A heart healthy regimen needn't be torture. Two hours on a stationary bike, followed by a dish of low-fat cottage cheese topped with a lonely sprig of parsley may be your idea of what it takes to maintain heart health—but it's actually a lot more enjoyable and fun! Cardiac fitness, like any new lifestyle plan, can be achieved with only a few basic modifications to your diet and activity level. With The Healthy Heart Cookbook For Dummies, you'll follow an exciting and delicious food regimen, destined to give you and your heart a boost. Written by James Rippe, a leading cardiologist and chef, and with over 100 recipes from a cadre of expert dietitians and fifty top chefs, you'll discover some of the secrets to heart health, some common fallacies, and get the lowdown on a few life-saving basics:

The risk factors for heart disease—and how to control them

The eight key eating habits affecting heart health—includ ing the number of calories, cholesterol and fat, and antioxidant-rich foods you consume

"Bad" versus "good" cholesterol—the world of saturated, monosaturated, and polyunsaturated fats

Nature's gift to health—phytochemicals and what foods contain them

Smart shopping tips—including common supermarket traps, and how to select produce, meats, seafood, dairy, grains, and from the deli counter

You'll discover what a snap it is to prepare your own menu, assemble meals that are nutritious and balanced and also meet every sort of dietary need (including high blood pressure, diabetes, and food allergies). The book's rich cornucopia of recipes will help you explore the delicious possibilities of every meal and dish, including:

Breakfast and brunch—including Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins, Peach Scones, and Eggs Benedict with Asparagus and Low-Fat Hollandaise Sauce

Appetizers and snacks—including Homemade Dill and Celery Seed Hummus and Chilled Hapa Shrimp Rolls and Thai Citrus Dipping Sauce

Seafood—including Red Snapper with Braised Fennel and Spinach and Seared Scallops in Grilled Eggplant with Mango Salad

Poultry and Meat—including Lemon-Grilled Cornish Hens, Healthy Heart Beef Stroganoff, and Herb-Crusted Lamb Loin with Braised Fennel and Fresh Mint

Vegetarian Entrees—including Curried Tofu and Vegetable-Stuffed Pitas with Cashews and Raisins

With sixteen pages of full-color photos, black-and-white how-to illustrations, a summary cheat sheet of need-to-know info, and humorous cartoons, The Healthy Heart For Dummies Cookbook helps you build a sensible foundation for overall fitness—beginning with your heart.