Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease

September 9, 2008

I am new to , raw vegan since 8-30-08, and I attended my

first raw vegan potluck last weekend. The people were very nice, and

the food was great, but after the potluck I realized that I now have a

problem within the raw vegan community, which is the same as the

discussions of " obsession and 20/20 " recently posted on this site.

At age 64, I discovered a book by Dr. Carroll Esselstein, titled

" Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease, " in which he makes the

statement that any male, age 65+ who has eaten the standard American

diet for any appreciable period of time, should be treated as if he

had cardiovascular disease(s); that such a male could be a walking

heart attack waiting to happen!

So I decided to begin The Reversing Diet, prescribed by Dr.s Dean

Ornish and Carroll Esselstein, M.D.'s. Then when I went to my first

raw food potluck, I thought the people were very supportive of raw

foods, and the food was great--but consisted of lots of seeds and

nuts, avocados, olives, whole food sweeteners, and oil. There was

even raw chocolate candy, made with ground cashew nuts, agave nectar

and chocolate.

NONE OF THESE THINGS are on The Reversing Diet! So now I have the

same problem--within the raw foods community--as a raw foodist has in

the general population; i.e., I can't eat most of the things that they

eat at raw vegan potlucks! Apparently, a diet of 30% fats is not good

for heart health, whether it comes from cheese or from nuts!

So I now feel like an outcast among outcasts. While you people are

concerned about what normal eaters may say of you when you eat in

public, I am concerned about what you may say of me at the next raw

vegan potluck! I am new to this lifestyle, and new to the Esselstein

diet, so I don't know what I can eat at a raw vegan potluck, but I

think I will just bring a backpack full of mangos, oranges, bananas,

carrots, cucumbers, pickles, etc., and eat with my head down while

everyone else is eating raw vegan pizza, raw vegan chocolate candy, etc.

Any advice or feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Ron McClure

September 10, 2008

Ron,

While I know of Dr. Esselstyn, I have not read his books.

I understand your dilemma. Common heart disease prevention focusses on

low-fat foods. Common at raw potlucks are high-fat foods. There are

often, however, low-fat foods too. At this past weekend's potluck, the

dessert fruit was low fat, though it had a lot of natural sugar. The

high-fat toppings were optional. The salad greens are low-fat. Simply

avoid the dressings. When the salads have the dressings already mixed

in, then they are best to avoid.

There have been times that I have been eating only mono foods or low-

fat or no cacao and my choices have reduced my food options. When I

was eating mono and attending a potluck, I would just bring a supply

of food for myself and not participate in the potluck food, and

perhaps offer some of what I was eating. At larger potlucks and more

options, a plate of a variety of low-fat salads may be plentiful. At

smaller potlucks, the choices are less. If you wish to be at the

potlucks for the community, etc., yet honor your food choices, then

the safest bet would be to bring your food of choice for yourself and

not choose the " potluck food " .

Jeff

September 10, 2008

Ron,

I do enjoy the potlucks. I choose for myself not to eat some things, I have

my own personal limitations on what is good for me and what is not. . Potlucks

I feel in general are about aboundance, enjoying , experiencing, sharing,

company, comrodery (spell check cant help me here:) and yes some indugence etc.

you choose to participate or not. Dont hold it against others to eat what they

wish and they wont hold it against you. I like low glycemic but can rarely get

by a potluck without it. I do not eat like that on an every day basis by any

means, I eat much more simple.

Just as there is a standard american junk food there is the raw version of junk

food, although healthier in general terms is by no means an answer to someone

who needs to heal from disease/illness. Like Jeff says , bring your own food to

meet your needs, some to share if you like and eat the things you can.

Mostly Ron, stay possitive, stay strong to your conviction on the road to

wellness and dont worry about what " we/others " are eating and we will do the

same for you !

Catherine

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rawvegron

Tuesday, September 09, 2008 1:16 PM