Our Team
Heart health program™ is a Lifestyle Change Program for individuals who have high cholesterol or who are simply concerned about their heart health. It’s an effective blend of medical education, nutrition and exercise guidance, and alternative therapies to reduce stress and your risk of heart disease. The program has been clinically proven to reduce the need for medications, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and even avoid surgery – and it is all based on eating right, effective exercise and techniques to manage stress.
Statins: Dr. Warns of Side Effects
New publication! July 2013!
David J. Becker, MD, Benjamin French, PhD, Patti B. Morris, RD, Erin Silvent, BA, and Ram Y. Gordon, MD
Our team has been researching the role of lifestyle changes and alternative therapies for lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides since 1994.
Click here to read our archive of published research papers!
The program features cardiologist Dr. David Becker, dietitian Patti Morris, exercise physiologist Jackie Yorko, and a team of stress reduction specialists who are dedicated to reducing your risk of having a heart attack, lowering your cholesterol, and helping you lose weight.
David Becker M.D., the originator of the Heart health program™ Program, is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases. His clinical interests include preventative cardiology and alternative cholesterol treatments. Dr. Becker is a fellow in the American College of Cardiology and won the Golden Apple award for excellent teaching of residents at Chestnut Hill Hospital in 1990, 1995, and 2002. In 1993, after extensive research, Dr. Becker launched Heart health program™, an innovative 10-week program designed to reverse heart disease and improve quality of life through diet, exercise, and stress management. Since then, thousands of patients have participated in the program, achieving significant results in improving cardiac wellness. Dr. Becker’s research has been spotlighted in national media, including National Public Radio and top-tier medical publications, including the Annals of Internal Medicine and Mayo Clinic Proceedings. He joined Chestnut Hill Cardiology in 1990 where he continues to see patients, work on his research, and run the Heart health program™ Program.
Patti Morris R.D., developed the nutrition segment of the Heart health program™ Program and has worked with Dr. Becker and the team since its inception in 1993. A registered dietitian, a licensed dietitian nutritionist and a certified diabetes educator with over 20 years of experience in the nutrition field, Patti counsels individuals who have diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, Celiac’s disease or who are looking to lose weight. A member of the American Dietetic Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators, Patti has also served as a coordinator on numerous research studies, the results of which have been published in esteemed journals such as the Annals of Internal Medicine and Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Patti is a frequent guest and nutrition resource for print and broadcast outlets.
Jackie Yorko M.Ed., is the exercise physiologist for Heart health program™ Program. She has her master’s degree in exercise physiology and is certified as a personal trainer, strength coach, and spin instructor. While continuing to lend her expertise to the Heart health program™ team, Jackie is currently the full-time Director of Center on the Hill in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. Previously, she was the Director of Community Programs and Services for Chestnut Hill Health System. Jackie was an adjunct professor and cardiac rehabilitation specialist at both Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Hahnemann University Hospital where she also designed and managed several medically oriented wellness and corporate fitness programs. She has presented exercise/wellness related seminars and workshops for many large organizations and has presented a professional paper at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual National Conference. She has published two articles on cardiac medications and exercise in “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.” Jackie has made guest appearances on local television and radio shows and continues to give fitness related talks.
Erin Silvent is the program coordinator for Heart health program™ Program. A 2004 alumna of Kutztown University, Erin began her career in the healthcare industry immediately following graduation.
In August of 2009 Erin was enlisted by Dr. David Becker and Patti Morris as the research associate for a cardiac research study, the results of which were published in July 2013. Erin assisted in recruiting and screening approximately 1,500 candidates for the study. She worked directly with the research team to assist in the creation, design and execution of the study. Erin’s unique capability to both gather, manage, and track data in addition to develop repoire with study participants made her an invaluable addition to the research team.
In her role as Program Coordinator, Erin is the liaison between the various Heart health program™ team members and program participants. She is constantly scouting new programming and guest speakers in the areas of wellness, fitness, and stress management for the program. Her goal is to continue to make Heart health program™ accessible and dynamic for students.