Ornish and Esselstyn
If you're not familiar with Dr's Ornish and Dr. Esselstyn, then you're missing a huge piece of the puzzle in solving your cholesterol problems.
Both of these men (and some others) came to similar conclusions more than a decade ago. That conclusion is, that although there are still aspects of atherosclerosis related heart disease that we may not understand, we do know all that we need to in order to eliminate about 95% of it.
Both of these men have authored en vivo studies that show a vegan diet arresting and even reversing atherosclerosis and preventing heart disease.
There is essentially one important difference between them. Dr. Esselstyn believes that the vegan diet is a healthy means to an end, and that end is consistently maintaining a healthy cholesterol level below 150mg/dl.
Dr. Ornish on the other hand believes that although cholesterol lowering is key, it is the intrinsic value of the vegan diet (and other parts of his approach) that provide reversal. The former will prescribe drugs to reach the 150 figure, the latter will not unless the patient cannot adhere to the vegan regimen.
Ornish may indeed not be imoveable on the issue of medication, he does in some cases prescribe it.
I think Esselstyn has the stronger position here from the individual patient's perspective. If you're following a vegan diet, and your cholesterol is above 150, or even above 200 the diet may protect you anyway, but if you can safely take meds to put your numbers below 150 where statistics say a heart attack is unlikely...why wouldn't you?
Both of these men (and some others) came to similar conclusions more than a decade ago. That conclusion is, that although there are still aspects of atherosclerosis related heart disease that we may not understand, we do know all that we need to in order to eliminate about 95% of it.
Both of these men have authored en vivo studies that show a vegan diet arresting and even reversing atherosclerosis and preventing heart disease.
There is essentially one important difference between them. Dr. Esselstyn believes that the vegan diet is a healthy means to an end, and that end is consistently maintaining a healthy cholesterol level below 150mg/dl.
Dr. Ornish on the other hand believes that although cholesterol lowering is key, it is the intrinsic value of the vegan diet (and other parts of his approach) that provide reversal. The former will prescribe drugs to reach the 150 figure, the latter will not unless the patient cannot adhere to the vegan regimen.
Ornish may indeed not be imoveable on the issue of medication, he does in some cases prescribe it.
I think Esselstyn has the stronger position here from the individual patient's perspective. If you're following a vegan diet, and your cholesterol is above 150, or even above 200 the diet may protect you anyway, but if you can safely take meds to put your numbers below 150 where statistics say a heart attack is unlikely...why wouldn't you?
posted by Mark Tyler at 7:07 AM
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