Dr. John Day, Cardiologist

Is it a Panic Attack or a Heart Attack? On a Saturday night many years ago, Mary suddenly felt a pain in her chest and her heart was racing.  She immediately thought, this is it I must be having a heart attack. Am I going to die?  She was naturally very anxious while this was happening. Her husband immediately dialed 911.  Just as the paramedics arrived to her house her symptoms started to ease up.  The paramedics hooked her up to…

The Top 10 Benefits of Broccoli George H.W. Bush was quoted as saying, "I'm president of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli." President Obama shared, "Me and broccoli...we've got a thing going." When it comes to broccoli, I'm with President Obama. I too have a thing going with this superfood.  Broccoli is my favorite food and something I eat every day. My Relationship with Broccoli I generally resisted eating vegetables as a child.  In general, the…

Should I Take an Aspirin Every Day? For many years, physicians have asked people with risk factors for heart disease or stroke to take an aspirin every day.  The idea was that an aspirin every day might prevent a heart attack, stroke, or even premature death.  Millions have followed their doctor's advice and have faithfully taken their aspirin every day. This past week at the annual American Heart Association meetings in Chicago this philosophy was turned completely upside down.  The…

Do Processed Foods Cause Memory Loss? Can what we eat actually affect our memory?  Yes, according to a study just recently presented at the American Heart Association's annual scientific sessions in Chicago.  This study showed that trans fat, which is common in processed and fast foods, can cause memory loss in even younger adults. Can You Believe Trans Fat Food Labels? You may be thinking, "I always read the labels and make sure that I do not buy any food with trans…

Don't Drink Your Calories Do you ever drink fruit juice, sports drinks, energy drinks, or soda pop? If so, you are not alone. Fully 50% of all Americans consume sugary soda pop, sports drinks, or energy drinks each day. An additional 20% of Americans drink diet drinks each day. The problem is that our brains don't register that we are full when we drink our calories. It is almost as if whatever calories we take in with liquids “don’t count”…

Is Salad Dressing Healthy? Eating salads are always your healthiest option, right?  Not so fast.  The 20+ chemicals in your typical highly processed ranch salad dressing could harm your health. It seems like such a shame to take a healthy food, like a salad, and then smother it in chemicals which may hurt our health.  Can we both make the salad taste great and do our body good? Unfortunately, most people use commercial salad dressings like the one shown in this photo.…

How to Be an Optimist As a cardiologist I have treated thousands and thousands of patients with heart failure, heart attacks, and life-threatening arrhythmias.  I am always amazed at how my most positive or optimistic patients somehow seem to get better, whereas those who are negative or pessimistic seem to get worse. How can you adopt a more positive outlook to enjoy being healthier and living longer? In this article, I'll share with you the important relationship between mindset and health and give you six steps on how…

Lose 18 Pounds a Year with a 10-inch Plate Do you clean your plate at each meal? If so, then you and I both are part of the 92% of Americans that have this same habit. Our brains seem to be programmed to clear our plates.  Don't fight it. Rather embrace it, and turn what you have to your advantage.  Use a small plate. My Grandpa Black Where did this habit of cleaning our plates come from? Perhaps it originated from our parents…

Should I Eat Fish? Do you like fish?  Based on its profound health benefits, you may decide to become a fish lover, if not one already. If you eat at least two servings per week, studies suggest that you can extend your life by 2.2 years!  Not only will you live longer but fish will also decrease your risk of heart disease by 36%, help to prevent dementia, lower your triglycerides, and lower your blood pressure. In this article I will discuss…

Lose Belly Fat with a High Healthy Fat Diet Could consuming a liter of olive oil weekly actually help you lose belly fat? According to the latest study, it does. Indeed, numerous recent studies are showing that replacing simple carbs with healthy fats can help to shrink belly fat. This goes against everything the American Heart Association and our government taught us for years about eating a low fat diet to lose weight and avoid heart disease. Even the most recent dietary…

These chewy oatmeal bars make a yummy breakfast or a healthy snack--great for after school or on the go.  They can be made with or without sweeteners.  The bars are delicious plain, or can be adapted by adding any number of your favorite ingredients such as coconut, mashed ripe banana, almonds, pecans or walnuts (we love sprinkling the nuts on top to toast as the bars bake), peanut butter or almond butter, seeds, chopped dried fruit, dark chocolate chips, or anything…

If you are looking for ways to offer vegetables to picky eaters, or want a delicious, healthy, creamy sauce for yourself, this recipe with blended, steamed cauliflower is for you. One of my children calls the Mac 'n Cheese version: "Winner winner, noodle dinner." I love making a batch of these creamy, healthy sauces for lots of easy and varied fast food dishes. The basic sauce is great as an alfredo sauce. It is delicious over Ezekiel sprouted grain pasta, beans, vegetables, etc..…

Should I go gluten free to lose weight? One in three Americans is now going "gluten free" according to a recent survey.  It is interesting that 33% of Americans are excluding gluten from their diets, while only 1% of Americans actually have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease caused from wheat gluten. Other wheat problems include non-celiac gluten sensitivity which is estimated at 1-6% and less than 1% of the population have documented wheat allergies. As a cardiologist I am frequently asked by…

These healthy waffles are packed with protein, fiber, vegetables, and have no flour. I love experimenting with ways to make my favorite foods healthier. I usually experiment with the ingredients on hand, and it almost always turns out delicious. Knowing that it is helpful to have quantities when sharing waffle recipes, I measured as I went last night so that I can share with you the following recipe. Just know that if you are not exact on measurements or even…

Sara Lv, our friend in Xi’an, China, joined our research team to China’s Longevity Village. She is helping us replicate the amazing dishes we enjoyed in China. Chinese Tomato and Egg Stirfry Sara Lv, our friend in Xi’an, China joined our research team to China’s Longevity Village. She is helping us replicate the amazing dishes we enjoyed in China. 3 pasture raised organic eggs1 green onion1 medium tomato1/2 tsp fresh crushed ginger1/4 tsp saltdash of pepper Mix all ingredients in a…

Complete with measurements and instructions! Courtesy of our friend, Jennifer Burns, Fox 13 Cafe. Vegetable Creamy Curry Complete with measurements and instructions! Courtesy of our friend, Jennifer Burns, Fox 13 Cafe. 2 tsp olive oil1 cup small cauliflower florets1 cup small broccoli florets1/4 cup yellow onion (chopped)2 tsp curry powder1 cup low sodium vegetable stock15 ounces no-salt-added chickpeas (1 can, rinsed and drained)14.5 ounces no-salt-added diced tomatoes (1 can, undrained)2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)3 green onions (diced)1/4 cup unsalted peanuts…

This is one of our favorite recipes. Fresh Vegetable Salad with Lime and White Balsamic SaladThrow in any vegetables and beans you have on hand. I included: Spinach Red cabbage Broccoli Red onion Red pepper Garbanzos FetaDressingUse any citrus and vinegar. I used: Lime juice White Balsamic Vinegar Salt Pepper

9 Signs You May Have Vitamin K2 Deficiency You may have a vitamin K2 deficiency.  Sadly, few people have even heard about this vitamin.  In this article, I share the nine signs of vitamin K2 deficiency and what you can do now to reverse a vitamin K2 deficiency. What is vitamin K1? Most people have heard of vitamin K.  This is vitamin K1.  Vitamin K1 is important for blood clotting.  Vitamin K1 comes primarily from green leafy vegetables. How much vitamin…

(Without measurements—It’s ok! Try it!) Here’s a delicious and satisfying organic salad that I threw together last week with the ingredients I had on hand: Fresh Organic Southwest Salad Black beans Corn Diced celery Diced red onion Halved cherry tomatoes Barley (cooked al dente—this I had cooked in bulk and stored in my fridge to add to many dishes) Fresh cilantro Fresh lime juice Lime zest—lots! White balsamic vinegar Kosher salt Fresh ground pepper You get the idea. You can…

This sauce is great on its own as an alfredo sauce. It can also be magically transformed into a variety of other sauces by adding a few different ingredients as suggested below. It is delicious over Ezekiel sprouted grain pasta, beans, vegetables, as a cream soup base or even as a soup all on its own! Make a big batch and use it to make many different fast food dishes over a few days: Healthy Alfredo and Mac 'n Cheese…

Is Dairy Good for You? "Should I be drinking cow milk?" a class member asked Jane last week. "Do you like it?" "Yes. Well then should I be drinking skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk? I am so confused. Everyone is saying different things!" "Listen to your body. It has the capacity to tell you what it needs." The problem is that we receive so many mixed messages, even mandates, from so many outside sources that we stop looking inward…

I can find all sorts of reasons to eat. I don’t even need to be hungry! Just this afternoon, I finished a very healthy and satisfying lunch, and it was time to go back to work. My first thought was, “I’m going to head out to the garage freezer and see if we have any chocolate out there.” Having quite a bit of experience with this faulty thought process, I caught myself and asked, “Jane, are you really hungry?” The…

Does Stress Cause Weight Gain? Do you feel tired, have difficulties sleeping, weigh more than you should, experience head aches, or have digestive problems? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are that you are part of the 77% of us that feel the weight of chronic stress every day. The paradox of our modern society is that with our ever increasing "conveniences," life is becoming more complex and stressful. We are living lives our bodies were…

How to Survive Sedentary Work: 10 Tips Sitting is the new smoking. Physical inactivity now kills as many people each year as smoking tobacco. In fact, sitting more than 3 hours a day takes two years off of your life. This is particularly worrisome considering the average American sits 8-9 hours each day. If you come home after a long day at work and then sit in front of the television to relax or watch the news, you will be…

Dr. John Day’s Free Healthy Habit Tracker App Do you dream of being able to maintain excellent health, lose weight, or reverse a medical condition? The key to living the life you want is to begin making small and lasting changes now. But how? Over the course of my career, I have worked with thousands of patients who've shared the struggle I once faced: reclaiming our health. Those who track their daily habits are the ones who successfully make the changes and…

After our class this week on adapting the principles of China's Longevity Village to our lives and the choices we face in eating real healthy food vs. fake unhealthy food (which turns out to be what most of us Americans are eating most of the time), a mom came up to me and asked: “I have just one question. What foods can you actually feed your family?” We all want to eat healthy, but we often don’t know how, or…

Ten Ways to Break Your Sugar Addiction Oreo cookies and cupcakes are more addictive than cocaine, according to recent medical studies.  Could the findings of these studies help explain why two in three of us are overweight or obese? Many studies have shown that when a person with a sugar addiction sees something like a cookie or a cupcake, the prefrontal cortex area of their brain lights up on a brain scan as much as a cocaine addict when they see cocaine. In…

“That candy bar you ate from your kid’s Halloween bag is stuck right there in your thigh! Squeeze harder! Get it out! Come on, you know you ate more than you should. We all have our favorite jeans that we want to fit into! Keep lifting!” So we did. We all lifted our leg higher at the “counsel” of our Pilates instructor. What was the message offered to us that day? External appearances are more important than our internal well-being?…

The Top 10 Benefits of Dark Chocolate Did you know that chocolate could improve your cognitive function and increase your chances of winning a Nobel Prize?  Sounds strange, but these were the conclusions of a study published in the most prestigious medical journal, the New England Journal of Medicine. As a recovering sugar addict, my new vice is dark chocolate.  I especially like it with almonds; the darker the chocolate the better.  Fortunately for me and for those of you who share…

More than half of us here in America have high blood pressure. In fact, 56% of us are above the ideal blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg, as established by the American Heart Association (AHA). High blood pressure leads to heart attacks, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, strokes, and kidney failure. For years, we have been told to eat a low sodium diet. The American Heart Association (AHA) has recommended 1,500 mg, which is substantially less than one teaspoon per day. One…

How to Prevent Weight Gain After Eating a Big Meal or Junk Food What should you do if you just ate way too much? Most of us follow this unhealthy behavior with yet another unhealthy behavior: sitting. In our western culture, we were often taught to rest after a meal to allow the body a chance to digest the food.  Could this be the wrong advice? How can you prevent weight gain after eating a big meal or the wrong…

Do you have any of these 12 magnesium deficiency symptoms? You probably have no idea that you are currently suffering from magnesium deficiency. Indeed, studies show that up to 89% of Americans are magnesium deficient.  Read on to see if you have any of these 12 magnesium deficiency symptoms. Jill's Experience Jill was a 45-year-old woman suffering from a heart condition known as atrial fibrillation. It made no sense why someone so young should develop this heart condition as she…

My typical reaction upon entering my children’s rooms has often been, “This place is such a mess! You guys have got to clean this up! Now!” And so many times, with such a sense of urgency, I meant now. I would quickly work with them to get some layer of clutter cleared before I could commence with whatever it was that I had come in there for in the first place. It was the same around the house where people…

Can You Gain Weight from a Fecal Transplant? Did you catch the news headlines about the woman who experienced massive weight gain following a fecal transplant from her daughter this past week?  Can this even be true? Just what is the science behind a fecal transplant and why on earth would anyone ever want to have this procedure done?  In this article I will discuss the answers to these questions. A Medical Mystery? An unnamed woman, I'll call her "UW," was…

In the cereal aisle, I overheard a mother telling her child, “You can have this cereal, or this one, or this one.” The child countered, “Can I have this one?” “No,” The mother replied, “but you can have this one.” I looked up to see her pointing to a box of sugary chocolate puffed cereal. I paused, intrigued. By what criteria was this mom making her selections? Pretending to be busily evaluating the cereal boxes myself, I continued to listen…

Real Food First: A Simple Guide to Losing Weight, Getting Kids to Eat Healthy, and Feeling More Energy When we returned home from our first visit to China’s Longevity Village, we asked ourselves, “With all the junk food our kids encounter at school, church, playdates, scouts, sports, and practically everywhere in our society, how can we help our kids not only eat healthy, but develop a desire to eat healthy?” The pay off of good habits developed early was apparent…

There was a time when I could not imagine a day without a chocolate chip cookie or a donut. Who doesn’t love a fresh warm chocolate chip cookie? As a cardiologist, I would generally go to the hospital cafeteria during off hours, when I knew not many people would be there, to buy my cheeseburger, fries and cookie. I hated it when people would look at my white lab coat stating “cardiologist” and then the tray of food and sarcastically…

Is there such a thing as healthy cooking oil?  Perhaps like you, as a child who loved to cook with butter or margarine, this was something I never thought about. I remember fondly my early days of cooking in my parent’s kitchen. I must have been about 8 or 9 years old when I learned to cook my favorite foods.  I used to love putting heaps of margarine on the bread of my grilled cheese sandwiches to get them to…

Could a recent study that hit worldwide news, provide enough evidence to overturn the long-held belief that a little alcohol is good for the heart? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), one in ten deaths of working age adults in the U.S. results from alcohol consumption. Despite this fact, many in the medical community have been telling us for years that a little bit of alcohol is good for us as it prevents coronary heart disease (plaque build…

Prevent Cancer with Cruciferous Vegetables Let's face it, cancer scares all of us.  Who would ever want to spend all of their time at the doctor's office or in the hospital undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment only to feel horrible, potentially lose your hair, and know that in the end you might not even make it.  Even though the number one health risk women face is heart disease, studies show that what they fear the most is breast cancer. Is there a way…