← Return to Any women with high CAC scores?

Discussion

Any women with high CAC scores?

Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: Jan 2, 2023 | Replies (43)

Comment receiving replies
@jlharsh

I have not heard this. Do explain 🙂

Jump to this post


Replies to "I have not heard this. Do explain :)"

Here's a video of dr. Esselstyn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_o4YBQPKtQ&t=5s

Medicare also covers Dr. Ornish's program.

Dr. Dean Ornish’s work, as well as Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s work on heart disease. showed regression in coronary plaques in their patients who followed a whole food plant-based diet. I’d encourage you to check out their studies and books if you haven’t done so already. Their work is very encouraging and shows that we do not have to succumb to heart disease.

Theirs was a significant lifestyle intervention, not a miracle supplement. Dr. Esselstyn did a small, uncontrolled observational study; Dr. Ornish did a small controlled study.
In the Esselstyn study, the diet was quite restrictive: “Initially the intervention avoided all added oils and processed foods that contain oils, fish, meat, fowl, dairy products, avocado, nuts and excess salt. Patients were also asked to avoid sugary foods (sucrose, fructose and drinks containing them, refined carbohydrates, fruit juices, syrups, and molasses). Subsequently, we also excluded caffeine and fructose.”

The Ornish study had a similar completely vegetarian diet, but 10% of calories from fat was allowed. In addition, there was — as there was not in Esselstyn — mandatory stress reduction time, and all smokers in the study quit. This study’s results, proven by angiography, showed reversal in coronary blockages by 3% in five years, compared with 12% worsening in the control group in the same time.

Esselstyn analyzed the study by those judged adherent and nonadherent. For any subject who was judged nonadherent, 62% had coronary events. Less than 1% of adherent subjects experienced an adverse event.
Together, these studies show that in a group of extraordinarily motivated study subjects, coronary lesions can undergo regression with a multi-interventional approach including profound diet changes and sometimes other lifestyle interventions. These aren’t miracle diets. It’s an entire dramatic change in lifestyle.