How to Reverse Heart Failure with Diet

Can you reverse heart disease with food? An entire issue of a cardiology journal dedicated to plant-based nutrition explores the role an evidence-based diet can play in the reversal of congestive heart failure.

Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

[joycehandersonfriends]

I think you just saved my life. I'm 81, obese, have congestive heart failure, and I stay physically weak and tired all the time except when I'm sitting or lying down. Thank you for posting all these stories about folks who have reversed their heart disease with a plant based diet. I seem addicted to all the wrong foods, but but but if this is poisoning me and killing me, well then there now, that's the best reason to start eating only healthy foods, that I've found. I don't expect to live much longer unless I drastically change to the diet you've described. Your video is the best incentive I've ever seen to get me on your recommended diet. Thanks a million! I think you just saved my life! I'll check back here in a few months and let you know what happens.
joyce

[robertkribs]

Thank you for everything you do Dr. Greger.

[freddieivory]

Thank you for this inspirational information and reminders. I started a plant base diet once I was told by the doctor that my heart was not pumping enough blood into my body. I started to feeling much better implementing plant base diet and some additional natural supplements. In time my rate improved greatly, no more shortness of breath and sweats on my nose and forehead. I had more energy and motivation to do things, live life. But sadly due to the almost impossible opportunities to get good organic fruits and veggies I started again eating some foods that were not good. I still do fruits and veggies but not like before. Soon I started to revert to some of my old habits, with sad consequences. But I’m determined to improve and I was searching the web and YouTube for inspiration. Found it again!! Love your enthusiasm!! It’s sad that unhealthy food is all around us but I’ll have to travel an hour and a half away to shop for decent food. But it is what it is. I’m praying that there will be some serious changes, the food that is suppose to nourish our bodies are now killing us because of commerce. Thank you again, I will make immediate changes. Hope this is found by others and they are motivated, educated and inspired.

[motivationalframes]

I have congestive heart failure, and I feel it progressing. This vid has motivated me to start looking into the whole food plant based diet starting right now. Thx

[rezlogan]

Heart failure is what brought me to the WFPB lifestyle initially. I was strictly adherent for 2 years, all symptoms resolved. Now I eat meat just one weekend a month or less. The rest of the time, I eat WFPB on days I work and only add cheese and occasional egg on weekends. I actually enjoy this way of life MORE than when I ate the western diet exclusively. I still get to enjoy bad foods rarely (hot dogs on July 4, turkey on Thanksgiving, ham/cookies at Christmas), but I’ve learned to select my foods based on how I feel and substitute meat with beans, mushrooms, and/or tofu 90% of the time. I’ve also enjoyed the whole world of food, from Chinese to Ethiopian to Indian to Japanese plant based cuisine. My insistence on plant based foods much of the time has encouraged more plant based eating by my family, saved us money, and supported our health. Dr. Gregor was an indispensable resource for me for the past 5 years.

[robertkribs]

Just a succinct reminder of how to avoid heart disease a day before Thanksgiving with a zinger message for health practitioners.

[jamesallrightsreserved]

Brilliant Dr Gregor - yes get the data out and overcome the inertia, culture, habit and widespread marketing of unhealthy foods! Well done as always :)

[edrabogucki]

There was a story on NPR awhile back about a doctor writing prescriptions for vegetables. I don’t remember the details on how they were filled except that it was made easy for them. I like the pad you show in the video. My doctor pointed out where I’d find protein in the Daily Dozen list and when I saw 3 servings of beans a day, she had me. I rarely eat meat now, losing weight & have more energy.

[Artysmarty]

Thank you for this. I never heard anything from my doctor about a plant-based diet after my diagnosis. She just said “we’ll watch it.” I’m like what, watch it get worse? I love veggies and avoid meat anyway so this is totally doable.

[paradise]

I'm here!! I tapped as fast as I could!!! Thank you Dr Gregor!!

[ByDesign]

After 3 bypasses, I'm bad again 8 years later, and wow, going mostly vegetarian helped me in just 2 days...SHOCKER!!!! Thanks, Michael.

[acooper-rye]

Case reports are glorified anecdotes that’s one for my inspiration book that’s so beautiful

[tolrem]

You don't have to go completely vegan.I'm 65 and had chest pain when exercising [working] two years ago.I didn't want to get involved in the medical system so I gave up all animal meat, all dairy eggs and sugar.I still eat a small amount of chicken as I find 100% vegan diet too demanding.Two years on and I have no chest pain whatsoever and my cholesterol has halved, much to my doctor's amazement.I swapped dairy milk for [calcium fortified] soya milk and use margarine.I now eat fresh fruit and vegetables, rice nuts and cereals and no processed food.My weight has dropped to nearer that when I was younger.I eat broccolli almost every day and a glass of red wine at dinner.I will never go back to my old diet because I know that will only be a shortcut to the graveyard for certain.

[johnrichards]

One of your BEST videos yet. Love that prescription pad.

This video should be prescribed for every person in USA.

GREAT WORK !! Thank you Ambassador Greger

[GregMeadMaker]

Thank you Dr Greger! Your life mission to get the research data out to the general public and to the medical community will save lives!

[paulmr]

I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis 5 years ago. That is classified as severe heart disease. My doc said it is non reversible and that there is nothing i can do to reverse it (besides valve replacement surgery). I looked it up and its not non reversible, it only has not been proven to be reversible yet. Well I am on a mission to be the first one to reverse this. What am I doing? Low fat whole food plant based diet. Lots of intermittent fasting: eating in a 6 hour window daily, making sure I dont eat anything for 8 hours before going to sleep every night. I dont eat at all one day a week (just water). 20 min light cardio workout every morning in a fasted state, then a 30 min full spectrum infrared sauna after that with a drink of 2 TBS of apple cider vinegar during it. Thats a powerful combo. How do you "soften metals"? Heat. How do you chelate metals (calcium deposits). Vinegar. How do you get your body to remove unwanted stuff in the body? Fasting. Combine the 3 together (heat, vinegar & fasting) and you have a powerful synergistic effect of decalcification. On top of that, inside my sauna I have a near infrared lamp only a foot away from my heart so it gets heated up nicely during this process. I also do a steam room session an hour before bed for the best sleep possible. Lets hope for the best. I already feel like I am getting better! Also this is not medical info and I am not a doctor. Also the heat, vinegar & fasting combo is only a theory of mine that I hope will work.

[pamm]

I'm so grateful for all you're work and time you dedicate 🤗✨🌈

[masher]

Had my heart attack more than a decade ago. My ejection fraction remain roughly unchanged after 2 years on WFPB (from 45 to 44%). But I am grateful to discover WFPB as it allow me to exercise at high intensity with no issue.

[notthere]

Didn't expect to have my favorite philosopher mentioned here. 😄

[cumbi-mongo]

I would love to watch Dr. Greger on Joe Rogan's show!!