American Heart Assosiation Before Surgery Diet

While there are many "before surgery diets" that are purportedly recommended by the American Heart Association, the truth is that many of these diets are fraudulent. Although it is a good idea to lose a few excess pounds before you undergo any surgery, there are right and wrong ways to accomplish this goal. What follows are the true recommendations from the American Heart Association about dieting---whether you are scheduled for a surgery or not.

AMA and Fraud Diets

The Cabbage Soup Diet is one of the more popular AMA fraud diets, and it recommends you subsist on nothing more than cabbage soup for a seven-day period to drop weight prior to surgery. The AMA notes that this and other fad diets are ineffective at keeping off weight long-term and can compromise your health by depriving your body of required nutrients.

Real AMA Diet Recommendations

Reasonableness is the key to any successful diet, and the AMA understands that fact. The AMA prescribes a balanced diet consisting primarily of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy to help you lose weight in a safe and effective manner. Eschewing the assertions of fad diets everywhere, the AMA states that the only way to lose weight for good is to eat less and exercise more.

Increase Consumption of Nutrient-Rich Foods

The AMA's recommendations revolve around two key principles---eat more foods that are nutrient dense while simultaneously removing foods from your diet that are nutrient poor (i.e. "junk" foods). Thus, eliminate consumption of empty-calorie items such as soft drinks, snack foods and desserts while increasing your consumption of lean meats, fruits, vegetables and fiber.

Increase Omega-3 Consumption

Recognizing the proven weight-loss power of omega-3 fats, the AMA recommends consumption of fish at least twice a week on your diet. In addition to obtaining your omega-3 fix from fish, consider also purchasing an over-the-counter fish oil supplement, taking 5 to 10 g daily. Fish oil has been shown to have fat-loss properties, in addition to helping guard against coronary heart disease.

Do Not Neglect Exercise

Although some diets suggest that you can lose weight without exercise, the AMA-recommended diet does not fall into that category. You should be aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity at least four days per week---but exercising every day certainly is optimal. This will help prepare your body for surgery, if applicable, as you will be in better physical condition and better able to make a rapid recovery.