Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease: The Only System Scientifically Proven to Reverse Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery

Of all the "alternative medicine" heart books out there (or at least the five best-sellers that I've read), Ornish's is still the most complete, up-to-date, sensible and safe. Esselstyne's, which is currently in the number one slot in sales, is practically the same except slightly more "radical" (he prohibits oils of any kind--whether fish, flax, soy). It's simpler to read, briefer, and more current (probably accounting for its popularity), but for the most part it's a stripped-down version of Ornish's book, even following the same organization (advice plus lots of recipes). Ornish's program has the advantage of giving consideration to factors other than food and exercise as a therapeutic measure, and is the more "philosophic." (Also, there's the matter of sugar and triglycerides, appended below.)What sets Ornish apart, above all, is his holistic approach. He's fully aware that just as conventional medicine has placed excessive emphasis on stents, statins and bypasses, alternative medicine has committed much the same when on too-exclusive emphasis on foods, fish oils, various vitamins, enzymes, proteins and amino acids. Ornish looks squarely at the mental-emotional-spiritual dimension of human experience and the role of stress on heart disease. Just as literature-philosophy-theology teachers of modern thought dwell on the theme of alienation--from self, from others, from a higher power--in a modern and post-modern world, Ornish repeatedly comes back to the same theme, quoting, for example, T. S. Eliot and "The Four Quartets" (the Thunder's words at the end of "The Wasteland" also resonate here). For Ornish the operative word is not "alienation" but "isolation," which must be confronted and overcome at all costs for healing to occur. Quoting Sam Keene, he makes it clear that projecting one's own biases against the "other"--as members of hate groups are want to do--is no antidote to "isolation." It requires control, sympathy, understanding, perhaps above all a rejection of material values and the need to be liked. Ornish's is the one book that goes beyond what to eat and not to eat, what pills to take and avoid, what exercises to do and how often. His is the most spiritual approach.Here's the problem with some of the other books--for example, by Sinatra (who to his credit provides the most specific, illuminating information about "the new cardiology" or Ignarro (Dr. N.O.): With the exception of Ornish and Esselstyne, they prescribe the consumption of vitamins, supplements, pills and powders in megadoses that are not proven to be without side-effects which, for some individuals, can be draining and stressful in themselves. I know people who can't tolerate probiotics, ginseng, S-ame, goldenseal, grapefruit seed oil, and any number of the recent supplements that are sold simply on the basis of one "expert's" say-so, the cooperation of the vitamin manufacturers, and without FDA approval. To ingest the quantities of CoQ-10 and d-Ribose recommended by Sinatra or the 4 grams of d-Arginnine plus Citrulline required by Ignarro (in addition to 5 to 10 other "essential" supplements) is to invite a certain amount of discomfort before any of the advertised effects might be noticed. Indeed, to follow these recommendations is to trust that the medical "establishment" is completely ignorant of the wondrous powers of these supplements or determined to make us over-tax the health care system more than is already the case.Lord knows, the FDA, or organized medicine, has slipped up its share of the time, has been overly slow to approve some measures, overly hasty in other cases. But to demonize them as some sort of vast conspiracy intent upon keeping us all feeling unwell is, however much of a therapeutic placebo to some, an insult to common sense and logic. In fact, some of these health evangelists--going back to Adele Davis and Linus Pauling--prescribe as much from the perspective of belief, faith and theology as caution, wisdom, and science.[Not a popular review, but I stand by it. Even in his preface (p. xxix), Ornish calls attention to a matter that I simply missed while reading 5-6 more current books on CVD: simple carbs, or "non-fat" sugar and corn syrup. Yes, Esselstyne (and the rest, too) endorses organic, whole grain products, which would ensure the reader imbibes essential complex carbs. But the other books don't always explain as fully as necessary the primary REASON for watching the carbs no less than the fats. It leads to high sugar blood counts, overproduction of insulin, insulin resistance and, as a result, not only tiredness but elevated triglycerides and high blood pressure. I had been so exclusively focused on HDL and LDL and the avoidance of all meat, dairy, oils, fats, etc. that I was inadequately prepared for the results of a truly comprehensive lipid panel. To be fair to Esselstyne, it was from a paper on his website--not from any personal physician--that I learned about the absolute necessity of staying on Plavix following insertion of a chemically-treated stent. All the more reason to try alternative measures--such as the diet changes recommended by Ornish and Esselstyne--to preserve that precious endothelium before replacing it with something you didn't receive from your mother.]

My husband and I used to eat relatively healthy. Bio-markets, occasionally vegan soups, we even bought an omega juicer. His cholesterol was hovering around 200 and below, LDL at about 100, and blood pressure was slightly high (135/85 or around that number.) We are in our 40s, athletic, no family history of heart disease, non-smokers. It was a shock to us when he started having chest pains, and was told he had 80% LAD blockage. The doctor was clearly not very tactful in the cath lab when he told me that it was called "the widowmaker." So he got a stent, started taking statins and anti-platelet, and we switched to Dr. Ornish (or Caldwell, or Esselstyn, or Pritkin... there are several proponents of similar plans with slight variations) diet. I got all the books and the recipes, and started the diet with him, since I cannot scarf down burgers while he eats carrots.Two months later, I can see the following results:His weight went from 175 to 155 lbs. Mine from 136 to 120. Before the diet I was trying to lose 5 lbs, to get to my happy weight of 130. The scale did not budge. Now, if I don't eat I keep losing weight, so I have to eat a lot, and often. His cholesterol went from 197 to 90, with an LDL of 20. That's not even human, in my opinion. Now he does take Lipitor (40 mg), so I am his "control group," since I take no medication. Mine went from 187 to 150, and LDL from 102 to 70. We asked the cardiologist whether he recommends this diet. He said yes, sure, if you can do it. He'd rather have people take their statins though, since the diet is so restrictive that few people stick with it long term. My husband's blood pressure went from 135/85 to 116/70, or something around there. We have a blood pressure machine now, so I can tell. (Can you tell I am doing this very scientifically.) I read all the articles I could find on pubmed.com and decided to supplement with B12 and Fish Oil of some high quality. The cardiologist said the fish oil makes no difference, but for now we take it. We also take Cardioviva, a probiotic which might have some benefits. It can't hurt anyway. We started eating fish a few weeks back, grilled or steamed, about twice a week, so we might stop the fish oil. That is the only concession we make to the diet.Is it hard? Yes, it is, especially since I am doing it just to support him. Can it be done? Absolutely. It only depends how scared you are, and how strong is your motivation. We exercised before, so we keep that up. I'd say the first three weeks were the worst, your body just can't figure where did all the dietary fat go. Then you adjust, and things that you took for granted start to taste amazing, especially the forbidden ones. I can tell immediately if something has peanuts, because I can TASTE THEM! But I cannot eat them, not part of the diet. There is a direct correlation between your LDL and the number of coronary and cardiac incidents. Below 50 LDL, none. So that's where we try to keep it, and I worry of course about the stent, and the anti-platelet medication, and about an asteroid hitting the Earth someday. That's just me. But the diet works, I feel healthier than ever, I can wear skirts I had stashed away 20 years ago (I found one in a box) and all my... mmm... systems work really well. We miss cheese, lobster rolls, fried clams, oysters... but you get used to it, and when you look at the benefits I think it is worth it. If we make it to 75, maybe we will stop and start eating whatever.