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"So in the course of that newly-found alone time after the divorce, I joined the gym, took up yoga and went full vegan. (OK — I needed a hard shove from my doct

"So in the course of that newly-found alone time after the divorce, I joined the gym, took up yoga and went full vegan. (OK — I needed a hard shove from my doctor to go vegan, but I did it.)" I have a hard time believing his doctor "shoved" him to be vegan.

mgamache 10y ago
This guy doesn't sound 'old' to me and has already had a heart attack? He might have some really bad cholesterol profile that makes any type of animal fat dangerous. Just saying, the doctor could have been dramatic like, 'if you want to live another 10 years give up animal fats...' IANAD
tunesmith 10y ago
The Portfolio Diet [1] is vegan, doctors know about that, and it's reputed to do really well at lowering LDL. Although I think it's more common to recommend the Mediterranean Diet. http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/portfolio-diet-lower-cholesterol http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/portfol...
- justin66 10y ago
  The Cleveland Clinic is large enough that they've got at least two different groups that manage this. One group (Caldwell Esselstyn's group) relies on a low-oil vegan diet, then there's another one that relies on the Mediterranean Diet. I don't think either approach is particularly unusual in the "you need to change your diet right now" realm.
erickhill 10y ago
I have a close friend who had the same recommendation from his doctor, i.e. to go vegan. His genetics were predisposed for food-driven health issues related to cholesterol as he aged, and his blood test continued to come back with bafflingly concerning results. Since going vegan, his blood work has been stellar. It drives his family nuts sometimes, but the results are hard to argue and they've learned to "deal". Everyone is different, but in his anecdotal case his doctor's recommendation to go this route seems to have helped him quite a bit. It's worth noting that he's in his mid-forties, very fit looking and quite active, and was prior to his doctor's advice about permanently changing his diet, too.

mgamache 10y ago

This guy doesn't sound 'old' to me and has already had a heart attack? He might have some really bad cholesterol profile that makes any type of animal fat dangerous. Just saying, the doctor could have been dramatic like, 'if you want to live another 10 years give up animal fats...' IANAD

tunesmith 10y ago

The Portfolio Diet [1] is vegan, doctors know about that, and it's reputed to do really well at lowering LDL. Although I think it's more common to recommend the Mediterranean Diet. http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/portfolio-diet-lower-cholesterol http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/portfol...

justin66 10y ago
The Cleveland Clinic is large enough that they've got at least two different groups that manage this. One group (Caldwell Esselstyn's group) relies on a low-oil vegan diet, then there's another one that relies on the Mediterranean Diet. I don't think either approach is particularly unusual in the "you need to change your diet right now" realm.

erickhill 10y ago

I have a close friend who had the same recommendation from his doctor, i.e. to go vegan. His genetics were predisposed for food-driven health issues related to cholesterol as he aged, and his blood test continued to come back with bafflingly concerning results. Since going vegan, his blood work has been stellar. It drives his family nuts sometimes, but the results are hard to argue and they've learned to "deal". Everyone is different, but in his anecdotal case his doctor's recommendation to go this route seems to have helped him quite a bit. It's worth noting that he's in his mid-forties, very fit looking and quite active, and was prior to his doctor's advice about permanently changing his diet, too.