This past weekend, a dear friend of mine had quite a health scare: He underwent quintuple bypass surgery the day after his 50th birthday. (During his birthday dinner the night before, he completely ignored the pain he was in--none of us had a clue. He said he didn't want to "ruin the party"!) Fortunately, he's doing well and, when he gets out of the hospital in the next day or two, he'll be coming to stay with my husband and me during his convalescence. The hospital has given him a big notebook that details lots of heart-healthy strategies including, of course, food ... and I was pleased to see that we're already doing the things they advise: Whole grains instead of processed (high-fiber cereals, good-for-you grains and pastas); monounsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts) instead of saturated; low- or nonfat dairy; lots and lots of vegetables and fruit; light on the animal products. Even so, I've promised to call my doctor this week and make an appointment to get myself checked out; and I urge you to do the same, for peace of mind and to head off any as-yet-undetected health issues.