You may have the inclination to pass over this blog because of the subject matter. Please don’t, it is short and to the point and it may save your life. – Jughandle
Dr. Esselstyn’s 20 year study
Dr. Esselstyn’s 20 year study has proven that changing your diet can reverse heart disease.
Still the leading cause of death in America, heart disease is almost always treated with the prehistoric method of surgery. Surgery doesn’t prevent or cure heart disease it only buys you more time, but at a major cost. Thomas A. Preston, MD says that over half of the by-pass surgeries preformed are unnecessary. He goes on to say that money is the driving factor to preform these surgeries. According to the Texas Heart Institute, over 230,000 people have bypass surgery each year. A doctor can easily make upwards of $700,000 per year doing nothing but bypass surgery. Not to mention the hospital and all the other necessary components of the surgery. This is a major industry and when you have major industries, people tend to perpetuate these industries, not find ways to change them. Just look at the petroleum industry to see a perfect example of that.
Dr. Esselstyn’s program argues that a plant-based, oil-free diet can not only prevent and stop the progression of heart disease it can also reverse its effects. The initial study included 17 patients with advanced coronary artery disease. These patients had already received bypass surgery and angioplasties and 5 of the original group were told by their cardiologists they had less than a year to live. Within just months of starting the program, their cholesterol levels as well as their blood flow and angina symptoms had improved dramatically. After 12 years,of the 17 patients that stuck to the diet, all had no further cardiac events. Patients that adhered to the diet survived beyond twenty years without further symptoms.
Cholesterol levels
The patients on the diet originally had an average of 246 mg/dL cholesterol readings. After 5 years the average was just 137 mg/dL. Above 240 is considered high risk and below 150 is found in cultures where heart disease is non-existent.
Cardiac Events
The original 17 patients in the study had already had 49 cardiac events in the years leading up to the study. All had undergone aggressive treatment procedures such as bypass surgery, with several having multiple bypass operations. Once the plan started, there were no more cardiac events in the group within a 12-year period. Angiograms taken of the patients showed a widening of the coronary arteries indicating a reversal of the disease.
From Dr. Oz
Life-Saving One-Month Food Plan
1. Get the Plaque Out of Your Arteries
Trim the fat and overhaul your diet. Under the Reversal Diet, only 10% of your diet comes from fat; 15-20% comes from protein; and 70-75% comes from complex carbohydrates. Your body can start to heal once you stop doing what’s causing the problem in the first place; if you stop consuming the food that contributed to the blockages in your arteries, your body will have a better chance of rebooting and recovering. Incorporate heart-healthy foods into your diet that contain protective and preventive nutrients. A plant-based diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products in their natural, unrefined forms not only helps to reverse heart disease, but also possesses anti-cancer and anti-aging properties.
Breakfast
- Oatmeal with dried cranberries
- 4oz. of natural vegetable or fruit juice
Eating oatmeal is a great non-fat way to get your complex carbohydrates.
Morning Snack
- Non-fat granola bar
- Banana
- One cup of tea; green tea, without milk or sugar, is ideal
Lunch
- Stir-fried veggies with low-sodium teriyaki sauce and brown rice
- Green salad with edamame, chickpeas, beans and fat-free raspberry dressing, and one whole wheat roll
A lunch like this provides plenty of protein, from non-animal sources.
Dinner
- Tacos: black beans, brown rice, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cheese and salsa; corn tortillas
These tacos are low in fat and high in protein.
Night Snack
- Hummus with assorted dipping vegetables
Conclusion
I have concluded that this is the direction I need to go in order to prevent and even reverse any heart disease I might have. My father and his brother both had heart disease and died from heart attacks. I’d like to prevent that from happening to me and anyone else that is willing to take the steps necessary to live a more healthy life. Please join me to create a place where any one can go to find the information they need to extend their life. The Fat Farm need good healthy recipes that will be interesting to eat and fun to make. This doesn’t have to be dull or boring. – jughandle