FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Stan H. Samples
National Coordinator
(404) 252-3663

MIKE DITKA TEAMS UP WITH NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
TO FIGHT HEART DISEASE

"Eating properly is great. I mean you cut the fat down, cut the cholesterol out, but still you gotta get your rest and you gotta have some form of exercise." –– Mike Ditka

ATLANTA (August 26, 1998) Former New Orleans Saints Coach Mike Ditka practices what he preaches on and off the sidelines when it comes to heart-healthy eating. And he’s sharing his experiences as part of a national campaign to educate Americans about preventing heart disease the No. 1 killer of men and women. The campaign, Open the Door to a Healthy Heart, kicks off nationally in September in conjunction with National Cholesterol Education Month and the start of the NFL season.

"After I had the heart attack, it was a very simple choice. What the doctor told me I did and I did it religiously," Coach Ditka said. "I ate nothing but lean turkey breast or chicken breast or a piece of fish that was very lean. Even today, the milk I basically buy is skim and I buy margarine. I do have butter in the house, but I buy margarine and basically, I’ve used margarine ever since I’ve had the (heart) problem."

In 1988, Coach Ditka suffered a heart attack that forced him to change his eating habits and lifestyle. Today, he’s benefiting from those changes, but says there’s still room for improvement. Because he has been personally touched by heart disease and wants to educate others how to reduce their risk, Coach Ditka recently agreed to have his refrigerator "made over" by nationally recognized cardiologist Dr. Debra Judelson, immediate past president of the American Medical Women’s Association.

Dr. Judelson said the key to heart-healthy eating is making simple substitutions in the diet. "Switching from butter to soft and liquid margarine, from whole or 2 percent milk to 1 percent or skim, trimming the fat off meat and choosing the lighter varieties of foods all of these easy changes will reduce your fat and cholesterol intake, which reduces your risk for heart disease," she said.

When Dr. Judelson made a "house call" to Coach Ditka in New Orleans, she found that he is basically a healthy eater. He had lots of fruits and vegetables in the fridge (he loves to eat frozen white grapes as a snack), lean meats (though Dr. Judelson did bring a leaner version of Polish sausage!), margarine, skim milk, low-fat yogurt and a bottle of wine. When asked about his favorite foods, he said he loves venison and fruit. When pressed further on his indulgences, he admitted that he eats steak occasionally and loves the fried oysters at K-Paul’s in New Orleans.

Dr. Judelson offered these improvements for Coach Ditka, however: fat-free margarine spray, light mayonnaise and reduced-fat salad dressings. She also recommended hiding desserts in the crisper where they&’re out of sight and putting the produce in plain view.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among men and women in America, claiming 1 million lives annually. Every 34 seconds, an American life is claimed by the disease. The American Heart Association (AHA) reports the total cost of cardiovascular disease is expected to reach $274.2 billion this year. AHA notes one of the risk factors for heart disease is elevated blood cholesterol levels. Ninety-seven million Americans (51 percent of the adult population) have blood cholesterol levels above the desirable 200 mg/dL level.

Open the Door to a Healthy Heart is supported by the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers, in cooperation with the American Medical Women&’s Association, as part of an ongoing effort to educate consumers about diet and heart disease. For more information, contact Beth Hubrich, at 404-252-3663

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