Follow your heart. It can mean the difference between health and sickness.

In Episode 2, Tracy Anderson interviews Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD, a prominent cardiologist and New York Times bestseller, about the matters of the heart. They discuss the intersection of emotional and physical health, reviewing scientific studies that outline the profound impact kindness has on the body. Jauhar has written three books including Heart: A History, interspersing his life with a history of the human heart and advances in cardiology. Uncover the deeper roots of the healthcare system, dive into the broken heart syndrome, and learn the hidden risk factors for heart disease with Tracy and Dr. Jauhar in the latest episode of From Mat to Table. 

 

TODAY’S EPISODE

Episode 2

 

Below are compiled timestamps and resources for topics that are covered throughout the episode (enjoy!):

 

(00:07:22) In his book, Heart: A History, Sandeep advocates focusing on emotions and how we live – areas that have been relatively underexplored – as the next step in heart disease and coronary research.

(00:09:25) Watch Sandeep’s Ted talk here – our favorite quotes are below:

1. “The heart has been transformed from an almost supernatural object, imbued with metaphor and meaning, into a machine that can be manipulated and controlled…”
2. “These manipulations, we now understand, must be complemented by attention to the emotional life that the heart, for thousands of years, was believed to contain.”

– Sandeep Jauhar, How Your Emotions Change the Shape of Your Heart, TED, 10/5/2019

(00:11:21) In 1978, a seemingly straightforward experiment designed to establish the relationship between high blood cholesterol and heart health in rabbits discovered that kindness — in the form of a particularly nurturing postdoctoral student who pet and spoke to the lab rabbits as she fed them — made the difference between a heart attack and a healthy heart. – Kelli Harding MD, MPH, The Rabbit Effect

(00:12:55) In 1978, Dr. Robert Nerem and his colleagues were studying the relationship between a high-fat diet and heart health with the help of a group of New Zealand White rabbits. Rabbits who were petted, had 16 percent less heart disease. Even though they had the exact same cholesterol and blood pressure. Ultimately, they determined that the group of rabbits with far healthier blood vessels was under the care of an especially kind postdoctoral student who treated the animals with love and patience when handling them. Really. The findings have been replicated. Kindness is good for our health.

(00:21:36) “It is so much easier for cardiologists to prescribe a pill to lower cholesterol than it is to lower social and emotional disruption.” From PBS Interview with Jeffrey Brown and Sandeep Jauhar, author of the January pick for the NewsHour-NYT book club.

(00:24:17)“Apart from the perverse incentives of our fee-for-service system, a major driver of over consultation is the uncertainty engendered by the hurried pace of contemporary medicine.”― Sandeep Jauhar, Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician

(00:25:22) Learn more about Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness by James H. Austin MD here

(00:37:00) Data from US Department of Agriculture USDA 2000 food tables, reports that between 1963 and 2000 the nutrient content in all types of fruits and vegetables had declined by up to 50% and continues to decline.

“The fundamental treatment for human (and animal) disease is not medicine, but better farming.” – Dr. William Albrecht, Head of the Soils Department at the University of Missouri from 1930-1960, quoted in The Intelligent Gardener by Steve Solomon

The nutrients required to sustain life are the macronutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, and fats – which supply energy and build tissue; the micronutrients – vitamins and minerals – which are used by the body in much smaller amounts, but are important in the regulation of all body processes and also act as structural components; and water, the overall vital nutrient sustaining all our life processes. If we supply our bodies with adequate amounts of these nutrients, and in the proper ratios, then we help ensure optimal nutrition and a solid foundation for health.

Interested in pre-ordering My Father’s Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s? Click here to purchase now or look out for when this becomes available on April 11th.

TODAY’S MENU

Episode 2

 

Episode 2 of In My Kitchen is, literally and figuratively, the icing on the cake. Come into Tracy’s kitchen to cook with her resident chef, Alexander Brown, while he cooks a heart-healthy lunch, full of anti-inflammatory ingredients. Chef Alex guides you in preparing a nutritious Mediterranean chickpea salad, a savory pan-seared salmon, and a zesty lemon bar.

 

The main takeaways from today’s meal are: 

• Anti inflammatory

• Heart healthy

• Chalk full of nutrients and minerals

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

(serves 4-6)

 

1 1/2 cup persian or English Cucumber diced 

1/4 cup diced Red onion 

2 cans cooked garbanzo beans drained

1 cup red, green or orange diced Bell pepper 

1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved

1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives  

1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley 

1/2 cup Olive oil 

2 tsp Dried oregano 

1 clove minced Garlic 

1/4 cup Red wine vinegar 

1 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp black pepper 

 1 tsp Dijon mustard 

 

In a large mixing bowl add the cucumber, red onion, garbanzo beans, bell peppers, olives, parsley and tomatoes. Mix and set aside. In another mixing bowl add the Dijon, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, whisk well and slowly add olive oil until dressing is emulsified. 

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Serve and enjoy. 

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Pan Seared Salmon

(serves 4)

 

4 skinless salmon filets 6-8oz 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp cracked black pepper 

1 tbs olive oil 

 

Directions 

Pre heat oven to 450F. While oven heats up. Place a non stick pan on stove and turn heat on to medium high heat and add olive oil. Season the salmon filets with desired amount of salt and pepper. Once pan is hot place the salmon presentation side down and cook for 3-4 min until the fish has a nice golden crust. Flip fish and cool for another 2 min. Remove from pan and place on baking pan. Depending on thickness Place in oven and cook for 2-5 min. Fish should be tender and flaky. 

 

Plating salmon dish  

On a plate first lay down a large spoonful of the Swiss chard then lay down 2 Cippolini onion. Take the salmon place the salmon filet on top and place a small spoon full of the salsa verde directly on top of the salmon and drizzle a bit of the salsa verde olive oil around the plate. 

 

Swiss Chard

(serves 4)

 

6 cups chopped and cleaned Swiss chard 

3 cups spinach 

1 tbs olive oil 

1 clove garlic minced 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp lemon juice 

 

Directions 

In a large sauté pan heat olive over medium high heat. Once hot add the Swiss chard and stir frequently for 3-4 min then add the spinach to the pan and cool for another 2 min then add garlic salt and lemon juice and cook for another 1 min. Remove from pan and set aside for the salmon fish later. 

 

Balsamic Cipollini Onions

(serves 4)

 

1 lb peeled Cipollini onion 

2 tbs vegan butter 

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

1/4 cup water 

2 tbs coconut sugar 

1/2 tsp salt

 

In a large sauté pan with tight fitting lid add butter and turn heat to medium high. Once hot add the onion and brown on each side for 2-3 min on each side now add water, vinegar, sugar and salt bring to a boil cover with lid and reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 min. Remove lid and let liquid simmer until liquid has reduced and has a syrup like consistency. Remove from pan and set aside. 

 

Fresh Herb Salsa Verde 

(serves 4-6)

 

1/2 cup francessco olives 

1/2 cup kalamata olives 

2 tsp chopped capers 

1 glove garlic minced 

1 tbs  lemon zest 

Juice of one lemon 

1 tbs chopped fresh parsley 

1 tbs fresh basil chopped

1 tbs fresh chives chopped 

1/3 cup olive oil 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp black pepper 

 

Directions 

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and mix together well. Set in fridge for later 

 

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Lemon Bars

(12-16 lemon bars)

 

3 cups gluten free flour mix 

2/3 cup powder sugar 

1/2 tsp salt 

15 tbs of vegan butter melted 

1 cup lemon juice 

3 tbs lemon zest 

3 cups sugar 

8 room temp eggs 

 

Preheat oven to 350F and line 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl add 2 1/2 cup on GF flour, salt, and powdered sugar and whisk until combined together. Now pour in the melted vegan butter and mix well. Place the crust mix into the parchment lined baking dish and press down dough evenly. Place in oven and bake at 350F for 20 min.  

While the crust is baking put the sugar and lemon zest to a food processor and blend until sugar has a yellowish color and well incorporated. Pour the sugar into a large bowl. Add lemon juice, eggs and 1/2 cup of gluten free flour and whisk well. 

Once crust is done remove from oven and let cool for 5 min. Once you have let the crust cool, pour the sugar and egg mixture over the crust and bake in oven at 350F for 25 min.  Once done cooking remove from oven let cool for 10 min then place in fridge for 2-3 hrs. Once it has cooled. Remove from fridge and cut lemon bars to desired squares. Garnish with powder sugar and preferred fruit.