When it comes to matters of the heart, apparently, we all used to be a lot more fatalistic. We smoked cigarettes and thought it was cool, and we raised a few generations on Ding Dongs, Coca Cola, and fast food before we realized what smoke, sugar, and carbs was doing to our bodies.

Thankfully, today we are living in an era where we know about “preventive care.” We take for granted that by taking care of ourselves – with exercise, diet, and stress relief – we can be healthier, happier, and live longer.

Central to this pursuit – both metaphorically and literally – is the human heart. It’s the business of caring for the literal human heart that host Peter Ricchiuti and his guests are talking about on this edition of Out to Lunch.

Heart Healthy

Dr Owen Mogabgab

Dr Owen Mogabgab is an Interventional Cardiologist at the Cardiovascular Institute of The South.

CIS, as they’re known, started out in 1983 as a one-physician practice in Houma. Today, CIS has 19 locations across Louisiana, and a bunch more places where you can access their expertise remotely, via Tele-cardiology.

Matters of the heart – heart health – is also the goal of one of the fastest growing franchise businesses in the country: Orange Theory Fitness.

Orange Theory Fitness is a workout program built around the principle that if you get your heart working at a set rate for a set amount of time – which they call The Orange Zone – the benefits of that exercise will continue well past the hour you’ve spent in the gym.

When you’re in an Orange Theory Fitness class you know exactly when your heart is in the orange zone because you’re wired up to a heart monitor. You can see your fitness results as you exercise.

Orange Theory’s Elle Mahoney

Elle Mahoney,  Louisiana Area Representative and Owner of Orange Theory Fitness, is in the process of bringing OTF to every corner of Louisiana and makes a return appearance on Out to Lunch to update us on progress.

Peter Ricchiuti

Photos over lunch at Commander’s Palace by Jill Lafleur.