Cavities and Coronaries: Our Choice

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

Many of today’s lifestyle medicine doctors, myself included, were greatly influenced by Nathan Pritikin, the nutrition pioneer who started reversing heart disease with a plant-based diet and exercise, opening up arteries without drugs and without surgery, effectively curing our #1 killer disease. But where did he come up with the idea? We tend to think of rural China as a place with a fraction of our disease rates, forgetting about Africa.

Pritikin was 43 when he was told by a cardiologist that he was “at great risk of death” from a heart attack, so he “began to live on a diet patterned after the black population [of] Uganda.” This was a population living off plants that was essentially free from death from heart attacks. After curing his own heart disease with a plant-based diet, he went on to save the lives of thousands of others. What was the data that so convinced him?

Last year, the International Journal of Epidemiology reprinted this landmark article from the 50s that started out with a shocking statement: “In the African population of Uganda coronary heart disease is almost non-existent.” Our #1 cause of death, almost nonexistent? What were they eating? Plantains and sweet potatoes, other vegetables, corn, millet, pumpkins, tomatoes, and “green leafy vegetables are taken by all.” And, their protein, almost exclusively from plant sources—and, they had the cholesterol levels to prove it, similar to modern-day plant-eaters. “Apart from the effects of diet and of the [blood] cholesterol levels,” the researchers couldn’t figure out any other reasons for their freedom from heart disease.

“50-year-old findings” just as relevant today. They showed that “dietary intake” to be “a key, modifiable, established and well-recognized risk factor” for heart attacks…”without needing to invoke novel, as yet undiscovered risk factors. This contrasts with the rather desperate search [in recent decades for ever] newer cardiovascular risk factors…” We have all the risk factor we need— cholesterol—we’ve had it for 50 years, and we can do something about it.

According to the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Cardiology this year, the only risk factor required for these atherosclerotic plaques, our #1 killer, is cholesterol. Elevated LDL, or so-called “bad” cholesterol in our blood. To drop our LDL cholesterol, we need to drop our intake of three things: trans fat, found in junk food and animal foods; saturated fat, found mostly in animal foods; and dietary cholesterol, found exclusively in animal foods.

The journal actually went back and located Dr. Shaper, now 97 years old, and asked him to personally reflect on this groundbreaking study he performed more than a half-century ago. “It would be cheering to think” that his article actually helped. And, attitudes to diet have been changing in recent years. “However, to [his] personal surprise and disappointment, we still lack a deep commitment to the diet-heart hypothesis, and it is likely that atherosclerosis and its complications will follow us throughout the next half century.”

What he discovered is that heart disease may be a choice; like cavities. If you look at the teeth of people who lived over ten thousand years before the invention of the toothbrush, they pretty much had no cavities. Didn’t brush a day in their lives; never flossed; no Listerine, no WaterPik. Yet, no cavities. That’s because candy bars hadn’t been invented yet. Why do people continue to get cavities when we know they’re preventable though diet? Simple. Because the pleasure people derive from dessert may outweigh the cost and discomfort of the dentist. And, that’s fine!

Look, as long as people understand the consequences of their actions, as a physician, what more can I do? If you’re an adult, and decide the benefits outweigh the risks for you and your family, then go for it. I certainly enjoy the occasional indulgence. I’ve got a good dental plan.

But what if instead of the plaque on your teeth, we’re talking about the plaque building up in your arteries? Another disease that can be prevented by changing our diet.

Then, what are the consequences for you and your family? Now, we’re not just talking about scraping tartar. We’re talking life and death. The most likely reason most of our loved ones will die is heart disease. It’s still up to each of us to make our own decisions as to what to eat, and how to live. But, we should make our choices consciously, educating ourselves about the predictable consequences of our actions.

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Images thanks to Sappymoosetree via flickr

• Africa
• animal fat
• animal products
• candy
• cardiovascular disease
• cavities
• cholesterol
• corn
• dental health
• exercise
• fat
• fruit
• greens
• heart disease
• junk food
• LDL cholesterol
• lifestyle medicine
• medical profession
• medications
• millet
• mortality
• mouthwash
• plant protein
• Plant-Based Diets
• Pritikin
• protein
• pumpkin
• saturated fat
• surgery
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes
• trans fats
• vegans
• vegetable protein
• vegetables
• vegetarians