Behold the Power of Food: Reverse Heart Disease

Is heart disease is reversible? The answer is a resounding yes. You can reverse blockages in heart arteries and, more importantly, dramatically change the course of coronary artery disease — by changing what you eat. 

In one study,(i) 24 patients with severe coronary artery disease were offered an “experimental” dietary therapy on top of traditional medical care. They ranged in age from 44 to 68 and their baseline average cholesterol was 237 mg/dL. They were instructed to switch to a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet of whole grains, beans and lentils, vegetables and fruit. Of the 24 patients, 17 adhered to the WFPB diet and 7 opted out. 

In the 8 years before the study, those 17 patients collectively had 49 heart events including heart attacks, strokes, angioplasty, bypass surgery and worsening angina. In the 12 years following their dietary change, they suffered no additional events. None. Plus, their average cholesterol dropped to 145 mg/dL, their need for medications fell noticeably, and all 17 dropped to a normal weight. Of those who died during follow-up, none died from heart disease.

What happened to the group that opted out of the WFPB diet but continued with state-of-the-art medical care? Over the same period, collectively those 7 patients had 12 more heart events.

These are remarkable findings, made more extraordinary by their subsequent replication in larger groups. These later studies showed improvements in both stress tests and angiograms — and confirmed dietary-driven reductions in blockages and a dramatic impact on heart disease.

Step One Foods was created to help get you started on a whole food plant based way of eating. We’re a great beginning to your health journey. And the more whole grains, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruit you incorporate into your diet, the better.

You have the power to improve your health.

Food matters.