5 Cardiologists Share Exactly What They Eat And Drink In A Day

They train for years, work super-long hours and are required to make decisions that are literally life and death. So how do some of the worlds top cardiologists keep themselves nourished and hydrated while working in a field that can be physically and mentally punishing? Just in time for heart health month, we found the answers from these experts.

Dr. Warrick Bishop

Private cardiologist, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

First thing: Strong coffee, one shot caffeinated, one shot decaf (for robust flavor without jitters from too much caffeine), often with bit of butter blended in to make a bulletproof coffee

Midmorning: Another coffee, sometimes with a dash of cream

Lunch: A small snack, perhaps a piece of cheese

Dinner: Salad, often with plain yogurt, sometimes a few pickled vegetables and a protein (steak, chicken, pork or venison)

Evening: A glass of wine

Bishop, persuaded by recent research, has been following a pattern of eating during an eight-hour window and fasting for 16 hours. Still, he knows that may not work for everyone. There isnt a single, perfect diet for every person, Bishop said. It depends on each persons dietary objectives. He likens the way we eat to a bank account, where nutritious choices build up our balance so that we can draw down with an occasional indulgence from time to time.

My recommendation is to follow the Mediterranean diet , which research shows to be very effective, he said. I tell my patients that you need to minimize eating food that has a bar code on it, and to avoid processed and sugar-dense foods as much as possible.

Further, he pointed out that diet is only one pillar of good health. For example, we often focus on diet and can neglect the importance of good sleep, regular exercise, reducing stress and periodic health checks and screenings. 

Dr. Deirdre Mattina

Cleveland Clinic

First thing (around 5 a.m.): Two cups of coffee with sugar-free hazelnut coffee creamer and a teaspoon of sugar

Breakfast (8 a.m., at work): Fruit and veggie smoothie (low-carb and low-sugar) from plant-based delivery service. Favorite flavor: mint-basil

Lunch: One can of Diet Coke (her favorite indulgence) and a plant-based bowl from the same delivery service (usually a high-fiber choice with quinoa, beans and vegetables)

Afternoon snack: A salty treat like a handful of nuts or a small bag of baked chips

Dinner: Vegetable-based entrees, usually served with quinoa or pasta

Evening (10 p.m. to midnight): Two more cups of coffee as she catches up on work

I try to keep my eating on a spectrum, and I try not to be too strict with myself, Mattina said. There might be times I have a deadline due, so Im not cooking as much and eating out more, but then I get back on track the following week. Id say about 80% of the time, Im doing the right things.

Mattina reported that her eating mostly follows the Mediterranean diet . The only difference is that, as a pescatarian, I only eat fish, not any meat, since Ive been a vegetarian since I was 16, she said. And I dont drink alcohol, so theres no wine at dinner for me.

Dr. Carmen W. Landrau

Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston

First thing: Large glass of water

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with fruit, perhaps nuts, or a boiled or scrambled egg or egg white with fruit and whole-wheat bread

Lunch: Chicken, fish or meat with vegetables, starch (ideally rice, which she loves) and possibly a salad, and water or iced tea

Snack (or quick lunch on busy days): Protein pack with meat, cheese and nuts, as low in sodium and saturated fat as possible, or low-fat cheese sticks or Greek yogurt with fruit

Dinner: Chicken or beef, either baked or grilled with veggies or a salad on the side with low-fat, low-sodium dressing. Weekly, a free choice meal at a favorite restaurant: usually steak with grilled shrimp, side Caesar salad, baked potato with chives and butter and dessert (ice cream, cake or flan)

A firm dont for me is not to follow fad diets, Landrau said. I dont like to classify certain food groups or nutrients as bad, and I dont totally avoid certain food groups. I never ask patients to deprive themselves of occasional treats if they can do it responsibly and with moderation. I tell them that the same way eating one salad wont make them lose weight, one treat on a special occasion shouldnt derail their efforts if they resume their healthy lifestyle after that.

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Breakfast: Yogurt with nuts, peanut butter on toast and a glass of milk, or leftovers from dinner

Lunch: Fruit and milk. Once or twice a month, lunch out with a colleague.

Dinner: Pasta with vegetarian topping, rice with vegetable and tofu topping, couscous or another whole grain with bean-based toppings. Fish about twice per week. Once or twice a month, dinner at a restaurant.

Im very comfortable eating good food, Bairey Merz said. Im predominantly pescatarian, and I usually dont eat dessert unless its very good chocolate. She stresses that she refers to what she eats as nutrition instead of diet. Diets are something for weight loss, but nutrition is the composition and amount of food you need to feel well.

Dr. Brahmajee Nallamothu

University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center

Breakfast: A glass of water, one egg (fried or scrambled), a piece of fruit and a thermos of coffee with cream to take to work and sip throughout the day

Lunch: On clinical days he usually skips lunch, but might have a protein bar or piece of fruit. On research days, hell have a protein bar and plain yogurt.

Afternoon: A latte, if hes feeling sluggish

Pre-dinner snack: Cheese and nuts (and with a beer if I feel Ive earned it)

Dinner (8 p.m.): Three times weekly: Indian vegetarian food with rice, breads, vegetable and dal-based curries and yogurt. Other nights: Indian fusion with Mexican or Italian. Once a week: takeout.

Dessert: I can go deep on cookies.

I aim to strive for balance in my eating, but I also believe life isnt worth living without spicy food, Nallamothu said. Im a big believer in Michael Pollans dictum: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. And Ive been a vegetarian for about five years now. I started with one of my children who decided to become a vegetarian, and Ive continued ever since.

The older I get, the more I realize how deeply personal food is for people. It is important for us to understand this diversity and be inclusive in how we think about diet and nutrition. Because of my involvement in the South Asian community in southeastern Michigan, I see a lot of patients who eat non-Western diets, including vegetarian ones. Providing dietary counseling for these patients has been a big gap until recently, but dietary counseling has evolved over the last few years in a very positive way.

This story was previously published at an earlier date.