I reversed my Coronary Artery Disease

[flabingo]

Ricardo,
Thank you for your response.
I have cut my salt to almost nothing.Well under 2000 mg per day.
For the last 7 years, I only had one annual visit, and subject to white coat reality, the doctor would tell me my BP was 140/90 with only one reading. I'm impressed with your doctor's idea of resting for 20 minutes. This past year, I did what you did, by taking my BP unit to the office, and confirmed that it is accurate. After reading Campbell's book last year, I changed my behavior, to change my health. It worked for me. My conclusion is that people that depend on themselves for their health, instead of doctors are on the right track.I have an advantage living in California with so many fresh fruit and vegetables grown locally. Also I eat over 95% on my food at home. Eating out and managing salt would be impossible
When I have my next appointment with my heart doctor, I will have a great deal of information, and questions for him. I will be much more informed and educated about my health than I have been in the past. While this website deals with diet and heart problems, I am convinced that cancer prevention and early detection are within our own capacity to learn and in some cases avoid
I live in Northern California, near San Francisco, and there are many primary care doctors who have become concierge doctors. They limit their number of patients, and charge them a monthly fee to be their patient, up to $1000.00 per month. payable in advance. Our health care system is broken, since many people without insurance can't get proper medical care. The number of primary care doctors is getting smaller, since they make more money in the specialties. If you are interested I will send you a copy of one proposal I received from a doctor who just became a concierge doctor.Many families are only one illness from bankruptcy, but don't know it. And childhood obesity to out of control

In the meantime I am going to open my bag from my trip to Brazil
soI ab remember more things.
More later

Flabingo

[Ricardo]

Ricardo,
Thank you for your response.

1) After reading Campbell's book last year, I changed my behavior, to change my health. It worked for me.

Answer
The best thing I did was to read that book and to see a video of Dr. Campbell. As significant were the Books of Drs. Esselstyn, McDougall, Ornish, Gould, Withtaker and others. There are DVDs with them. They are my favorite books and DVDs. They guided me to to better health, including CAD Reversal.

I am never tired to repeat most of the benefits I got:
1) Reversed CAD, as now PET scan and tread mill tests are OK!
2) I got rid of my medicine for blood pressure! 14X9 now 12X8
3) Solved embarrassing "Irritable Bowel Syndrome"!
4) Reduced statins pills from 70 to 40 mg a week.
5) Less allergies. Some skin problems were reduced by 90%.
6) Less headaches. No more milk allergies.
(Perhaps due to less clogging in sinus, allowing air to flow).
7) No big belly (considered a big cardiac risk), as I lost weight
And also good results in colonoscopy: no Polyps!

2) My conclusion is that people that depend on themselves for their health, instead of doctors are on the right track.

Answer
Sorry but not so fast. I think that everywhere there are at least a few good doctors, dentists and nutritionists (nutritionists will be the real doctors in preventive medicine). Here in Rio I have gone to good and to bad doctors. You are right " people depend on themselves for their health" and I would add > "people depend on their father and mother since childhood for their health". And parents examples do count.

3) I have an advantage living in California with so many fresh fruit and vegetables grown locally. Also I eat over 95% on my food at home.

Answer
Me too on fresh fruit and vegetables grown locally. They are near my home 2 times a week, with their trucks and feiras. One of these days I will post pictures of my favorites stands for you. I like so much to buy greens and starches! One broccoli can go low as just 60 cents, a dozen of bananas for just one dollar and a dozen of oranges for 2 dollars, here in Ipanema. Imagine in less expensive places. Processed food cannot compete with them.

(I want to upload pictures of our markets and I need to learn how to upload pictures in this system). Tell me if you know how to do it).

4) Eating out and managing salt would be impossible.

Answer
It is crazy to read menus. So much salt, fat and cholesterol! There are only a few vegetarians restaurants here, but no one is VLF.
I must admit that I have a person, that we pay to cook at home 2 times a week. I trust it is vegan and VLF cooking. If I could, I would send this person to your home in days I don't need this kind of help... In the near future it could be possible to cook at distance, like they do surgery in medicine... have your stove ready!

5) When I have my next appointment with my heart doctor, I will have a great deal of information, and questions for him. I will be much more informed and educated about my health than I have been in the past.

Answer
Let me suggest you to write in advance all the questions you may want to bring to your next appointment. Make sure the doctor has a copy in front of you to make easier for him or her to answer all of them. A copy of the questions with you to follow the Q&A and to write in it the responses. Put first in that list the more relevant. Doctors tend to get inpatients if we present less relevant questions first.
(Joke > No need to bring a tape recorder, as they might be suspicious of a law suit...).

6) While this website deals with diet and heart problems, I am convinced that cancer prevention and early detection are within our own capacity to learn and in some cases avoid

Answer
It is amazing that the food that is good hearts it is also good to reduce chances of cancer, diabetes and other illnesses. This is something I read from unsuspected sources. The information I trust from Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. Campbell and others is that it works, but people has to wait at one to three months for results, as most cells take time to receive the new nutrients that make them illness resistant or healthy again. My doctors recently started to agree with that. Even one that before just had faith in pills.

7) I live in Northern California, near San Francisco, and there are many primary care doctors who have become concierge doctors. They limit their number of patients, and charge them a monthly fee to be their patient, up to $1000.00 per month. payable in advance. Our health care system is broken, since many people without insurance can't get proper medical care. The number of primary care doctors is getting smaller, since they make more money in the specialties. If you are interested I will send you a copy of one proposal I received from a doctor who just became a concierge doctor.Many families are only one illness from bankruptcy, but don't know it. And childhood obesity to out of control

Answer
Health costs here in Brazil are going up, but still there are plans that charge as little as 100 dollars a month, but can be high as 1,000 a month as you have in the USA. The 100 plans have the new doctors or those that have no good networks with the rich classes.

I know at least of one hospital here in Rio that charges about 300 dollars to act like your concierge doctors, but with the added value of all the structure of a hospital. I know of older people that does not travel and stays home near the hospital that are giving up their health insurance plans for this hospital. They are saving 2 thirds of their health costs. You may have similar deals in your country. Tell me. I have many friends in the USA. I would like to pass the information to them or using it myself while travelling. My insurance plan pays for a few day when I travel.

Just a philosopher sentence: "We are here and want to be there. We are there and want to be here". I love Rio and I love the USA. I wish all Americans and Brazilians happiness and health. A good step forward it would be to give up SAD and SBD food (Standard American and Brazilian Diets).

PS Let me know if you use a lot of diet drinks or sweetener in your drinks. That may cause high BP...

[flabingo]

Ricardo,
As a result of one of your posts, I bought Furhman's new edition of Eat To Live. I think it is an outstanding book. If a person is serious about living and eating healthy, this would be an excellent choice. But it would be easier to have a Vita Mixer or Cuisinart's soup machine. I bought the Kindle edition, so I could read it on the treadmill, but I think I will buy another one in hard copy for the recipies. My weight is now ideal, but his explanation of nutrients is outstanding. For me the home made juices and soups will be easy.
I am still recording my BP every day, and I think, when I see my doctor in September, it will be helpful. I am convinced that one reading at the heart doctor's office, once a year, is not as important for me.
My diet and exercise program has been a constant for over 18 months, and my HDL(51) and LDL(65) are ideal, with only 10 mgs of Crestor a week, and my weight stable at 162. My LDL used to be 189 and HDL of 42 with seven pills a week I intend to change my primary care doctor, to one who believes diet and exercise are the foundation of good health, not pills. Thank you again for sharing your experiences. In the next week I am going to drive to Santa Rosa to check it out.More later David

[ufatbasted]

Congrats Ricardo.

You have done what I hope to do. Actually I'll be happy to keep my calcium score what it was (353) 18 months ago. Normal for my age is in about 30. I was shocked to see the plaque build up in my arteries.
I was/am an athlete(ex marathon runner) and was never really out of shape. At my heaviest I was about 230lbs most of it muscle with some belly flab. Never really high BP or cholesterol. I did smoke through some periods of my life. I considered my self a healthy eater but boy was I mistaken!


I have read most of what you have read and have been following the ornish plan except I do not have dairy or egg whites.
I do have a piece of steamed or grilled tuna or salmon once a week. Oil free of course. I have not had any meat, dairy, or fried foods in 18 months.
My diet consists of vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains.All Oil free

My cholesterolis 120 I take 5mg of lipitor daily(down from 10MG as my cholesterol was 100 at one point).My LDL is 42. BP is normal except for occasional white coat syndrome.

I have dropped 50 Lbs and have almost zero body fat now.
I'm a 56 year old male an weigh 166 at 6'2" tall and have a 30 waist
I excercise hard daily running/biking/yoga/weights
. One of my issues is most people comment I am too thin. I ignore these comments because I feel so good. Eating this way makes one feel truly
alive.

Your story is an inspiration and I hope I can report positive results at my next ct angiogram in Feb 2012.

Thanks for posting your results. I hope I can do the same in a few months

[Ricardo]

[quote="ufatbasted"]Congrats Ricardo.

Answer: thank you, but this was a collective victory, as many persons were helping me.

You have done what I hope to do. Actually I'll be happy to keep my calcium score what it was (353) 18 months ago. Normal for my age is in about 30. I was shocked to see the plaque build up in my arteries.

Answer: I also have high calcium in my arteries. . Also per Dr. Esselstyn book, are not the old plaques the problem. The new ones are the dangerous ones. Eating green leafs are great for vasodilation and to make arteries to work better. His book and site say that if we are under 150 we are virtually heart attack proof.
In the beggining I was afraid of a heart attack. After 4 years on a new lifestyle and getting PET test and stress test in treadmill OKs I fill confident that my heart now gets all the blood flow it needs, when I more need it (running at my most speed). This is more than enough for me. I know that my arteries will never get as good as of a baby, but if my heart still pumps all I need. That is more than sufficient to me.

I was/am an athlete(ex marathon runner) and was never really out of shape. At my heaviest I was about 230lbs most of it muscle with some belly flab. Never really high BP or cholesterol. I did smoke through some periods of my life. I considered my self a healthy eater but boy was I mistaken!

Answer: possibly drinking milk all my life and eating meat was my problem. Stress also may have got me on CAD. I ask God is not to give me a heart attack... and by many studies I read tell me that with a Total Cholesterol under 150 I am reversing the problem.


I have read most of what you have read and have been following the ornish plan except I do not have dairy or egg whites.
I do have a piece of steamed or grilled tuna or salmon once a week. Oil free of course. I have not had any meat, dairy, or fried foods in 18 months.
My diet consists of vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains.All Oil free

My cholesterolis 120 I take 5mg of lipitor daily(down from 10MG as my cholesterol was 100 at one point).My LDL is 42. BP is normal except for occasional white coat syndrome.

Answer: All we are doing help us to have cholesterol under 150. Congratulations. Please tell me what your doctors think about it. Are they helping you with the objective of reversal? I also have the white coat problem, but not always. Most happen with doctors I never met before... and if they look nasty...

I have dropped 50 Lbs and have almost zero body fat now.
I'm a 56 year old male an weigh 166 at 6'2" tall and have a 30 waist
I excercise hard daily running/biking/yoga/weights
. One of my issues is most people comment I am too thin. I ignore these comments because I feel so good. Eating this way makes one feel truly
alive.

Answer: My family also think that I am too thin. I have demonstrated to them, with a complete blood test, under a supervision of a gerentologist/cardiologist, that what I eat is healthy. Now as a joke, I am the one that worries for their eating lifestyle... Most of them overweight.

Your story is an inspiration and I hope I can report positive results at my next ct angiogram in Feb 2012.

Answer: Just let me know if you had stress treadmills tests before and if they were OK. Did the CT Scan measured calcium or also took pictures of your arteries? Did just measured calcium? (My CT Scan took pictures of my arteries and that was more relevant to my Doctor). Are you in prevention or reversal? I also would like to know what kind of CT Angiogram you will be taking. Is it PET? Or is it CT Scan, the one that measures calcium and takes pictures of the arteries? I took booth in the beggining but only stress treadmill and PET scan after 4 years, and both showed I got CAD completed reversed. I am still considering to have CT Scan again, but my doctors think no need, considering the irradiation. I have my doubts... but I will let for the future.

Thanks for posting your results. I hope I can do the same in a few months

Answer: I wish you success! Keep me informed, please. I would like to know how are you doing and experiences.

[f1jim]

Ricardo's experience is common. His decision to follow a "stricter than Ornish" diet is typical here. My first experience was reading Ornish's work and it gave me hope. Then came Esselstyn and McDougall. Esselstyn had better results than Ornish and that is why I decided to remove the egg whites and nonfat dairy from the mix. To me it was a compromise to get more people on board and not to better the diet. But there is a lot of common ground with Ornish and his diet will help those with heart disease. It too is miles from the standard unhealthy Western diet. Ricardo made the right dietary moves and it is showing. He should be proud of his results.

f1jim

[ufatbasted]

Hello Ricardo


Yes my Doctors are supportive of my diet and workout regimen.

My stress test had been normal until approx 4 years ago when on a treadmill my heart started adding extra beats under load. My cardiologist at that time did a sonogram of my heart and basically told me I was fine and that the extra beats where nothing to worry about. I ended up changing cardiologist and my new Dr was much more aggressive regarding the extra beats. He had me wear a holter monitor and prescribed a small dose of a beta blocker. At this time I was also involved in a test group that was given free CT scans of my lungs once a year to check for lung cancer as I had smoked in my past. One year the scan report mentioned mild to moderate blockage in the LDA and RDA arteries.

I showed the report to my cardiologist and he recommended I have CT angiogram the following year.
He indicated I could have plaque build up and the scan would tell me exactly how much. In the meantime he sent for a duplex Doppler scan of my carotid artery to see if it was clear which it was. I was informed I would not be covered by health insurance for the CT scan. I decided it was too important not to know. So 18 months ago I had the scan and saw the results. Yes they showed me
pictures of the plaque in my arteries. They also gave me the calcium score which I posted in my first post. They indicated blood flow through the heart was not obstructed. My cardiologist prescribed the 10mg of Lipitor to lower my cholesterol from 190 to closer to 150. He mentioned diet but nothing drastic like the books I’ve since read.

I credit my enrolling in the lung cancer screening and my cardiologist who told me about the CT scan with saving my life. I also felt that just taking meds and going on the same course as most people would lead me towards stents, bypass and eventual heart attack. I am a coward and want no part of hospitals or surgery. I found Dean Ornish’s book on reversing heart disease and I decided this was the route I wanted to take. I’ve since read most of what you have studied I’ve also had lots of help and support from friends and family. Though many do not fully understand why I’m so rigid. It’s funny sometimes they feel sorry for me because of my diet when in truth it is I who feel sorry for them. They don't understand how good I feel.

I also like you see family and friends eating the way I used to eat gaining weight complaining of various ailments. I have suggested lifestyle changes but it falls on deaf ears. One friend of mine told me I had inspired him. he changed his diet(not as drastic as ours) and lost 50lbs. I'm so happy for him!

I’ve since had to change cardiologist again due to insurance reasons. My new cardiologist has informed me my blood flow is normal and my heart pumps blood at a very high volume. Based on my blood work, diet and fitness routines he has informed me I have reduced my chance of heart attack to less than 1%. Only time will tell if this is true

I’ll know Feb 2012 if I have in fact reduced the plaque buildup in my arteries. But you areliving proof it is possible.

Sorry for the long post but that sums up why I’ve ended up eating a plant based oil free diet.
Best
Stan

[ufatbasted]

Ricardo's experience is common. His decision to follow a "stricter than Ornish" diet is typical here. My first experience was reading Ornish's work and it gave me hope. Then came Esselstyn and McDougall. Esselstyn had better results than Ornish and that is why I decided to remove the egg whites and nonfat dairy from the mix. To me it was a compromise to get more people on board and not to better the diet. But there is a lot of common ground with Ornish and his diet will help those with heart disease. It too is miles from the standard unhealthy Western diet. Ricardo made the right dietary moves and it is showing. He should be proud of his results.

f1jim

Hey Jim Thanks. I just looked at your video(Amazing)and passed it on to my daughters boyfriend who has high BP at 23. I once mentioned diet might help to my daughter and was informed that it runs in his family. My answer to that was his diet also runs in his family but it fell on deaf ears.
Maybe you video will help him!

best
Stan

[nonyabizz]

My answer to that was his diet also runs in his family but it fell on deaf ears.
Maybe you video will help him!

best
Stan

I am sooooo gonna use that one!

[Starchyme]

Love it! I often wonder the same thing when they ask if anyone in the family had this, that or the other. Of course they did with eating the SAD. I bet most doesn't even run in families. But they never figure that out. Like I had a friend from 12 years old whose mom was obese, he was obese and so was his sister. So, I wondered, even before I ever became a McDougaller, was it inherited or was it that the mom loved to eat and so did they.

[flabingo]

As medicare elgible, I have Humana for my supplemental insurance. I belong to a fitness club, and Humana pays 100% of my membership(Over $700.00 per year). They have figured out that their bottom line financially will improve if I go to the gym.
It would seem to follow that they should also pay for diet therapy from doctors. Most people may be only one major illness from serious financial harm. The cost benefit to the country would be enormous. And it would seem that it should not have to be a MD. They should have an incentive system to reward people that behave or penalties for misbehavior.
Second question, My systolic pressure changes, based on the relationship with time of taking my medicine and the time of checking my BP. from 140(24 hours) to 129(12 hours). Any suggestions would be appreciated

[Starchyme]

Thanks for that tidbit of information. I don't have Humana, but have been thinking about getting it. The gym would really be quite a perk. I guess it varies from state to state? Are you satisfied with the medical care? I am concerned that if I prefer to refuse a medication or test or something that I won't be able to do that. In other words, DO AS I SAY, like my (former) private physician tried to do.

[flabingo]

I think you will find you can go to most any gym in the USA.. I live in California and I am going to Pittsburgh, and there are five gyms within 25 miles that I can go to. Go to Humana site and look under Silver Slipper.Blue Cross also has a similar plan

[flabingo]

Also Humana has a drug program that enables you to get generic drugs FREE from Right Source, their mail-order pharmacy

[Starchyme]

I tried to find all Humana plans in MD. It just comes up with prescription plans and no medical. Thanks to Dr. McD, I don't need to take any meds for all the 'aging' conditions my friends have. My problem is I fall more often than need be. I looked at Silver Slippers on Bravo and there were none. Thanks for cluing me in. I'll check it out with the website you suggested.