Dr. Kim A. Williams, the next president of the American College of Cardiology, is getting some much-deserved attention for a recent essay he published on MedPage Today about his experience reversing his high cholesterol by switching to a plant-based diet.He followed some of Dean Ornish, MD's principles (based on scientific evidence), which he had seen one of his patients do and successfully resolve some of her health issues. And - it worked for him too.Why is this important? There are many reasons, but here are two:
- It's a huge stride to see a credible physician - particularly someone in such a position of influence - speak to the importance of nutrition as it relates to health, particularly plant-based eating.
- It's a reminder that our overall food intake can truly make or break our health.
Food for thought: If you were diagnosed with something that could either be treated with ongoing pills/medication or by altering your diet (also reducing your healthcare expenses) - what would you choose?While there is no absolutely exact "one size fits all" approach to eating, it is nearly impossible to deny that eating more plant foods, minimizing or omitting animal products, and reducing most processed foods from one's diet are pretty much universally applicable as GOOD things for your body, inside and out!I see Dr. Williams and his willingness to speak up about this to be incredibly encouraging and inspirational. For more on Dr. Williams and his thoughts on nutrition, check out this piece from The New York Times - Well - Health blog.
