Heart Disease

Blecenda Varona,
Blecenda Varona, DrPH,
DrPH, MPH,
MPH, RND
RND
BW Seafarer’s
BW Seafarer’s Health
Health and
and
Wellness Training
Wellness Training Program
Program
NEWSTART
Nutrition
Exercise
Water
Sunshine
Temperance
Air
Rest
Trust in God
Heart Disease
NORMAL ARTERY
OXIDIZED
CHOLESTEROL

10
FATTY STREAK

11
PARTIALLY OCCLUDED
VESSEL

11
TOTALLY OCCLUDED
VESSEL

12
 Cardiovascular disease
• Is there hope?
• Can I prevent it?
• Can I reverse it?

• Hope: Dr. Dean Ornish’s heart patients

– Heart transplant candidates with unstable
angina get relief of angina in 2 months on
a total plant-based diet
The Cleveland Clinic
Foundation
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Preventive Cardiology 2001; 4: 171-177

Resolving the Coronary

Artery Disease
Epidemic through
Plant-Based Nutrition Figure 1 -- Coronary angiograms
of the distal left anterior
descending artery before (left)
and after (right) 32 months of a
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., MD plant-based diet without
cholesterol-lowering medication,
showing profound improvement
Giant Change
Giant Change
 Case 2:
8 year old boy
Hypercholesterolemic
Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

1 liter
+ softdrink
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

1 liter
+ softdrink
 Case 3:
13 year old boy
Hypercholesterolemic
Hypertensive
Obese
 Week 1
STRIDES: 200-400 steps
 Week 2
STRIDES: 8,000-13,000 STEPS
 Week 1
Food Intake: 4,000-5500 kcal
 Week 2
FOOD INTKE: 2,000 kcal
The Cleveland Clinic • Since 1985 Dr. Esselstyn
Foundation
has conducted the longest
running study which proves
that heart disease can be
arrested or reversed by a
low fat, plant-based diet.

• Only one treatment has

been proven the most
effective to stop
completely the
progression of coronary
heart disease: a low-fat,
plant-based diet, coupled
with cholesterol-lowering
medication.
Some
Some cholesterol
cholesterol foods
foods are
are higher
higher in
in
cholesterol
cholesterol than
than others.
others.
11 eggyolk
eggyolk …………..
………….. 270 270 mg
mg
3½
3½ oz.
oz. Beef
Beef liver
liver …..
….. 440
440 mg
mg
3½
3½ oz.
oz. Beef
Beef kidney
kidney ...
... 700
700 mg
mg
3½
3½ oz.
oz. Pig’s
Pig’s brain
brain …
… 2169
2169 mg
mg
3½
3½ oz.
oz. Lean
Lean beef
beef …..
….. 90 90 mg
mg
Low Salt Diet
Low Fat Diet
Low Cholesterol Diet
Small change.
Small change.
Small benefit.
Small benefit.
Big change.
Big change.
Big benefit.
Big benefit.