Dairy is perfectly acceptable as long as it is non-fat (skim) or only 1% fat. We use skim milk, fat-free cottage cheese, fat-free ricotta, etc. Use non-fat condensed milk in place of whole milk or cream. Plant foods do not contain cholesterol but please keep in mind it is not usually the amount of cholesterol in your diet that is the problem. It is the amount of saturated fat. Milk fat (ie butter) is highly saturated and thus so are foods made from whole milk and cream such as most cheeses. You would be wise to read labels.
The American Heart Association has a website and they will have recipes. You can also buy their cookbooks in your local bookstore--or possibly borrow from your local library. The American Diabetes Association and the cancer associations are also good sources of plant-based, low-fat recipes.
Dr. Dean Ornish has some books out with wonderful recipes. His program includes life-style changes in addition to diet that are important. Just be aware that it is a radical departure from what we have come to consider "normal" in the typical American way of eating and thus can be difficult to stick with. Those who do manage to change have had definite improvements in their health. Dr. Ornish was the first to establish that clogging of the arteries can be reversed. Up until his experiments, we thought the best one could hope for was to just slow the progress of atherosclerosis.
"Inflammation" is the current working theory for most diseases including heart disease and "anti-oxidants" are the heroes of the day. This is not a new theory despite the plethora of books on the current market. It's been around for decades and decades. It still comes down to eating a mostly plant-based diet with small amounts of low-fat protein such as fish, egg whites and non-fat dairy.
I've been a registered dietitian (now retired) for over 30 years and I've seen alot of fad diets come and go. (mostly they are just a "reinvention" of the same old, same old) Nothing has really changed. It still comes down to what grandma used to say: eat your vegetables! You can eat a fat-free, cholesterol-free diet (that's what Lifesaver candies are) and die from malnutrition. It isn't just what you leave out, it's what you include that is important. Throw alot of vegies into those casseroles! And I mean alot. Aim for 8 servings of vegies a day. A serving is only a half-cup so it isn't really that hard. It just takes planning. Eat vegies such as carrot sticks, etc for snacks between meals. Make them the main part of your meals.
Fiber is important. Eat whole grains. Make your casseroles with whole wheat pasta instead of "regular" pasta. Add more vegies. Use less meat or substitute fish or beans for the meat. Legumes such as lentils and beans (kidney, garbanzo, etc) are wonderful sources of protein, fiber and other nutrients and anti-oxidants.
A healthy diet isn't hard to do. It just takes some planning and awareness. The learning curve becomes much easier the more you do it until it just becomes the natural way you eat.
I would suggest that you consult with a registered dietitian (RD) in your area. Your hospital or clinic may have cardiac rehab classes that will include nutrition as part of the curricula. It is a wise investment of your time and money. Your insurance may even pay for part of it.
As you pointed out, genetics come into play but DNA only establishes the parameters. There is much you can do with lifestyle--including what you eat--that is critical to how long, and how well, you live.
I once had a patient tell me that if he couldn't eat what he wanted to eat that life was not worth living. He tried to use the tired old excuse of quality vs quantity. I'd heard it before and I've heard it since--and I have no tolerance for it. I'll tell anybody who tries to use that idiot excuse the same thing I told him. You can't tell me that being in an intensive care unit after going through the excruciating pain of a heart attack is quality life. No way is that quality life and that is where your lifestyle choices put you. He shut up.
Good luck. Good health is worth it.
