First, the best food fuel does not contain trans-fatty acids. It may taste delicious to you, but your body disagrees. Remember, as the arteries clog they cannot speak. Today I am speaking for them and others are starting to help as well. Who are the people trying to assist the arteries? Read on. Today September 10, 2007, the Los Angeles Times posted an online article titled, ?Limits Proposed on Fast-Food Restaurants,? written by Tami Abdollah (available at http://www.latimes.com by searching archives). Times staff writer Doug Smith contributed to this report as well. This article reveals, ?There are about 20 fast-food outlets in just one-quarter of a mile near USC on Figueroa Street.?

Rey Merlan said, ?To be honest, it's all we eat.? Can you imagine eating fast food every day? Well, the article states, ?Thirty percent of adults in South L.A. are obese, compared with 20.9% in the county overall, according to a county Department of Public Health study released in April.? It goes on to say, ?South L.A. has the highest diabetes levels in the county, at 11.7%, compared with 8.1% in the county.? What does this mean? There are many clogged arteries out there and they need your help! I never thought the day would come when I would be speaking up for all of the clogged arteries. This article says, ?the City Council this fall will be asked to consider an up to two-year moratorium on new fast food restaurants in South L.A.? The City Council and others are really the ones whom will come to the aid of the arteries.

?Representative Mary Bono (R-Palm Springs) introduced a bill in congress in June that, among other things, would try to increase the availability of nutritious foods in economically depressed areas,? as quoted in this article. We can make a difference just by changing what type of ?food fuel? we decide to buy. Do you want the cheap food fuel? This fuel could not only cost you a lot in medical bills, but there may not even be a body to fuel up if there is a life-threatening explosion. Did you know that heart failure is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization in the United States? It could even be worse if you have a massive heart attack and you are alone.

I take this very seriously. In fact, one time I had a patient tell me over the phone he thought it was just heartburn. I told him, ?I am sending out an ambulance to your house." No one dies on my shift. Yes, he was having a heart attack, but did survive. Make the change today. Having a healthy heart is really a good start!