The importance of diet and disease prevention

IN THE NEWS: Dr. Shaista Malik discussed the role of diet in disease prevention in an Orange County Register article about recipes designed to improve health.

“Genes of course play a big role in development of any disease,” said Malik, medical director of UC Irvine’s Preventive Cardiology Program. “But a lot of it you can prevent by paying attention to your diet and exercise levels."

Malik said some of her patients have cut their high levels of bad cholesterol in half through dietary changes alone. She recommends less meat, more fruits and vegetables, limiting saturated fat, and reducing consumption of simple sugars, which trigger production of cholesterol.

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