Restraint urged by heart doctors during Easter feasts

The Hellenic Cardiology Society is advising heart patients to remove the saltshaker from the table, avoid the skin and fat from the lamb or goat and the nibbling that precedes the meal in order to avoid unpleasant surprises on Easter Day.

More specifically, professor of cardiology and president of the Hellenic Cardiology Society Giorgos Kochiadakis recommends restraint, especially among those who have followed the 40-day fast and heart patients.

A basic dietary guideline, he says, concerns the cherished habit of nibbling on the lamb while it's on spit. "Avoid it! If you want to eat, sit at the table and enjoy your meal, chewing slowly for digestion and to fill you up faster," he stressed.

Doctors recommend the eating of a fruit and a few nuts a short time before main meals to reduce hunger, as well as plenty of green salad and virgin olive oil. Too much potato,...