The Plant-based Diet for a Heart Patient

I work for a corporation with many employees and we have what is called a Non-business bulletin board as part of our e-mail system.  Every once in a while I will post a link to the NutritionFacts.org web site or information about the book, "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn in hopes that my fellow employees will also be convinced by the research and as struck as I was by how most of us are walking around with heart disease if we eat meat, cheese or fats, diagnosed or not.
One fellow employee wrote to me recently about his heart attack, 6 stints and what happened after.  His progress is truly inspirational.  He is a very nice man and I hope he lives a long healthy life.  Here are some excerpts from our email correspondence, although I removed some personal data such as names of others and the corporation:

Since going on the vegan diet:         weight:   246# to 180#,    Cholesterol:   248 to 171,    LDL:  180 to 101,    HDL:   38 to 43,    Triglycerides:   180 to 80.

I started taking 10 mg of Pravastatin to try and further lower the Cholesterol but 10mg didn’t do anything,   so now I’m trying 20mg of Pravastatin per day

I’ve been running 4 miles 3-4 times a week.

I feel good.

For me,   I had a clear view of my mortality after my heart attack.    I started cleaning up my house,  and trying to make it easier on my children after I would die.    Each night,    I didn’t know whether I would survive the night to see a new day.   

The absolutely amazing thing about heart disease is that you can  control it through your diet.    There are lots of other diseases where you have no control,   you are at the mercy of the surgeon, medication, radiation;    

I felt extremely compromised after my heart attack and felt like I might not live for another day.      I knew about the vegan diet and the reversal of heart disease.     In 3 weeks of being on the vegan diet,    the fear and imposing thoughts of death vanished.     I felt stable.       As time went on,  I felt better and better.    I started walking.     Walking progressed to walk/jogging.      Which ended in running 4 miles     3 – 4 times a week.       Today I feel good.       If I were to eat one high fat meal,   I would feel exactly like I did on day one,  and would be in a perilous situation.    It would be like committing suicide,    suicide by fat.      Why would I ever want to do that ?

I guess unless one is in a perilous situation and feels the grave,    perhaps it is hard to change.      Problem is,    many people don’t get the second chance that I had.      For some people, the one time (heart attack)  is the last time,   there is no opportunity to learn.

The truly intelligent,   recognize these factors and make a proactive decision.      I was not intelligent enough.     I had to be backed in the corner before I changed.      I was fortunate to be given a second chance and have a disease that is self controllable.

One friend and coworker at work, John Dxxxx, just retired from Axxxxx,   but several months before retirement I lent him Esselsteins book on Reversing Heart Disease.    John Dxxxx had high blood pressure and he was impressed by the weight I lost and how good I looked.   So he bought his own copy of the book and started eating vegan.    His wife started cooking it for him.    I’m not sure he was strict on the diet because I couldn’t really tell that he was losing weight,   but at lunchtime he did eat home prepared vegan dishes.   I also have an influence on two women that I know and both have partially modified their diet with emphasis on weight reduction,   although neither is more than 10 lbs overweight.     So there are some people who pick up on it and follow suit.

I like you have some downfalls.    I think it’s somewhat human to crave some things.    For me its French bread or Italian bread (white breads),    but I’m going to make an honest effort to switch over to whole wheat bread.      When I eat tofu vegetable dishes at Asian restaurants I also eat their white rice.    But that is rather infrequently (once every few weeks).    I did eat a bag of red vines on  a recent road trip a week ago,   it had zero cholesterol and fat but tons of sugar.     But mostly,   I’m a beans/rice/salsa guy.    With oatmeal/oat bran in the morning with ground flax seed meal (2 tbs) and nutritional yeast (1 tbs) with some unsweetened soy milk.     I drink mostly water.    However maybe once a week I make a homemade margarita with tequila, lime concentrate, triple sec.     Sometimes I drink 3 margaritas……on days where I need alcohol therapy……..I think I crave the sweet lime concentrate and the triple sec (the tequila isn’t bad either).    But these are infrequent occurrences.

I used to eat at Atlano’s Mexican burrito place on 3^rd and Post St.     And after going vegan I stayed away.   But one day I thought…..I bet they can make a vegan burrito.     They actually had one on their menu,   but I make them put whole beans instead of refried beans (lard in refried beans),   and not put the cheese or sour cream on it.     I still let them put the avocado on it  ( although its high in fat,    it’s only a small amount !!!).     And then I fill that puppy up with their salsa bar chunky salsa and mild green sauce, pouring additional green sauce on it at every bite !!!!    That is my treat !!!    Sometimes they have big whole halopino (spelling ?) peppers at the salsa bar and I’ll eat 3 of those whole while waiting for the veggie burrito.     They only have flour tortillas and I know there is probably some lard in that,   but…..it’s a small quantity compared to the mass of the entire burrito.    I asked for corn tortilla instead but they don’t have big corn tortillas…..just tiny ones for tacos.

My cardiologist was knocked off his feet !!!    He said very few people can even cut back their “smoking” much yet do this type of dietary modification.     He said:    “whatever you want to do…..I’m with you”.

I have 3 places where I can eat out:

Atlano’s Mexican --  Veggie Burrito $4.60

Boots Vegan Restaurant --  Triple entre plate $7.50

Huckleberries on Monroe --   Bowl of vegetarian soup and a bagel,   sometimes with a green tea or unsweetened soy milk,  but mostly just water to drink

Other than that.   Its cans of black beans, envelopes of Uncle Bens Quinoa & Brown Rice with Garlic,  and Costco Pico de Gallo sauce.    Sometimes Zatarains red beans and rice out a package.    I drink coffee on Friday mornings only, with non dairy creamer.

I’m single and I eat pretty Spartan.   One day if I retire,  and have some time,   I’m going to cook some things off your cooking blog.     I opened the book this morning and the page was:    Chocolate donuts !!!      But,    I also found an eggplant dish that sounds delicious.     You have so many incredible recipes.      I just won’t cook elaborately for myself in my present lifestyle.     In retirement,   I would.     If I had a girl friend to hang out with,    I’d cook for her and myself (in retirement when time permits) in between snowboarding, hiking and horseback  riding.

Your blog is an inspiration,  in letting us know what “is” possible.

Boots restaurant 24 W. Main St.     Next time you are in Spokane,   let me know and I’ll treat you to lunch there.     It’s a vegan restaurant,   with lots of gluten free items also.    You would have to check out the items closely for any food items you are allergic to.

One of my women friends who eats vegan with me occasionally and sometimes cooks a vegan dinner that I can share,   had a good friend who this past Monday had a Lap Band procedure.     My friend told her that she could accomplish weight loss without surgery by going vegan.     Her response was:    “I can’t do that”.       6 weeks prior to the surgery the doctors made her go on a very restrictive diet to reduce the fat in her liver (?) prior to the procedure.     And of course after the procedure,  she will be very limited in what she can eat.          My thoughts are:    Why have a procedure that forces you to a restrictive diet……why not just go on the restrictive diet without the surgery ?      But,   in her case,   she wanted a “magic bullet”,    a pill,    a surgery,   a one hour cure.     She could not fathom the thought of taking self control.

OK.    I’m going to stop preaching to the choir.

John M 

After 15 months on the plant-based, no added fat diet my blood results are in!

Well, using these recipes along with a few from others like myself, i am pleased to announce my HDL is 54, my LDL is 59, My total cholesterol is 132! I was afraid eating desserts during the holidays would make my triglycerides high but they are 95.
I didn't want to give up my vices that I was feeling guilty about--occasionaly eating out at Subway or PF Changs, thai food, Baked Lay's and Coke Zero. I haven't had a cold or flu since we started this either!

Peach and Blueberry Pie and a discussion about fat

Peach and Blueberry Pie

When I first read the books, "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" and "The China Study" in October of 2010, I was convinced of the research and results that a diet without added fat, or any animal products is the way to go.  I am still convinced.

For the first few months I was maniacal about every little bit of fat listed in ingredients of every product I bought.  Then I read, "The Engine 2 Diet" and relaxed, just a little.  We started having the occasional walnut sauce over steamed kale.  Walnuts.  And I bought an avocado once in a while for the salad, but not often.  I read, "Fat Free, Flavor Full" by Dr. Gabe Mirkin and Diana Rich.  I liked what he said about a few grams of fat being acceptable.

Then I read Dr. Fuhrman's book on nutrition to build immunity and watched a lecture by Dr. Ornish discussing his Spectrum book.  We have altered what we eat just enough to include some seeds and a few nuts, and to focus on the immunity boosting plants especially:  mushrooms, anything from the brassica family like cabbage and broccoli, strawberries, sunflower seeds, etc.  

Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that the work of Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. Campbell trumps all the other information I am reading.   We still don't eat meat, dairy or olive oil, but do eat out once in a while and order vegan dishes.

I aim to not go higher each day than 20 grams of fat, none of which comes from putting oil or other fat on our food.  I do not keep bottles of olive and canola oil in the house.  I do keep a small bottle of sesame oil in the fridge for specific recipes and I do keep spray oil for specific light applications, like homemade tortilla chips.

I recognize there is a small amount of fat in the non-dairy milk we drink (almond milk for him, rice milk for me), the occasional walnut, sunflower seeds or avocado slice, and a little fat in the whole grain bread we typically buy, "Dave's Killer....".  (Sorry but I don't care for the Ezekiel brand bread items, they almost always end up in the trash rather than being consumed.  Life is too short to not like what I am eating.  The rest of the food we eat on this diet is fabulous.)

To put 20 grams of fat in perspective, a typical black olive has about 7 grams of fat.  A glass of rice milk (8 ounces) has 2.5 grams of fat.  So 20 grams of fat might sound like a lot, but I understand that the average American eating a typical western diet consumes about 85 grams of fat per day and has plaque in his or her veins, diagnosed or not.

These are the choices we make so that this plant-based, no added fat way of eating is do-able and sustainable for us.  Since we have become plant-based while in good health, before we have been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, cancer or other serious health problems I suspect we have the luxury of slightly more food choices--seeds and nuts in small quantities--than a strict heart or cancer patient would have.  Our next blood test will be an interesting tell.  This year our focus is on eating less processed food.  Baby steps.

Lately I have been reading the Facebook posts of people who are new to this diet which reminds me of how I was when new--worried about ANY fat from packaged foods or from anything.  We were so strict and limited ourselves so much it was almost impossible, especially when traveling or eating out.  I have learned to pick my battles, and the most important is not eating animal protein.  The next is nothing fried, ever.  (So no vegan donuts or french fries.)  After that, all the other things: fat listed in the ingredients, processed foods, non-organic produce...the list goes on and on.  If a typical serving (crackers, bread, etc.) lists more than 3 grams of fat I usually do not even bring it home.

Here is the exception:

Last night we made fruit pie for dessert.  The store-bought, frozen, whole wheat crust was not fat-free, in fact there are 8 grams of fat in 1/8 of the pie shell, but so convenient for the occasional pie.  It was in the freezer, left over from the holidays.

Ingredients:

1 pie shell, your favorite low-fat or non-fat recipe or whole grain store brand

Frozen peach slices, enough to cover the bottom of the pie shell, about 2 cups.

1/2 cup almond milk

2 tablespoons date sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Cover pie shell with peach slices.  Combine sweetener, milk and cornstarch until thoroughly blended and pour over the peaches.  Top with enough blueberries to cover.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar, optional.

Remember when we used to use a cube of butter and put a cup of sugar in our pie?  This is way better.

Before and After

Jim in January, 2006

Today I was asked for photos before and after switching to a plant based diet so here goes.  Since I am usually the one holding the camera and hate having my photo taken there aren't many to choose from of me but I have bunches of photos of Jim.

November, 2007 (probably our heaviest)

June, 2009

Me, December 2011 with a new haircut!

Jim with his coach Sarah, just finished the Walla Walla  Half Marathon!  October, 2011

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho September, 2011, eleven months after switching to a plant-based no-added-fat diet!

6 months on a plant based diet and my blood results are in!

Well, I just got my blood results from BioIQ, a home test kit that I mailed in as part of an employer sponsored wellness incentive activity.

My HDL number is 48
My LDL is 66
My Triglicerides are 130
and my total cholesterol is 140.
The diabetes part of the test came back as normal, or not at risk.

I think this is pretty good.  Dr. Esselstyn demonstrates in his book, based on his research that HDL (good cholesterol) numbers can be low as long as your total cholesterol is below 150.  So although BioIQ stated a warning about the low number, I am really happy.

Ya-hoo!