Approximately 2,500 people die from heart disease every day. In the UK, heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 4 deaths. Cardiovascular illness is the number one cause of death in the United States, claiming an average of 900,000 American lives each year. According to Dr. Robert Califf, vice chancellor for clinical research at Duke University Medical Center, there’s just no doubt about it. “It’s far and away the most likely reason that you or I will die,” says Califf. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your risk of developing a potentially fatal cardiovascular illness. Although some people are genetically pre-disposed to heart disease, most of us can control our cardiovascular health with a healthy diet and regular exercise. So what is the best diet for optimal heart health? A vegan diet, of course!
Don’t become a statistic! Go vegan and exercise regularly to keep your heart healthy.
A vegan diet is ideal for preventing cardiovascular disease. Neal Barnard, M.D., who is President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and author of Turn off the Fat Genes, says “If you change to a vegan diet, and do it very vigorously, you have enormous power. You can reverse heart disease. You can prevent it.” The reason a plant based diet is so effective at preventing heart disease is because it is devoid of cholesterol and low in saturated fat. Whereas the average cholesterol level of omnivores in the United States is 210, American vegans have an average cholesterol level of 133. Most doctors consider having a cholesterol level of less than 150 to be the key to avoiding a heart attack. Therefore, even if you have already been diagnosed with atherosclerosis and are at high risk for a heart attack or other serious cardiovascular episode, you can drastically decrease the likelihood of becoming a heart disease fatality statistic by adopting a vegan diet immediately. In 1995, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reported that “Patients fed a vegan diet during an intensive 12-day live-in program experienced an average reduction of 11% in total cholesterol levels. Most patients also lost weight and had improved blood pressure levels.” This study proves that a vegan diet makes an enormous difference for heart health. If just twelve days of vegan eating can reduce a person’s cholesterol level by 11%, imagine what a lifetime commitment to a plant-based diet will do for your cardiovascular health and overall wellness.