Presented by Montefiore Medical Center in Partnership with Everyday Health
and the New York City American Heart Association

WHAT: Diet is one of the most important factors in warding off heart disease. Learn which foods you should and shouldn't be eating as well as healthy lifestyle tips to protect your heart during this Twitter Health Chat presented by Montefiore Medical Center (@MontefioreNYC) in partnerships with Everyday Health (@EverydayHealth) and the New York City American Heart Association (@FoundersHeart).

WHY:    March is National Nutrition Month, which provides an important time for everyone to focus on diet and how it impacts health. More education is needed to help people understand that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and low in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce the risk of heart disease, which is the #1 killer in the U.S.

The Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore brings a unique, nutrition-centered approach to the management of cardiovascular disease. The program aims to prevent and reverse heart disease with a whole-food, plant-based diet.

WHEN: Thursday, February 21, 3-4 p.m.

HOW:    Join the Twitter Chat using the hashtag #HealthTalk

WHO:    Robert Ostfeld, M.D., M.Sc & Lauren Graf, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.

Robert Ostfeld, M.D., M.Sc., a cardiologist, is the founder and co-director of the Montefiore-Einstein Cardiac Wellness Program, an associate professor of Clinical Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and the associate director of the Cardiology Fellowship at Montefiore-Einstein.

Dr. Ostfeld earned his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa; his M.D. from Yale University School of Medicine; and his Masters of Science in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Ostfeld completed his medical internship and residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital and his cardiology fellowship and research fellowship in Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital — both teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School.

His professional interests include cardiovascular disease prevention, medical education and clinical research. He earned the Outstanding Full Time Attending of the Year award at Montefiore for excellence in teaching medical residents; the Program Director's Award for dedicated service on behalf of the Montefiore-Einstein Cardiology Fellowship; and was elected to the Leo M. Davidoff Society at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine for outstanding achievement in the teaching of medical students.

Lauren Graf, M.S., R.D., is the nutritionist for the Montefiore-Einstein Cardiac Wellness Program, providing both individual counseling and group teaching to patients. She has created nutrition education materials and recipes as well as presentations on the power of plant-based nutrition to prevent and reverse cardiovascular disease.

Lauren received her B.S. and R.D. from the University of Connecticut and completed her dietetic internship at the UConn Health Center. She received her master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University.

Following graduate school, she became the full-time dietitian for the department of pediatric nephrology and the Pediatric Heart Healthy Program at Montefiore Medical Center. She provides nutrition counseling to children and adolescents with various chronic diseases including obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and chronic and end-stage kidney disease as well as kidney transplant recipients.

[View the story "Cardiac Wellness and the Role of Healthy Eating" on Storify]