- In this trial, he showed that the heart’s ability to pump blood improves
significantly after only twenty-four days of a dietary change, with a 91 percent
reduction in the frequency of angina and about a 20 percent decrease in
cholesterol levels, as well as a lower risk of cardiovascular problems. The
magnitude of improvement was stunning and greater than many conventionally
offered medications. Further studies by Dr. Ornish reinforced his initial findings.
For example, in the 1990s, he found that even severe coronary artery blockages
could be reversed in only one year when patients followed a heart-healthy eating
plan (low-fat and plant-based). Total cholesterol dropped 24 percent and the bad
LDL fell 37 percent—rates that were similar to those attributed to cholesterol-
lowering drugs. And, not surprisingly, blockages dropped more significantly
after five years than after one (moreover, those who didn’t eat the heart-healthy
diet had twice as many cardiac events as those who did).
Ornish’s findings have been supported in a lot of research over the past couple
of decades. For example, one major study of more than 126,000 people found
that those with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables had a 20 percent lower
risk of coronary heart disease. And a recent meta-analysis of twenty-three
studies—involving nearly a million people—also demonstrated that a higher
consumption of fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of
developing coronary heart disease.
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