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Heart Health Fuhrman Ornish

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EngineerGuy

Joined: 02/28/2010

My Story:

Hi folks,

I've lived in beautiful Salt Lake City for the last 6 years (as of 2010).

I had a mild 30's crisis, and adopted the Pritikin Diet, because I thought active life was half over. Now I'm 62, and I barely notice any aging at all.

I had average atherosclerosis, based on my IMT (carotid artery ultrasound). For myself, I felt this was totally intolerable. All cardiac risk factors are exactly, identically the same risk factors as for alzheimer's disease. I need to protect the few brain cells I have!!

I adoped the Pritikin program very strictly for 2 years. I ran 4 miles 7 days a week. I ate more than 5 servings of vegetables daily, but I did not emphasize vegetables, because I thought I needed more calories than veggies offered. After 2 strict years, my IMT had significantly worsened, contrary to most person's experience with the Pritikin program.

I learned of Fuhrman while attending the Pritikin Longevity Center. I modified my program to follow Fuhrman strictly. After 2 years, my IMT cleared up. No more lipid inclusions (fat pockets) in the artery wall. The average thickness of the artery wall thinned (improved) nicely.

My motivation in creating this board is to increase be informative, if you wish to take control of your health. You can decide also to adopt Fuhrman. Please, no pressure. Just relax and look around, and maybe read one of Fuhrman's books, just for the information. Only try to adopt the program if YOU are excited that this is a great idea for YOUR health and for YOUR benefit.

Don't think you could adopt a mostly whole plant based program, with exercise and stress reduction?

Rent the movie Super Size Me (2004). This is the guy (Morgan Spurlock) who ate every meal at McDonalds for 30 days. He ate 5000 calories a day, when he needed 2500. He gained 25 pounds. At the beginning of the study, he felt good all the time, and only felt bad when he was overeating on all that food. After only 30 days, he felt bad all the time, and the only time he felt good, was when he was overeating on all that food! Food can be addictive! Did he condense into 30 days, what many of us experience over many years? We can't imagine giving up our favorite foods, because that's the best we feel all day!

Today I enjoy my Fuhrman diet just as much as I used to enjoy my steak and ice cream diet. But my diet makes me healthy today, instead of robbing me of my health.

Best regards, EngineerGuy

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Best wishes for Dolores

Hi Dolores, Again, please get to being real healthy fast !! Thank heavens your heart...

Posted by EngineerGuy

Hi Dolores,

Again, please get to being real healthy fast !! Thank heavens your heart attack was mild. You are a super person, and we need you.

If I may be so bold, may I offer suggestions, only, hopefully, to be helpful.

Your 100% blockages, in spite you your excellent lifestyle, show that your heredity is telling you that you have to be stricter than most, to be healthy. Thus the chapter "Moderation Kills", in Dr. Esselstyn's book.

Because of person to person variation of heredity, we cannot say "it's the clams" or "it can't be the clams", because what may be great for one person or one group, may be far to moderate for a specific individual.

In my experience, my IMT got worse, following Pritikin strictly for 2 years. Ornish ran a study with heart patients, where the Ornish diet group had 1/2 the heart problems, compared to the standard medical care group. But, the Ornish and standard medical care group, both had no change in their IMT.

When I converted to the Fuhrman program, I was able to reverse my atherosclerosis, based on IMT. I lose 10 pounds, and ate far more vegetables. On Pritikin, I ate zero fat, meat fish or poultry or dairy, or nuts or seeds. On Fuhrman, I ate plenty of nuts and seeds.

Dr. Fuhrman would suggest that you, as having diabetic tendencies, change from 4 meals daily to 2 meals, maybe 3. The metabolic condition of drawing from your reserves, instead of drawing from food as it is digesting, is very healthy. I think it gives some of the benefit of weight loss (drawing from your reserves) without weight loss.

Dr. Fuhrman also would suggest to be lean enough to pinch an inch by the navel, for a woman.

Being lean is very healthy, and essential, to one extent or another, depending on your heredity. Also, it is absolutely true that the fastest reversal of atherosclerosis is with weight loss. Losing weight provides rapid improved arterial health. Being lean also contributes to continuing the good arterial health, and continuing the improvement.

(Many doctors mistakenly advise to keep weight up. This is wrong advice, based on studies showing that the leanest group of heart patients often do poorly, as well as the overweight patients. When a person nears end of life, their cholesterol will lower, and weight reduce. So, if cholesterol drops or weight drops, due to nothing that the patient is doing, that might be a bad sign. If cholesterol or weight drops due to lifestyle efforts, that's very healthy.)

Do take statins and other medications prescribed by your doctor, as these are helpful. Statins contribute to reversal of atherosclerosis. Dr. Esselstyn and all the doctors we follow, use them for their patients, if indicated. If you are able to identify and improve the lifestyle aspects that are key to your metabolism, perhaps the medications can be reduced or eliminated in the future. How's your homosystein level? Your CRP? Lipo-a ?

My best advice follows here: Get medical advice from Dr. Fuhrman (www.drfuhrman.com , $50/mo to ask medical questions). Doctors know a lot of stuff. They can identify problems based on blood tests, etc. that is extremely valuable.

Or, choose Dr. Esselstyn. Several people have contacted Dr. Esselstyn by phone. Really, the diet is the same as Fuhrman, except for the question of nuts & seeds. My opinion is not to worry about whether to eat nuts and seeds, for the time being.

It's far more important to get medical counseling from Fuhrman or Esselstyn for your blood tests, and get any additional information they ask for. Place your faith in the doctor you choose, and follow precisely, with confidence.

Sincerely yours, EngineerGuyView Thread

Posted byEngineerGuy

4 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Best wishes for Dolores Hi Dolores, Again, please get to being real healthy fast !! Thank heavens your heart...

Reply: Best wishes for Dolores

Hi Dolores, Congratulations. I don't think you had a heart attack either! Fuhrman...

Posted by EngineerGuy

4 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Best wishes for Dolores Hi Dolores, Congratulations. I don't think you had a heart attack either! Fuhrman...

Reply: CT angiogram scores

Hi DMW, Re: EG and UFB, DT, Is everyone neglecting pomegranates and pistachios ? I...

Posted by EngineerGuy

28 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:CT angiogram scores Hi DMW, Re: EG and UFB, DT, Is everyone neglecting pomegranates and pistachios ? I...

Reply: Best wishes for Dolores

Hi Dolores, Oh, and do exercise. Exercise only on the days you want blood sugar to be...

Posted by EngineerGuy

Hi Dolores,

Oh, and do exercise. Exercise only on the days you want blood sugar to be in control. (Hearing that advice was when I decided to exercise every day.) (Sure, I miss occasionally).

I recall that you exercise several times a week, but I am not sure. So, what I write below is for anyone reading, also.

Start with what you are doing today. Just walking is excellentm to start. Very slowly, increase the exercise, first distance, then intensity. After you are confident your heart health has made some improvement (weight loss or cholesterol number improvement, etc), increase your exercise intensity, best by doing intervals. (More challenging for a short time, interspersed with easy).

Imagine in natural or "primitive" times, before modern technology, and before heart disease. How many people then, did not have exercise in their daily lives? Exactly ZERO. Very true, today, exercise is not convenient. But today, healthy lifestyle is not convenient either.

Bone crusher workouts are not necessary, for good health, and heavy workouts are hard to maintain. But do gradually increase aerobic and weight bearing exercise intensity. Get teh Fuhrman Osteoporosis DVD. Excellent discussion and 15 min workout tape!!

Of course, I know you watch the salt. (LOL - I remember one of your posts, where you said I ruined you life, with my advice about salt, prompting you to give it up.) Watch the salt very closely, especially restaurant food.

A cup of steamed greens daily? (I cook 2 large covered pots, with just enough water in the bottom so they don't boil dry. Then freeze in little plastic containers, for 2 weeks at a time.) Lots of mustard greens, collard greens, rainbow chard, green cabbage, red cabbage, celery, peas, garlic, italian seasoning, 4 6 oz cans tomato paste. Onions and mushrooms. I blend some of the onions. I blend some broccoli. Use the water and the greens. The greens are a little soupy, with the water. That's great. The water is very full of nutrition from the greens.

Have you read Super Immunity?

You saw the DVD "Forks Over Knives". I saw your post on it, on the Diabetes website. (They removed my post, saying I was "soliciting").

Best regards, EngineerGuyView Thread

Posted byEngineerGuy

4 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Best wishes for Dolores Hi Dolores, Oh, and do exercise. Exercise only on the days you want blood sugar to be...

Reply: CT angiogram scores

Dear Dolores, Thank heavens you are OK and kicking. I am so sorry to hear of your...

Posted by EngineerGuy

28 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:CT angiogram scores Dear Dolores, Thank heavens you are OK and kicking. I am so sorry to hear of your...

Reply: Costco sale on Pomegranate juice

Hi Twin, Thanks for the tip. Pomagranate is valuable, and priced so !! Best...

Posted by EngineerGuy

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Costco sale on Pomegranate juice Hi Twin, Thanks for the tip. Pomagranate is valuable, and priced so !! Best...

Forks over Knives - An excellent movie

Hi folks, I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend a movie: Forks over Knives....

Posted by EngineerGuy

5 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Forks over Knives - An excellent movie Hi folks, I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend a movie: Forks over Knives....

Telomerase increase with Ornish Diet

Hi folks, Here's an amazing reference www.pubmed.com/18799354 Dr. Ornish...

Posted by EngineerGuy

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Telomerase increase with Ornish Diet Hi folks, Here's an amazing reference www.pubmed.com/18799354 Dr. Ornish...

Dr. McDougall video

Hi folks, A great 13 minute video ...

Posted by EngineerGuy

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Dr. McDougall video Hi folks, A great 13 minute video ...

Reply: Forks over Knives - An excellent movie

Hi jc, I posted about Forks Over Knives on the Diabetes type 2 support website. I...

Posted by EngineerGuy

5 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Forks over Knives - An excellent movie Hi jc, I posted about Forks Over Knives on the Diabetes type 2 support website. I...

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