is more consistent with the genetic heritage of our Paleolithic ancestors. Such a diet includes lean protein and is high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant chemicals.

Such a diet is also consistent with the findings, recently reported in JAMA, of a meta-analysis conducted by Dr. Hu and Dr. Willett to determine the optimal diet for prevention of coronary heart disease. These findings indicate that diets using non-hydrogenated, unsaturated fats as the predominant form of dietary fat, whole grains as the main form of carbohydrates, an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and adequate omega-3 fatty acids offer the best protection against coronary heart disease.

The hunter-gatherer diets of our ancestors included foods that were naturally high in antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene. Omega-3 came from diets high in wild fish or game that fed o­n algae, grasses, and leaves that were rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They, of course, were never exposed to the kind of synthetic, highly processed foods that has become the staple of the modern era's diet.

We urge everyone to follow a diet of nutritious, real foods that follow these suggestions. We also support JAMA's new guidelines recommending that all adults take o­ne multivitamin daily, so long as the vitamin consists of the proper supplements in the proper dosages. Because of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, we also recommend taking from 1.0 to 1.5 grams of concentrated fish oil high in DHA and EPA unless people are already eating sufficient quantities of fish containing high levels of omega-3 in their regular diets.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.