Dr Esselstyn’s Latest Basic Recommendations
Here is a concise list of Dr Esselstyn’s latest basic recommendations from a Facebook group you may want to join (‘Esselstyn Plan Recipe Sharing and Conversation’):
1) NO OIL. Oils cause vasoconstriction and raise blood pressure as well as being damaging to the arterial endothelium (lining). Hidden fats may also be called hydrogenated mono and diglycerides, or lethicin.
2) Eat starches, non-starchy veggies and a max of 3 fruit servings. Starches are important for satiation so you do not get hungry. Being hungry is not sustainable. Starches are root veggies (potatoes, sweet potatoes), beans/peas/lentils, winter squash and 100% whole grains.
3) Eat (chew) a fist-size (after cooking) serving of high nitrate veggies, with a few drops of balsamic vinegar or other vinegar, six times spaced throughout the day from breakfast to bedtime. This promotes the formation of nitric oxide (NO), the most powerful vasodilator we have, so arteries will dilate to their fullest. Esselstyn’s favorite 6 ‘greens’ for NO production are KALE, SPINACH, SWISS CHARD, ARUGULA, BEET GREENS, BEETS (yes, beets!) Dr. E also has a ‘greens’ jingle which mentions bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, napa cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, parsley and asparagus.
4) Avoid all smoothies and juices. Chew your food.
5) Avoid all high fat foods like nuts, nut butters, coconut, olives, avocado, tofu, coconut, seeds (see flaxseed reference below)
6) Avoid processed sugars like agave and maple syrup.
7) Avoid caffeinated coffee.
8) Avoid all animal foods/meat/dairy/eggs
9) Avoid salt in cooking and at the table, and be careful with condiments. The rule of thumb is no more milligrams of sodium in a serving as there are calories. Adding a SMALL amount of a higher sodium condiment to a whole low sodium meal is OK.
And here is some guidance on how to cook without oil.
See here for heart healthy low fat recipes.
RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS
(see page 73-74 of ‘Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease’)
1. Vitamin B12…..I favor 1000mcg daily
2. Vitamin D3…..Check your blood level. If your blood level is normal, it is not needed. If your blood level is below normal, I suggest 1000-2000 IU daily until the low normal blood level is reached. Adjust dosage then to maintain the low normal range.
3. 1-2 tablespoons ground flaxseed and /or chia seeds daily (preferably 2 tablespoons).
Hi Dr. Ganguli,
I asked Dr. Esselstyn, balsamic vinegar or is any other vinegar ok also and he said. His studies were done using balsamic that is why he recommends balsamic
Best,
Michael
Thank you very much for the information Michael !
Please tell me how much sodium I can have in a day?
A good general guideline is 2,000 mg (90 meq) of sodium per day. However this may vary depending on your other medical conditions.
Hi Katrin – interesting. Feeling dizzy can have many causes – low or high blood sugar, low blood pressure and others – that’s a good thing to discuss with your healthcare provider. If you can check your blood sugar / pressure when you have these symptoms that would be very helpful.
A good general recommendation is 2,000 mg per day, but it may vary depending on what medical conditions you have.
10 000 thanks for this information. Blessings from Above.
Thank you !
This seems like a ton of food to eat in a day. Are you saying we should eat six fist sized servings of leafy greens a day? That is more food than I eat in total in 1.5 days. For a frame of reference, that is probably two uncooked shoes boxes full of spinach each day.
Am I missing something here?
These are Dr Esselstyn’s recommendations – having attended his seminar the answer is ‘Yes’ – as you know spinach shrinks a LOT with cooking. Suggest you join his Facebook group for more specific guidance.
Hi dr Ganguli
How is called the group from Facebook, with the recipes and recommendations from doctor Esselstyn ?
Thank you 🙏🏻
Just go to Facebook and search for “Esselstyn support group”
How can I get more information on the endothelia and if I stand a chance to live longer by getting answers to questions I have.
Go to Nutritionfacts.org and use the search box.
The volume of cooked greens is much less that uncooked. This is for people with cardiovascular disease.
Can I eat my spinach uncooked – like a little salad of baby leaves? Will that have the same effect?
Yes – raw or cooked is fine.
Hi Dr. Ganguli,
This is very informative! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Dr.i am curious..how long must I eat the spinach with the balsmic vinegar..in terms of days?
Appreciate your answer. Thanks.
Hi Ho Kin – the effect comes on quickly and lasts for a few hours. Like medication for heart disease (which you take regularly), you need to keep eating the spinach with balsamic vinegar regularly.
Thanks for the encouragement 🙂
Hi Dr, After awaiting triple bypass surgery, I’ve opted to strictly follow Esselstyn’s reversal plan for two weeks now dropping all meds from two months. I had 446 calcium score with one 88% soft plaque widowmaker, 65%-%70 calcified, 60% soft, plus varios other arteries with 30-50% obstructions. I’m 50 years old in generally good health and noticing great symptom reduction results. My biggest question is about blood level test, does this have to determined the actual level of D3? Thank you much, Ken
25 OH (25 hydroxy) vitamin D is the commonly used blood test for vitamin D. For a LOT of reasons (immune protection, probable prevention of cancer, and of course bones) I think everyone should have vitamin D levels checked.
I completely agree with you !
I recently heard Dr. Esselstyn say balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar. I wish I were on Facebook just to ask questions there, but have parted ways with that media. I keep wondering if uncooked greens are really NOT helpful and if they MUST be cooked for these six times daily.
My understanding it that the main reason Dr E pushed cooked is that the quantities are so large that it’s hard for people to eat enough of the raw veggies.
Hello Dr Ganguli, diet to shrink aneurysms before they amount to anything.
Blood pressure control should be the key (plant-based diet and at least 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed every day). Obviously had a doctor assess in case intervention necessary.
Do you have any thoughts on vitamin K2? It is typically taken to improve clotting which may not be good if you are trying to keep blood tin and not clot around deposits. But there is also strong evidence that K2 reduced arterial calcium deposits.
Great question – I haven’t researched it in depth. But there’s a free webinar by Dr Greger (I think you may have to give a donation) coming up – suggest you go to Nutritionfacts.org and enroll in it.
Is there a specific non-fluoride toothpaste you can recommend? Trying to go through the various ingredients of the various toothpastes is head spinning.
If you cannot recommend one, can you inform of ingredients to look for or avoid?
Great question ! Seems simple but it’s not. Definitely want to avoid triclosan & flouride. Not really my area of expertise, but I suggest you use the app by EWG (Environmental Working Group) which is called ‘Healthy Living’ and is free. It has a huge database of brands and scores them.
Can I make up a day’s worth of Dr Esselstyn’s snack with the balsamic on it and keep it in the fridge
Can I use canned spinach for Dr. Esselstyn’s green-plus-balsamic snack?
Yes – make a days worth. Canned spinach (or anything else canned) is full of endocrine modifiers (see here); I suggest you use frozen or fresh.
rather than chewing boiled green anointed in vinegar, what if the greens were sauteed (no oil, just water or vegetable stock) with garlic and ginger. plus some rice vinegar, as done in chinese cooking. Seems like it would be much tastier and more palatable. Could also add some baked tofu. Could you comment if that seems like it will achieve similar benefits.
also other suggestions to make the greens tastier welcome
Sounds fine to me; Dr Esselstyn seems to favour balsamic vinegar however but I think it is a very minor point.
Hi Dr. Ganguli,
Thanks for posting this ( good read, simple and straight to the point). I do believe Esselstyln’s diet is the healthiest for CAD but I will admit it is a hard diet to adhere to 100% all the time w/o ever any deviations. I am probably 90% onboard and I am always striving for better. It will be interesting to see how long and how well these plant-based masters of the Universe like (McDougall, Fuhrman, Ornish, Esselstyln, Greger and Barnard) live and what will be the cause of death when these guys do eventually die. The proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say.
Hello
I consume ALOT of Nutritional Yeast Flakes. Can heart disease people consume safely?
I read it’s cultured with molasses…..
Thank you
No contra-indications that I’m aware of in terms of heart disease. However I’d suggest limiting because it may have a role in developing inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis) – see here.
Can I consume as a heart patient nutritional yeast flakes?
Thank you
No contra-indications that I’m aware of in terms of heart disease. However I’d suggest limiting because it may have a role in developing inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis) – see here.
Can I eat my greens raw or do they have to be cooked?
You can do either.