Thursday, March 14, 2013

Meeting Dr. Esselstyn

Last night,  I attended a speaking engagement of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.    Dr. Sprouts as his colleagues have fondly named him, is the author of the book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease".   His work at the Cleveland Clinic has earned him quite a bit of notoriety and he was even consulted by President Bill Clinton after the president's 2nd heart attack.    After listening to him speak and seeing the evidence he provided, I am even more convinced that my heart disease is the result of a half century of eating the traditional western diet that gets over half it's calories from fat.

Initially I had adopted a modified version of Dr. Dean Ornish's heart disease reversal diet which like Dr. Esselstyn's program restricts fat calories to 10% of total calories.    Dr. Ornish's program allows fish and small amounts of oil.   Dr. Esselstyn's program is oil free and strictly plant based.   Nothing from anything that has a face or a mother.   According to Dr. Esselstyn's research, it is his opinion that oils (which derive 100% of it's calories from fat) damage  the endothelium (the lining of the arteries) making them like Velcro for collecting plaque.

You can learn more about preventing and reversing heart disease at the good doctors website at http://www.heartattackproof.com