Joel Fuhrman - Eat To Live

Eat to Live 151

Heart Attack Counterattack

Two things are necessary to predictably reverse heart disease: one is

to become thin and superbly nourished, and the other is to get your

LDL below 100. Reversal of heart disease then occurs. If one expects

to diminish atherosclerotic plaque over time and stabilize the plaque

so the chance of having a heart attack significantly decreases, I insist

that he or she must strive to achieve the following parameters of

normalcy:

• The patient must achieve a normal weight or become thin (less
  than one inch of abdominal fat in women, and less than three-
  quarters of an inch in men), or be in the process of steadily los-
  ing weight toward this goal.


• The patient must achieve normal cholesterol. My definition of
  normal is an LDL cholesterol below 100 (most authorities are
  now using this benchmark). Drugs are rarely needed to attain
  this level when an aggressive nutritional approach is taken.


• The patient's diet must be nutrient-dense. Animal products
  and detrimental fats must be avoided to prevent the after-meal
  fat surge.

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Refined carbohydrates should also be avoided to

prevent the after-meal glucose surges and to control triglyc-

erides. Homocysteine levels should be normalized, by supple-

mentation with appropriate nutrients if necessary.

• Blood pressure must return to within the normal range, below
  130/85, or be slowly improving and moving toward this mini-
  mal goal. The normalization of blood pressure as medications
  are gradually discontinued represents reversal of atherosclero-
  sis and is an important criterion to predict cardiac safety. The
  person who has removed his cardiac risk no longer requires
  blood pressure medication to maintain normal blood pressure
  readings. The vessels have become more elastic through nutri-
  tional intervention.

Angioplasty and Bypasss Surgery Can Be Avoided

My vigorous, nutritionally centered reversal treatment should be

started in every patient diagnosed with coronary artery disease be-

fore elective revascularization procedures are considered. My experi-

ence has shown that most patients will pursue an aggressive regimen

when it is supported by a knowledgeable and involved physician