But he didn't. And sticking to his program of lowering sodium, continuing to exercise (one of his daily routines before) and paying attention to his doctor have saved his life, and certainly in my mind, brought him back to his original state of being.

Don never cooked with salt. He admits however, that he didn't understand how much salt and sodium were in many of his ingredients. As soon as he learned what his diagnosis meant though, he changed his recipes and I don't think he's ever jumped above 500 mg of sodium a day since.

There's something else I want to say about his website. I was impressed when in late part of 1996 he said he was going to "go national" with a website. Neither one of us fully understood impact of that. "Going national" really meant going international. I don't think he understood then that his full time job would become Megaheart.com. He now has at least two others that I know of working on it many hours a week. Thousands of people have written to him thanking him for his site, his books and for helping to save their lives and for helping to get them off heart tranplant list.

So, obviously, I am still impressed.

Don is not afraid of his age, either. He doesn't know that he's aged 7 years since his diagnosis. He doesn't know that he's about to turn 70. He looks younger, speaks much younger, thinks like a twenty year old. He will tell you that his “young mind,” gets his older body into trouble often. His long experience with life, with cooking, with health issues of others and his past are showing all his colors today. In show business he was always helping others get work, get trained, get paid. He was a ski patrolmen who helped injured down steep mountains and now he's doing what he does well. He's helping others with chronic illnesses and he's doing it for no money, no fees, not even any advertising help. He is sincerely interested in people who visit his website and those who use his books.

I guess, truth be told, that's why I'm using his books. I know that within those covers I will find a lot of hard work, recipes and guidelines that he has created, tested and lives by. It worked for him, and now it's working for me.

6. Kick it up a notch. Add lots of spices to your food. If your food is tasty you will want to eat it and not eat junk or fast food. Most spices are also very powerful antioxidants. Hot things like pepper also increase our metabolic rate. Add spices right at end of cooking so they retain their full flavor and antioxidant power. Next time I will have tip of day be about what may be most powerful spice of all: cinnamon. If you can afford it or if you are lucky enough to have a garden or sunny window sill, using fresh herbs makes almost anything better. I like to keep a little basil plant on window sill in winter.

7. Eat some raw foods. Raw fruits and vegetables have important enzymes that aid our health and detoxify us. Wash them real well. If you can afford to, use organic fruits and vegetables or grow your own. They are often more nutritious. An apple a day keeps doctor way.

8. Reduce grilled or smoked foods. These processes make toxic chemicals. The ‘char’ on grilled foods and smoke flavor in smoked foods contain concentrated free radicals. I know they are delicious, but they are deadly. Try using broiler, oven or frying in olive oil as alternatives to grilling.

9. Take some vitamins. I think it is good to eat a Multivitamin; it can’t hurt and a big jar is cheep.

10. Drink lots of green tea and water. Ice water actually had negative calories. Drink a glass before a meal and you will be less likely to overeat. A glass of hot green tea after a meal will help digestion and elimination of any toxins.

11. Don’t skip breakfast. Your mom was right.