When the Historic Lewes Farmers Market opened this weekend, I made a dash for fresh greens keeping in mind new information from Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., author of PREVENT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE. His life-saving program of PLANT-BASED EATING WITH NO ADDED OIL has given me and thousands of others, “the locus of control to halt and control this disease.” Esselstyn is now advising heart patients to consume dark green leafy vegetables 6 times daily! Yes, SIX! That’s in addition to all those delicious beans, whole grains, starchy and colorful vegetables and fruit that comprise our healing diet of whole foods.
What’s so special about greens? They have high ORAC VALUE (Oxygen Radical Absorptive Capacity). In other words, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, swiss chard, turnip and mustard greens, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts and spinach are powerful natural antioxidants that accelerate resolution of heart disease.
Dr. Esselstyn explains that eating a portion the size of one’s fist (after cooking 5 minutes and seasoning with a splash of balsamic vinegar) 6 times throughout the day literally bathes the delicate endothelial lining of the blood vessels in antioxidants. These antioxidant-rich greens break down the “cauldron of oxidated inflammation” which makes up the blood vessel plaque all of us have from years of consuming THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET of meat, dairy and refined foods.
So—Mother was right—“Eat your greens. They’re good for what ails you!”