Reversing Heart Disease

[txdon]

I got atherosclerosis and don't want it. Has anyone been successful in reversing the plaque buildup without medications. I have been successful in getting off statins (because the statin side effects were awful) with diet but want to go to the next step to reverse heart disease.

Don't want to wear out before my tractor.....

I have read material from T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell B Esselstyn, Dean Ornish, M. D., Rip Esselstyn, and selected Material from PCRM.

I'm thinking of starting the "Engine 2 Diet" - by Austin Texas Firefighter Rip Esselstyn, for a year and then get another heart scan.

I'm starting this thread here because there seems to be several TBNers with the same problem.

 

[sellercreek]

I got atherosclerosis and don't want it. Has anyone been successful in reversing the plaque buildup without medications. I have been successful in getting off statins (because the statin side effects were awful) with diet but want to go to the next step to reverse heart disease.

Don't want to wear out before my tractor.....

I have read material from T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell B Esselstyn, Dean Ornish, M. D., Rip Esselstyn, and selected Material from PCRM.

I'm thinking of starting the "Engine 2 Diet" - by Austin Texas Firefighter Rip Esselstyn, for a year and then get another heart scan.

I'm starting this thread here because there seems to be several TBNers with the same problem.

I know a couple of folks who swear by this product: https://straussheartdrops.com/

There may be other similar products. You can Google it to get more info.

Sounds like you are already making the lifestyle and dietary changes that would be helpful.

My issue is weight loss. I have a hard time losing and I need to drop 40 lbs. or so. I am not positive but think some of the meds I am taking may be affecting my metabolism.

Good thread idea and hope you do well!!

 

[txdon]

The Tech Data on that website indicated one study with 14 people. The web site does not tell what is in it or the mechanisms of how it works but it tells a lot of what it cures. Thanks, sellercreek, I wish there was more info on it.

 

[Egon]

I'd suggest you get a "CERTIFIED DIETITIAN" to draw up some food guidelines. A regime you follow that equates to lifestyle change.

Also get your "DOCTOR" to give you a set of exercise guidelines. This regime will also equate as a lifestyle change.

 

[blueriver]

I'd suggest you get a "CERTIFIED DIETITIAN" to draw up some food guidelines. A regime you follow that equates to lifestyle change.

Also get your "DOCTOR" to give you a set of exercise guidelines. This regime will also equate as a lifestyle change.

I second that .. I am not a meds person. I hate a pill, seems like all the side effects are severe and then all of a sudden theres an ad that an attorney has a suit going after the drug mfg ... I may be wrong and may be forced one day to use drugs. In the mean time ... diet and exercise.

 

[20 20]

I agree with the ole saying "you are what you eat". In these times it's easy not to eat healthy. I even wonder if our younger generations know what healthy food is? The sad part is that some have eatin so unhealthy for many years that it may have takin it's toll? I'm with the others find a dietitian, but along with that find a REAL doc, not one that is pill happy. I have been lucky with my Doc she only uses pills as a last resort and is VERY well informed about proper diets. She also pratices what she preaches, so I feel confident she knows what she's doing.

 

[txdon]

Doctor is on board! A Dietitian recommended the Engine 2 Diet and exercise plan.

This is the NUMBER ONE killer in America, surly someone here has tried a simple plant based diet modification. Medications help the symptoms but none cure the cause.

 

[Egon]

Diet and exercise may only go so far. Genetics play a big role too and those you can't change. Thats where medication may come in.
No scientific founding on my part.

 

[charlz]

Diet and exercise may only go so far. Genetics play a big role too and those you can't change. Thats where medication may come in.
No scientific founding on my part.

I was pretty much going to say the same thing... genetics. My FIL was on a fat-free diet and exercise program to lower his cholesterol for about 14 years. Amazing discipline. Lowered his cholesterol some but 'not enough'. Now he takes two different cholesterol medications and eats what he wants. I have read that diet and exercise can really only lower your cholesterol about 5 points... genetics is the main driver of your cholesterol levels.

Hardest thing with weight loss is that it is a life-style change... you can't just do it for a while and then go back to what you were eating before. I am making my 3rd or so attempt at following a low carb lifestyle. I find my energy is so much better and even through the whole day when I follow this lifestyle. I used to get a big Starbucks in the morning and by 230 in the afternoon I would need another one.... I was simply exhausted. Following a low-carb diet I am still going strong at 930 at night yet have no problems going to bed and falling right asleep.

What led me to low-carb is my wife wanted to do the South Beach Diet and wanted me to do it with her.. so I did. So we bought the book and religiously followed the first two weeks. I was pretty amazed, some days I lost 2.5 lbs in a single day in the first week to week and a half. My energy leveled off and got better after the first week or so. However, we eventually slid back to our 'evil ways' and slowly gained the weight back but did adopt some of the things... like not eating white bread, potatoes etc.

The next time I did it for longer and lost more... but eventually fell off the wagon. This time around I am trying for a less strict and hopefully more sustainable approach. I have lost about 13 pounds over the last 2 months and feel like I can continue. I try to keep a strict diet and exercise routine during the week (easier because I go to work and we have a gym) and on the weekends I give myself some slack. I find it is easier to control any cravings during the week if I know I can have it on the coming weekend

I'd recommend someone try at least the first two weeks of the South Beach diet just as a learning experience.

 

[Chuck52]

I wasn't sure about the concept of reversing atherosclerosis, so I googled "reversing atherosclerosis", and got a hit on a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Reversing Atherosclerosis?
Linda K. Curtiss, Ph.D.

New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 360:1144-1146, Number 11

It's obviously technical, but also short. May be available in your library. Doesn't really give practical plans for an individual to work with, except citing the value of resveratrol, the component in grapes which seems to work by scavenging active oxygen species, but just the fact that the answer to the question is positive is nice. It helps that I like both grapes and red wine.

Chuck


Sorry...I didn't actually "google" it, I used a search of journal articles available in our library.

 

[txdon]

. I have read that diet and exercise can really only lower your cholesterol about 5 points... genetics is the main driver of your cholesterol levels.

Where ever you read that it was wrong! I have lowered mine 30 points (without medication) and I'm going for another 20 points.

The 15 Austin Texas firefighters who did the plant based diet for 28 days dropped their cholesterol 30% or 62 points.
(Also the average weight loss was 14 pounds.)

What your body does with extra consumed cholesterol and fat is a genetic thing but what you supply your body with is a lifestyle choice. Therefore If you don't eat it, you don't have the extra for you body to contend with. That makes diet the main driver of cholesterol levels.


Edit: Just in, my wife found someone else on the E2 diet and he dropped his cholesterol 100 points - Bob Harper, the trainer on NBC Biggest Looser
http://vegetarianstar.com/2009/08/06/bob-harper-goes-vegetarian-drops-100-cholesterol-points/
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=107637&sid=07b415c9e576d8021e9181fcd8d1c593

 

[ronjhall]

Interesting subject. Will be following for my personal health.

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Two-pronged approach. Lifestyle modifications and discussing medicine with your healthcare provider.

If you smoke, stop. Continue watching your diet, and most importantly, stick with it. Regular aerobic exercise.

If you're thinking of "natural" supplements, go with fish oil (omega-3's) and possibly vitamin D. Many reports suggest they may be beneficial for the prevention of arterial disease, among other things. The verdict is still out, but they do look promising.

Talk with your provider. Find out what your total cholesterol picture looks like. It will be broken down into total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, tiglycerides. Difficulties with the different types of cholesterol may require different treatment options.

Don't let your dental health suffer. Good gums reduce inflammation and reduced inflammation is a good thing for cardiovascular health. The connection between the two has been suggested, although not proven. I figure its a good idea, anyway. And if it helps prevent heart disease, even better.

Keep tight control of other health issues if you have them that affect your risk (high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.).

Some of the statin medications (e.g. Lipitor) have been shown to contain the progression of atherosclerosis. Some studies suggest they may even reverse some of the plaque formation in arteries. Again, talk with your provider.

 

[charlz]

Where ever you read that it was wrong! I have lowered mine 30 points (without medication) and I'm going for another 20 points.

Good to know! and Congrats

The 15 Austin Texas firefighters who did the plant based diet for 28 days dropped their cholesterol 30% or 62 points.
(Also the average weight loss was 14 pounds.)

What your body does with extra consumed cholesterol and fat is a genetic thing but what you supply your body with is a lifestyle choice. Therefore If you don't eat it, you don't have the extra for you body to contend with. That makes diet the main driver of cholesterol levels.


Edit: Just in, my wife found someone else on the E2 diet and he dropped his cholesterol 100 points - Bob Harper, the trainer on NBC Biggest Looser
Bob Harper Goes Vegetarian, Drops 100 Cholesterol Points
DrMcDougall.com :: View topic - Bob Harper - Biggest Loser

Looking over the E2 diet it appears to not only be 'plant based' i.e. vegetarian but actually vegan... giving up dairy and eggs as well. Not sure I could do that.

 

[charlz]

Don't let your dental health suffer. Good gums reduce inflammation and reduced inflammation is a good thing for cardiovascular health. The connection between the two has been suggested, although not proven. I figure its a good idea, anyway. And if it helps prevent heart disease, even better.

I had a dentist tell me they were looking at the connection between bleeding/inflamed gums and diabetes. The train of thought at that time was that having what is essentially a continuous low-level infection in your gums somehow led to diabetes.

I have had on and off issues with bleeding gums for years even though I would brush at least twice a day and water pick daily. When on a low-carb diet, which means cutting out all the sugars etc., it clears right up. My suspicion is that all the sugars feed the bacteria on your teeth/in your gums and the bleeding is an indicator you have too many sugars in your diet.... which can lead to diabetes.

 

[serviceman]

Txdon,
PM me and I will send you information on a product that has really helped my family and friends.
serviceman

 

[Chuck52]

One dietary problem we've brought on ourselves is our high intake of fructose. Unlike most other simple sugars, fructose is metabolized almost entirely in the liver. Glucose, for instance, is taken up by all cells and is the basic energy molecule of life. In the past, it was assumed that fructose was simply converted to glucose and metabolized the same way, but it is now known that fructose behaves more like a fat in metabolism. Where is fructose, besides in high fructose corn syrup? Well, along with glucose, it makes up the disaccharide sucrose, common table sugar. We did not evolve to consume the large quantities of sucrose and plain fructose. Complex carbohydrates are fine in the diet. The simple sugars, especially fructose, can be a problem if they constitute too high a percentage of our caloric intake. It's getting really difficult to control our intake of fructose due to it being included in so many processed foods. High fructose corn syrup is cheap.

Chuck

An interesting video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

 

[MossRoad]

Where ever you read that it was wrong! I have lowered mine 30 points (without medication) and I'm going for another 20 points.

I agree. Some of us have high cholesterol pretty much entirely from what we eat. Me, for example! I dropped mine by a huge amount in 3 months just by changing my diet. I switched from pop tarts and milk for breakfast to fresh fruit. I have a bowl of cantaloupe for a mid-morning snack instead of a donut and milk. I have grilled chicken on a salad for lunch instead of a burger (I'll have a small burger if we are having chicken for dinner). Cherry tomatoes and mini carrots for an afternoon snack instead of a candy bar. Ice water or tea instead of 2-3 pops a day. A normal dinner and only 2-3 Oreos with a glass of milk before bed instead of a dozen oreos and 2-3 glasses of milk throughout the evening. Gee, I lost weight, too!

 

[Bird]

If you smoke, stop.

Yep, I stopped 3 years ago, gained about 40 pounds, have less energy than ever before, and don't feel nearly as good as I did when I was smoking. Cholesterol level was good when I was smoking and now I'm taking simvastatin. But the house and car are cleaner.

 

[txdon]

Bird, congratulation on stopping smoking, now all you need to do is work on getting your cholesterol down and you're good to go! I was tired also when on cholesterol medicine, and had aches and pains all the time and overweight by 40 pounds. thats why I'm trying everything I can to stay off of it.... and what I'm doing is working.

I will be posting, and encourage anyone with information on scientific studies or personal lifestyle change that worked to please post.

I found an interesting 10 year study, concluded in March 09, conducted by The National Institute of Health and AARP. There was an increase of cancer for people who eat red meat (31-36%) and an increase of HEART DISEASE for people who eat white meat (20-24%).

I always look who conducted the study to see if the backers would benefit from the results.