Prevent and reverse heart disease with plant-based nutrition

Background and Evidence

Life Impact: 7/7
Confidence in Recommendation: 6/7

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and other developed countries around the world. It is widely accepted that dietary and lifestyle factors are responsible for the process of atherosclerosis, which is the gradual clogging of arteries that is responsible for the vast majority of deaths from heart disease.

Most people are not aware that there is significant evidence that heart disease is a preventable and reversible condition. Typical treatment for heart disease involves drugs and surgeries that attempt to compensate for clogged arteries. However, these interventions fail to reliably prevent future cardiac events.

To our knowledge, the only intervention that has been shown to effectively prevent and reverse heart disease is the adoption of a whole-foods plant-based diet, which can be augmented with lifestyle changes like increased physical activity. This scientific paper goes into evidence that supports a theory for reversal. For instance, a 2014 study of 198 patients with significant coronary artery disease found that "99.4% of the participants [that switched to a whole-foods plant-based diet] avoided any major cardiac event including heart attack, stroke, and death," whereas among patients that failed to adhere to the diet, "13 (62%) experienced an adverse event."

In addition to experimental studies that involve dietary changes, observational studies also indicate significant benefits of maximizing plant intake. Norway experienced a dramatic drop in heart disease during World War 2 when animal foods became scarce, and Finland's push to reduce smoking and saturated fat consumption reduced heart disease by 80%. The associated 45% drop in all-cause mortality had the effect of increasing male lifespan by 7 years and female lifespan by 6 years.

Reputable individuals and organizations, including faculty at Harvard Medical School, support the use of a plant-based diet to treat heart disease along with traditional interventions.