Dr. Dwight Lundell, is able to admit he was wrong about an earlier stance on what causes heart disease, and I think that not only takes a lot of guts, but that it's resolving and liberating not only for him but for thousands, if not millions of others to hear. Of course, this message has been out there for sometime, particularly by people like Dean Ornish, and Caldwell Esselstyn M.D and Joel Fuhrman MD who are among our Lifestyle Health and Science Advisory team here at nutrientrich.com. Caldwell Esselstyn, calls heart disease a "toothless paper tiger"!

FYI: Heart disease is a lifestyle-induced disease, not a natural consequence of aging, and you don't have to suffer from it, especially since it's caused by nutrient poor diets.

Here's what Dr. Lundell has to say:

We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.

I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labelled "opinion makers." Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol.

The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake. The latter of course we insisted would lower cholesterol and heart disease. Deviations from these recommendations were considered heresy and could quite possibly result in malpractice.

This is a strong admission on his own volition and I really applaud it. Don't you? But what he says next is why I say "almost"!

These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.

The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences. Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year.

The information in this article is right on the money until you get to point highlighted in red above, and it reveals what this truth telling article is still covering up, which is at the root of some of the biggest nutritional debates of all time such as basing your diet on animal products or plant foods, the disease-causing effects of saturated fat and cholesterol and what are the causes of inflammation and advanced chronic diseases?

Dr Lundell goes on to say that the causes of inflammation are due to our increased consumption of processed foods and that the intake of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are basically "absurd". I am not going to take up that debate in this blog post with a comprehensive review of the scientific literature, but when someone says...

"Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labelled polyunsaturated. Forget the "science" that has been drummed into your head for decades.That saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak. Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today.

Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped.

....It's time to get concerned. 

The leading books on the subject of reversing heart disease, such as Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselstyn MD, Cholesterol Protection for Life by Joel Fuhrman MD, The Lifestyle Heart Trial by Dean Ornish tell a very different story. You may know these books as the ones that provided the guidance that reversed President Clinton's heart disease after recurring blockages, even after bypass surgery, and prompted him to become a near vegan. They are the first books that pop up when you search on "reversing heart disease" and all say different. Not entirely different to what Dr. Lundell is saying, but they don't conveniently leave one of the biggest causes of inflammation and heart disease overlooked-- and that is substantial amounts of animal foods, fat, cholesterol AND protein.

Not to mention, countless studies say that increased consumption of dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and really significant amounts of animal foods in general that also provide dietary arachidonic acid (which we don't need from dietary sources) are at least in part causes of heart disease. What do you think is getting pulled out of the arteries during bypass surgery? It's saturated fat and cholesterol among other plaque forming substances.

Here's a nutrition facts video from Nutrient Rich.com adviser Michael Gregor M.D.

Here is why this valuable article is itself somewhat "Inflammatory"; this articles is not complete and is not really accurate. It's an article that is about the cholesterol theory and how it led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine did make a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats, meaning polyunsaturated oils, neither of which are nutrient rich foods. We do now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.

But low fat diets do not define nutrient rich healthy foods! He also leaves us with the message that we need to eat the foods our grandmothers fed us, which is "more protein (animal protein) loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol and other inflammatory substances, and colorful fruits and vegetables which of course contain none.

This articles makes some great points, but it will leave you just as misled as you may have been when you started reading it, with a diet style that will likely land you in the hospital needing open heart surgery.

Some salient points.

1. We have no dietary need for dietary saturated fat and cholesterol to begin with. If you never ate any more saturated fat or cholesterol ever again from animal products, you would never be diagnosed with a saturated fat or cholesterol deficiency. You produce your own. If we have no need for those substances, then what are they doing in our bodies once they get there?These substances are doing what thousands of nutritional researchers around the world are saying they do which is clog our arteries and promote inflammation.
2. Inflammation is NOT the cause of heart disease. It's by definition an "effect" not a primary cause. What's causing the inflammation?
3. I agree, it's not just saturated fat and cholesterol, it's those substances, plus animal protein itself which raises IGF-1 among other inflammatory markers that many of the top nutritional doctors in the worldare talking about, plus ingested toxins (such as hormones, and dioxin...) and toxic metabolites from the breakdown of animal protein... and all the refined foods and synthetic chemicals that people eat.
4. It's not enough to say "stop eating processed" foods, when many nutrient-rich healthy foods are processed each day when we make a simple smoothie! We have to minimize or eliminate "nutrient poor foods" such as animal products and refinedfoods. Animal products are nutrient poor by definition, not only because they are low in a variety of vitamins and minerals and essential fats, but they have no carbohydrate, water, fiber, or phytochemicals and are extremely addicting foods that gives rise to consumption of all kinds of refined foods, from the hamburger bun on down.
5. Animal products are not whole foods. They are if you define them as being "natural", but they are not the original natural source of nutrients that humans, including all animal life-- cows, chickens and turkey's alike depend on. A whole food is plant-based and nutrient rich. And "nutrient rich" is defined not only by what a food has in it that we need, but also what it doesn't have that we don't need from dietary sources. In other words, it's defined as much by what it has in it, as it is by what it does not have in it. You'll learn more about this in Switch to Rich The Nutrient Rich Way to Eat and The Nutrient Rich Healthy Eating System that will explain in detail what makes a food nutrient rich.

This article is a good step in the right direction, but for perspective, it's promoting one of the biggest cover ups in nutritional history. It's the same coverup that Dr. Atkins promoted, that the Paleo Diet people promote, the Weston Price people promote, the Nourishing Traditions promote, and the typical fitness-diet promotes and that is that saturated fat, and cholesterol and animal protein itself do not promote disease, when they do.

Also, healthy eating is not simply about whether or not you are eating saturated fat and cholesterol, it's about whether or not you are getting the nutrients needed by the body to thrive. And if you are eating more animal protein, you don't be getting the nutrients I'm talking about. The ones that make your immune system work!

If you want to detoxify your body, lose weight naturally without dieting with these lower carb, high animal protein weight loss-only diets; optimize your health and reverse lifestyle induced diseases caused by nutritional ignorance, age slower, look younger and maximize your longevity... eating a diet based on nutrient poor animal foods is not your answer. You've got to make the Switch to Rich!

You want to eat up to 90% or More Plant Based Nutrient Rich® and optimize the way you eat for nutrient density as part of a successful lifestyle. Do that and you won't suffer from inflammation, and heart disease because your body will be so flooded with immune system enabling, body cleansing, cause removing nutrient's that your body that your exposure to inflammation will be limited to when you get splinters and the like.

Read the whole article here.

The post Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease - Almost... appeared first on Nutrient Rich.

You may know that at nutrientrich.com, we exclusively deliver The Top 12 Findings of The China Study,  as written with the authors of this, the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted.

Findings such as:

• Don’t worry too much about single nutrients, single foods, or single supplements.

• 2.Breast cancer is not just a function of fat intake.
• 3.Blood cholesterol is a predictor not only of heart disease risk, but also
  of cancer.
• 4.By adopting a nutrient rich diet and an active lifestyle, the risks for
  several diseases are reduced at the same time, without even thinking
  about it.
• 5.When a virus strikes, what you eat plays a vital role in your overall
  health.
• 6.It’s not just about how much you eat, it’s what you eat.
• 7. You can virtually eliminate your risk of heart disease,
• ...
• 13. Even though many of us worry about getting enough protein, evidence
  suggests that the real danger is consuming too much protein,
  especially if it is protein from the wrong foods.

This document reveals the relationship between diet and disease and is a precursor to the book The China Study.

Since it's publication, in 2004, T Colin Campbell has started the T. Colin Campbell Foundation and has made major strides in promoting a plant based diet all over the world.

Recently, he was on Larry King Live and that's where this post really starts.

Note: At about min: 10:38 you'll see Dr Campbell.

This media clip starts off talking about the e coli contamination of our meats, which were unfortunately causes of death for a number children in this case, and their parents and associates who have taken up activism as a result.

What's so transparent about the 4-5 people on this CNN panel is the predictable perspectives of each person - that of a practical scientist who is  clearly the most properly educated person on the subject of nutrition among the panelists (T. Colin Campbell), a traditional 4-food groups nutritionist, a "chef" and a newbie vegetarian who is on and off. As well, a meat industry representative.

Each is uniquely motivated by their work and industry and the story that's consistent with it. Each is tuned into the story reinforced by their interests. Not to imply that anyone had bad interests, but when it comes to the nutrition game, many interests may be no good for you.

Now each professional made sense, and all make interesting points at one point of another, but clearly each is not working from the same body of knowledge and experience. Here's where you as a consumer have to do your own research, get educated and make wise decisions.

Whatever you do, do not" follow Larry Kings method for coming to conclusions about meat.

From statements about "bacon", to outdated nutritional arguments, to industry interests, to justifying the consumption of meat based on taste, this interview is a great example why people get so confused.

I don't think this video came even close to the real argument, which is not about complete protein, it's not about calories, or taste, or how much money has been spent on food safety... significant amounts of animal protein promote cancer!

Significant consumption of meat (animal protein and products) also causes heart disease!... I could go on.

Have a watch of this clip - Is Meat Safe?

Let me know what you think.

And read The China Study.

Before you respond conclusively about whether meat is safe, from any perspective beyond first hand research that's at least 20-40 years old on the subject, just share your observations like I am and let's have a discussion.

John Allen Mollenhauer

PS: The Chef's observation that because "we have eyes in the front of our head, long legs 'sharp teeth' (see the tiger above and then tell me how sharp our teeth are) and can track down stupider animals to eat..." is not a very conclusive argument for whether we should be be eating a meat-based diet.

In my next post I'm going to share what I think the argument should have been and what I think Dr Campbell needs to delve into next time he gets this opportunity.

Of course, I know it's Larry King, not the Healthy Lifestyle Expo.

Nice Job Dr Campbell!

The post Is Meat Safe? T. Colin Campbell on Larry King Live. appeared first on Nutrient Rich.

Published medical research already documents this as the most effective weight loss method ever recorded in medical history. There was an average two year weight loss of 53 pounds. Most importantly they kept the weight off.

DrFuhrman's complete two–book set actually teaches you how to prefer a NutrientRich diet–style over a disease–promoting diet. The hallmark of healthy eating is to consume more foods that contain a high nutrient density and less food with a low nutrient density.

To make it easy, Dr. Fuhrman has scored thousands of foods so that in each of the 4 phases, the nutrient density of the suggested menus increases. The outcome is that when you eat enough NutrientRich foods you can reverse most medical problems without drugs. If diets never worked for you in the past you will now understand why and you will be motivated to lose your excess weight and get well again. Eat For Health can save your life.

Dr. Fuhrman‘s MANDI food and meal scoring system (patent pending) lets you know exactly how healthy your diet is. You can see this as well using the Food Class System at nutrientrich.com. You can choose your own level of nutritional excellence and you can move forward to a higher level at your own pace when you are ready or you can pump it up to phase four to get maximal weight loss and therapeutic effect to reverse disease. Nutrient Rich Food, Not Drugs, Is The Prescription

Book two contains the menus and recipes. It teaches you how to make this diet work easily for you and your family. With over 150 delicious and easy recipes, it makes Nutrient Rich eating truly gourmet. From strengthening your taste buds to dealing with temptation, restaurant eating, to eating on the road, this program will make sure you can do it, enjoy it, and even fit it into your busy schedule. It is guaranteed to change your life forever.

• A scientifically proven system to have you lose your food addictions and actually prefer NutrientRich foods over nutrient poor foods.
• A gradual, 4 – phase program with custom menus so you can adjust the program to your individual needs and preferences
• Everyday recipes that taste phenomenal and are easy to make
• A nutrient scoring system to measure the nutritional quality of your diet
• Remove toxic hunger and you will succeed at losing weight and keeping it off forever
• Use Nutrient Rich foods to beat disease, get rid of diabetes, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol without drugs and protect yourself against cancer and get more pleasure out of eating.

There isn't a more successful approach to eating anywhere, because unlike diets where weight loss is the primary driving factor with health second, when you Eat for Health, the nutrient value is considered first. You eat Better Not Less, and naturally eat less making weight loss .

The post Eat for Health appeared first on Nutrient Rich.

More and more people are starting to eat a Nutrient Rich diet; nutrient rich foods for better health, peak performance and natural weight loss that are now more accessible.

Even the government has gotten on board with the new healthy trend in eating. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which puts out a new report roughly every 5 years, put out their last report in 2005, which indicated that most Americans consume too many foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients. To address this concern, the new Guidelines reinforced a long-standing and widely accepted cornerstone of nutrition - nutrient density, or enjoying more foods that are naturally rich in nutrients first.

What’s not understood, are the influences underlying these albeit new, dramatically improved and refreshing nutritional guidelines.

Nearly 4 years after the Jan 2005 release of the Dietary Guidelines, and in the early stages of this revolutionary consumer shift from nutrient poor to Nutrient Rich foods, companies are clamoring to label their diets and foods “Nutrient Rich.” Yet, without established standards around nutrient density or what is actually defined a “nutrient rich food”, it is difficult for the average consumer to determine if foods sold and marketed are really Nutrient Rich, let alone healthy. Meats, dairy and animal products are the foods in question.

The Naturally Nutrient Rich Food Coalition funded in large part by the beef board and dairy council, with University of Washington researcher Adam Drewnowski are working to establish a NNR (Naturally Nutrient Rich) score to label their foods as “Nutrient Rich”. nutrientrich.com applauds this effort.

It just so happens though, that meats, dairy and other animal products are the categories of foods that nutrientrich.com has declared nutrient poor – “rich in some nutrients but as whole food, “nutrient poor”.

According to the Food Class System™, animal products are second class foods that are in many ways disease-promoting when eaten in significant quantities, according to widely accepted nutritional research.

In Nutrient Rich Coalition studies, only a limited number of “nutrients” Fiber, vitamins, A, C, E Ca, K, Zn Folate, vitamin D, B 12 are referred to in determining if you are eating “nutrient rich”, even though up to 23 – 26 nutrient were used in their initial studies. John Allen Mollenhauer, founder of nutrientrich.com speculates that this is due to the nutrient limitations of dairy and animal products.

No doubt animal products are rich in some nutrients but as a whole food they are missing whole categories or nutrients and are very low in others, plus they include substances which the body does not need.

Two questions on consumers’ minds are:

1.    How do you determine if a food is Nutrient Rich?
2.    How do you lose weight and stay healthy eating Nutrient Rich foods?

One company committed to establishing a sound definition for a Nutrient Rich Food is nutrientrich.com, which established its Food Class System™ influenced greatly by Joel Fuhrman MD who eventually created the ANDI (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index).

Backed also by the findings of the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted (The China Study, BenBella Books, 2005) and a world class lifestyle health and science advisory team; nutrientrich.com was the first to establish the 3 Classes of Foods with a basic Nutrient Density Chart and Nutrient Profile Scores representing 24 vitamins and minerals, plus Flavanoids (where there is substantial research) and subtracting those nutrients known outright to promote disease from an overall ranking.

nutrientrich.com, now a leading promoter of the research, findings and products created by Dr Fuhrman, asserts that you can still eat small amounts of nutrient poor foods and still be eating a Nutrient Rich diet, on a total dietary intake basis, but that the basis of any diet should be predominantly (90% or more) Nutrient Rich foods to eat for health, first and foremost.

To learn more about the Nutrient Rich Diet, Eat for Health training, coaching and other Dr Fuhrman products, sign up for the Nutrient Rich food revolution newsletter, the new trend in eating for health, peak performance and natural weight loss at nutrientrich.com

Founded by wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle trainer and coach, John Allen Mollenhauer, nutrientrich.com was developed to help free millions of people stuck in dead-end diet traps; all of which prevent otherwise motivated people from living normally and naturally, at or near their ideal weight, and free of lifestyle diseases, like diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Nutrient Rich is the most successful way to eat for health, peak performance and natural weight loss.
John Allen is also the founder of the Lifestyle Coaching Center, in Livingston NJ and the creator of the Performance Lifestyle Training and Support System where clients learn the healthiest way to achieve their goals.

The post The Nutrient Rich Food Revolution appeared first on Nutrient Rich.