Two Cardiologists & One Cardiac Surgeon Who Follow an Esselstyn-Style Plant-Based Diet. What's Their Story and What Health Benefits Have They Seen?
Dr. Katz
"Why is there so much cardiovascular disease?
There's no question that it's diet related. We're getting fatter, and eating worse than ever before. Colorado is the only state in the nation where less than 20% of the population is obese. In 49 other states, the obesity rate exceeds 20%--and we're not talking about just being overweight. The dietary causes for heart disease & obesity are eating too much fat, too much refined food, not enough fiber, not enough plant protein, and not enough whole foods. 80% of cardiovascular is preventable by diet.
In your opinion, what causes coronary disease--cholesterol or inflammation?
The biggest issue is inflammation of the endothelium--the single layer of cells that line the blood vessels. Animal protein & fats have been shown to be very inflammatory to blood vessels. Both Drs. Caldwell Esselstyn & William Castelli, the lead researcher in the Framingham Study, cite the example of the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War II, when all the livestock in the country was consfiscated, meat & milk consumption dropped, and heart disease deaths plummeted. After the war, when the livestock returned, so did heart disease. On the other hand, those countries with the highest percentage of calories coming from unprocessed plant food also have the lowest incidence of heart disease & cancer.
You recommend "no-added fats" whatsoever for anyone trying to reverse heart disease. What about fish oil?
Yes, no oil whatsoever, including fish oil. Katz gets his omega-3's from ground flaxseed, daily. He seems unconcerned about the issue of conversion of the short-chain omega-3's (ALA) found in flax into the long-chain omega-3's (EPA/DHA) found in fish oil."
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