This is the question I get regularly. Why do this? Why do plants help?

Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine said “Let food by thy medicine,” and he wasn’t wrong. Life wasn’t meant to be lived on lifelong medicines. It was meant to feel great, be active, and eat right without dependence on long term medication pills. And, as such, with eating plants, there are enormous health benefits from preventing cancer all the way to preventing and treating heart disease.

Following a whole foods, whole grain, plant-based, low fat, low salt, whole-foods diet not only lowers cholesterol and blood pressure (which are known contributors to heart disease) but also lowers weight, reduces are cures diabetes (a major contributor to heart disease) and improves energy levels allowing more exercise (a major preventer of heart disease).

There are very few studies showing much in the reversal of heart disease. While statin drugs have been shown in very high doses to effect minimal coronary disease reversal, work by Dr. Esselstyn (SEE FIGURE) have shown marked angiographic (a test to show the coronary arteries) disease reversal, and abatement in angina (chest pain from heart disease). Literally following a lifestyle of plant-based diets, exercising regularly, and practicing mindfulness can do more for your health than most procedures or medicines. However, it requires commitment… a very firm commitment.

So what are you waiting for? Start now!  Check out this free guide! http://www.pcrm.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/vsk.pdf

One of the most frequent questions I get in practice is “how on Earth can anyone eat this way forever?”

Of course this is a common question, and often indicates that a patient is willing to make changes but is still quite defensive/resistant. This is still a good sign. When one is challenged to make life-long habits go away, enormous resistance, food nostalgia, and sometimes even anger come to the surface.

I often say to may patients: is it “Eating to Live” or “Living to Eat? “When they realize that my suggestions are there to help offer a cure, disease burden reduction, or even disease remission, many people become more willing to try this.

In short, plant-based eating is a lifestyle – it’s not a fad, short-time solution, or passing diet — the goal is to make it a permanent part of the way one lives. And with time, usually 2-3 weeks, most people’s addictions to the foods they thought they loved go away. Foods once thought less tasty suddenly reveal all of their delicious tastes so often taken for granted — like whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. And these days, with so many amazing vegan options that are easy to prepare, pre-prepared, or available in restaurants, it’s so easy to do this ALL the time.

What do you like to eat? Give us feedback here!

Welcome to the new VeganCardiologist.com, a site dedicated to furthering health through plant-based diets (combined with exercise and of course, stress relief). Hippocrates said “Led Food Be Thy Medicine” when he founded modern medicine, but we still, to this day, have not taken heed. Let’s work together to improve our own health, reduce heart disease, and even improve the health of our environment.