In a press release issued Saturday, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has confirmed a case of gastrointestinal anthrax in an adult female from Strafford County.

The woman is currently in critical condition. Health officials are investigating the source of the anthrax and believe it is naturally occurring from the environment.

Foster’s Daily Democrat reports that the woman owns an African drum and reportedly participated in a community drum circle at Waysmeet Center in Durham, the ecumenical United Campus Ministry for the University of New Hampshire community, between October and early December 2009.

Citizens however should not be concerned because there are no reports of person to person transmission of anthrax.

People get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals and more recently, intentional release of spores.

There are 3 types of anthrax with differing degrees of seriousness:

• Cutaneous anthrax

This occurs when the spore (or possibly the bacterium) enters a cut or abrasion on the skin. It starts out as a raised bump that looks like an insect bite. It then develops into a blackened lesion called an eschar (see below) that may form a scab. Lymph glands in the area may swell plus edema may be present. This form of anthrax responds well to antibiotics. If untreated, deaths can occur if the infection goes systemic. 95% of cases of anthrax are cutaneous. The CDC states there are 1-2 cases annually in the US.

• Gastrointestinal anthrax

This typically follows the ingestion of contaminated meats. It is characterized by stomach pain, severe bloody diarrhea, bloody vomit and an inflammation of the intestinal tract. Up to half of those infected will perish from this form of disease. This is a very rare type of anthrax.

• Inhalation anthrax

Also known as “woolsorter’s disease”, happens due to inhaling the spores. After incubating for less than a week; fever, aches, vomiting are early symptoms. After the initial symptoms, a short period of improvement (less than a day) may occur. It then progresses to severe respiratory distress. Shock and death soon follow. Later stages of this infection have nearly a 100% chance of death even with antibiotics. In the US this form is also very rare.

Anthrax can be treated with antibiotics with varying rates of success based on how quickly treatment starts and the type of anthrax. Ciprofloxacin, doxycycline and penicillin are FDA-approved for the treatment of anthrax in adults and children.

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Robert Herriman

At Christmas two things are guaranteed - goodwill for all, and nut roasts for the vegetarians. If you’re making a meat-free main course this year, what will it be?

Ah, Christmas. Mince pies. Mulled wine. Silly paper hats. Sprouts. Cashew and parsnip bake.

Cashew and parsnip bake? Yes, I admit, it doesn’t sit easily on most people’s mental list of things they love about Christmas, but for me, as a lifelong vegetarian, it’s as much part of Yuletide as turkey and cranberry sauce is to everyone else. It’s what we always had growing up, and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

For most vegetarians, however, the question of how to replace the turkey is a conundrum. Nut roast is the most common option. It may not be very original, but it comes in many different flavours, and can be pretty tasty. It’s particularly good at slotting in with the rest of the regulation Christmas meal, the roast potatoes, sprouts and everything else, so is a good option if you’re eating with non-vegetarians.

The meat-eaters at the table will probably try a small helping – well, it is Christmas – and will probably go on about how nice it is before explaining why they could never actually be vegetarian themselves, even though they don’t usually eat much meat these days.

Just smile like you’ve never had that discussion before. As long as nobody refers to my family and I as “the veggies” then I’m happy. I mean, I don’t call everyone else “the omnis”. That would be weird.

While I never preach vegetarianism or even particularly hold it up as an ideal, it is always quite a relief to have Christmas dinner in a vegetarian house. It frees you from the dilemma of looking for a meat substitute. Instead, you can get creative with your Christmas feast (although always allowing a little room for some cashew and parsnip bake).

Most chefs struggle for inspiration when it comes to a vegetarian Christmas, and if you eat out you’re likely to find yourself offered the option of risotto (hopefully without Parmesan), or some type of tart or “cutlet”. This is a shame, as there are plenty of mouth-watering alternatives out there.

The Vegetarian Society has a whole bunch of interesting suggestions from smoked bean curd medallions with shiitake and walnut stuffing and hazelnut and cranberry raised pie, to a Caribbean or Turkey (the country) inspired Christmas menu. Tobago parcels with papaya sauce, anyone?

For the the rest of Adharanand’s story click here!

Adharanand Finn

Vegan chocolate chip cookies from BabyCakes NYC

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cookie Sandwiches

Serves: 36

Ingredients

Erin McKenna

You’ll never miss the cookies and butter in these vegan cookie sandwiches courtesy of Erin McKenna, owner of BabyCakes NYC.

This is a quick vegetarian minestrone soup that is full of healthy beans. Freeze leftovers for another meal, but be aware that the pasta will soak up the liquid from the soup, so you will need to add water before reheating.

This heart-healthy soup recipe is from the new cookbook “A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen” by Lucy Waverman (Random House Canada).

Vegetarian Bean Soup

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
250 ml (1 cup) chopped onions
250 ml (1 cup) chopped carrots
250 ml (1 cup) chopped celery
10 ml (2 tsp) chopped garlic
1 can (796 ml/28 oz) tomatoes, chopped with juices
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh basil or 5 ml (1 tsp) dried
5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano
1 ml (1/4 tsp) chili flakes
1.5 l (6 cups) vegetable stock or water
250 ml (1 cup) chopped zucchini
250 ml (1 cup) canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
250 ml (1 cup) canned white beans, rinsed and drained
250 ml (1 cup) Romano beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch fresh spinach, trimmed and chopped (about 1.25 l/5 cups)
175 ml (3/4 cup) small dried pasta (orzo or melon seeds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and saute for 6 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to soften.

Add tomatoes with their juices, basil, oregano, chili flakes and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add zuccchini and canned beans and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in spinach and pasta and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender and vegetables are soft.

Season well with salt and pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The Canadian Press

Date: Thursday Nov. 19, 2009 12:05 PM ET

Thanksgiving without turkey and gravy? Yes, it can be done, and area vegans an vegetarians are offering up a medley of wholesome alternatives that redefine the holiday feast

Charlotte Zelz made a big decision last summer. A decision that would seem big to lots of other people, that is — but to her, it just made sense. This past August, 12-year-old Charlotte gave up meat.

“I never really liked meat anyway. My Mom said she saw it coming,” she said. “Then I did more research and decided that I also didn’t want to hurt animals. My cousin is a vegetarian, and she made me feel like it was something kids could do, as well as adults. It’s just a good idea.”

When Zelz, a seventh-grade student at William S. Cohen Middle School in Bangor, sits down at the Thanksgiving dinner table next week, she will abstain from turkey and gravy. Instead, she’ll load up on roasted vegetables and vegetarian stuffing. Like millions of other vegetarians and vegans in the United States, she will have a meat-free meal on a day that’s synonymous with the big bird.

“My Mom and I have been looking through cookbooks,” she said. “I really like sweet potatoes, so I think we’ll do something with that.”

Click here for some great recipes beyond the big bird.

Depending on the guests gathered at a meal, the vegetarian experience can range from mashed everything and cranberry sauce to a delicious array of herbivorous treats. Some families will happily accommodate a vegetarian, while some look on with pity as a grandchild or sibling turns down turkey. With the exception of the actual turkey, however, there’s not one Thanksgiving staple that can’t be made vegetarian, or even vegan — a simple Google search will reveal plenty of recipes for vegan pumpkin pie, stuffings and even green bean casseroles (a recipe is included).

Mary Lake, a vegan blogger from Bangor (www.mittenmachen.com), is not only vegan, but also is allergic to gluten. It makes eating in general interesting, but as an adventurous cook, Lake welcomes the challenge. She’s not a huge fan of tofurkey, or other soy- or grain-based meat substitutes, so she opts for lots of vegetables and legumes to cook and serve.

“When I was younger, I did the whole tofurkey thing, but the flavor and texture were always a little off. Last year, I brought a big pan of brussels sprouts, potatoes, carrots and some other root vegetables and roasted them with olive oil and sea salt,” she said. “I also made a hearty white bean and sage casserole. Those dishes, along with cranberry sauce, were plenty. I brought a homemade vegan pecan pie to share for dessert.”

Lake has developed new recipes that are both vegan and gluten-free, including a wild rice and leek stuffing, which she’ll use in a hollowed-out squash (recipe included). As for relatives who eat meat, she has opted out on turkey in years before, but has not yet hosted her own Thanksgiving with a mixed diet crowd.

“Compromising with meat-eating relatives hasn’t been an issue, yet,” said Lake. “They cook a turkey and I just don’t eat it. If I ever host, there won’t be turkey, and maybe then things would get trickier.”

Bangor resident Angelia Levesque is not a vegetarian. She has a niece who is, however, and she tries to accommodate her as best she can at their family Thanksgiving. She doesn’t cook vegetarian regularly, but when Turkey Day or other holidays roll around, she has to make sure there are meat-free options. Levesque cooks Fall Stuffed Squash (recipe included) for her niece, which has been a big hit in her household during the holidays.

“It’s only on holidays, so [that] makes it easy. I try to have at least one hearty dish for her,” said Levesque. “The family doesn’t seem to notice — it’s just really no big deal. I like that I always have someone to take the leftover veggie tray home.”

Catherine Schmitt, a Bangor resident who has been vegetarian since the age of 15, has had the full gamut of Thanksgiving dinners — from a wealth of vegetarian options, to platefuls of potatoes and squash. She’s flexible in her tastes, and believes most vegetarians feel similarly.

“My advice to those planning a meal and trying to accommodate vegetarians is to stop thinking that there needs to be some kind of ‘main’ dish,” said Schmitt, 33. “We vegetarians are used to meals that don’t consist of a large slab of protein; to meat eaters it looks like we have a big blank spot on our plate, but to us that space just means more room for sides — and who doesn’t love Thanksgiving side dishes?”

Schmitt suggests that people hosting both vegetarians and meat-eaters at a Thanksgiving dinner remember that while a “main dish” isn’t always necessary, diversity in choices is.

“What hosts may need to do differently is have more balanced sides,” she said. “I am always desperate for something green among all the mashed, pureed and mushy. So salads with dark leafy greens or sauteed kale would be welcome.”

Anxious hosts still looking for more options for their vegetarian loved ones can try their hand at whole grains or bean-based dishes, or can spice it up with some ethnic dishes.

“If someone is still concerned that this isn’t enough, try a simple hearty pilaf with whole grains or lentils or chickpeas, or even just some whole-grain bread,” said Schmitt. “Of course, there is always the option to go ethnic, although this can be tricky. Indian spices and flavors work particularly well with T-day foodstuffs.”

Paul Sheridan, a longtime vegetarian from Northport, has hosted vegetarian and vegan potlucks at his home for years. His Thanksgiving this year will be no different.

“This and last T-Day we host a large vegan potluck for those on the Belfast area veggie potluck e-mail list, and their friends willing to eat veg for the day,” said Sheridan. “There was just enough food for all, no one was hungry by any means, and without any leftovers, a true accomplishment.”

Sheridan will serve a vegan specialty next week — his Rice and Beans Four Tastes (recipe included), which combines sweet, sour, hot and salty tastes with hearty beans and rice. While the Sheridan Thanksgiving is catered specifically to those who don’t eat meat, he has been to plenty of dinners where meat was served. Generally speaking, he just passes on turkey, not unlike someone passing on Brussels sprouts.

“Sometimes, someone would notice we were not eating the turkey, and the simple answer was ‘We are vegetarians,’” said Sheridan. “In more enlightened company, this leads to interesting discussions as to why, wherefores and hows. At other meals, the uncurious just leave it at that. We don’t proselytize at meat-eaters’ meals. We are the guests, after all.”

The Davis family, of Harmony, have been vegetarians or vegans for most of their lives. Norris, Marina and their son, Will, have served up strictly vegan dishes at their Thanksgivings for nearly 30 years. A typical Davis family celebration is not only meat-free, but it’s as local as you can get: right from their backyard garden.

“My favorite part of our Thanksgiving celebration is that most of what we serve we grow ourselves,” said Marina Davis. “We feel like our Thanksgiving is very much in line with the original spirit of the whole holiday, as far as food goes. And whenever we’ve had guests who are meat-eating, they’ve been fine with eating a vege-tarian meal.”

Their son left the herbivorous lifestyle a few years ago, but still greatly enjoys his family’s vegetarian Thanksgiving. In particular, he loves his mother’s Pumpkin Indian Pudding — which is gluten-free, in addition to being vegan (recipe included). He may have added animal products back into his diet, but he retains a deep appreciation for meat-free eating.

“Now that I’ve grown up, moved away, I eat meat,” he said. “But I’ve got to say that I’ve had both vegetarian and traditional Thanksgivings, and the vegetarian ones are certainly much more memorable.”

(NaturalNews) Vegetarians are significantly less likely to develop cancer than non-vegetarians, according to a study conducted by researchers from universities in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and published in the British Journal of Cancer.

“These interesting results add to the evidence that what we eat affects our chances of developing cancer,” said a spokesperson for Cancer Research U.K. “We know that eating a lot of red and processed meat increases the risk of stomach cancer.”

Researchers followed 61,566 British adults and compared cancer rates among vegetarians, those who ate fish but not other kinds of meat, and those with no dietary restrictions. They found that the lifetime risk of developing cancer was 14 percent lower in vegetarians than in the general population. The protective effect was greatest for stomach cancer, bladder cancer, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and blood cancers. Vegetarians were less than 50 percent as likely to develop lymph and blood cancers as nonrestricted eaters, while their risk of a rare bone marrow cancer known as multiple myeloma was 75 percent lower. Fish-eaters had a lower risk of blood and lymph cancers than nonrestricted eaters, but their risk was still higher than that of vegetarians.

It is the first study specifically showing a link between a vegetarian diet and a lower risk of bone marrow cancer.

“Dietary advice to myeloma patients remains aligned with national guidance — that they should eat a healthy, balanced diet high in fiber, fruit and vegetables and low in saturated fat, salt and red and processed meat,” Myeloma U.K. said.

Red and processed meats have previously been linked to elevated rates of stomach cancer. Processed meat is believed to be particularly dangerous, due to the N-nitroso compound used to preserve them and the high temperatures they are cooked at.

The researchers found that vegetarians and fish eaters had roughly the same risk of stomach cancer, about one-third less than the risk experienced by unrestricted eaters. This adds evidence to the theory that red and processed meats are particular risk factors for this kind of cancer.

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk.

According to Ann Green, vegetarian Thanksgiving is easy.

Especially for the turkeys, she added.

Green, a member of the Asheville Vegetarians, enjoys traditional side dishes (most of which may already be vegetarian) and a hearty main dish to replace the bird, such as stuffed and roasted winter squash, on Thanksgiving.

With some simple planning and sensitivity to a guest’s animal-free diet, a meatless Thanksgiving won’t ruffle your feathers.

Although many traditional side dishes are vegetarian, such as mashed potatoes and corn, pay close attention to the broth you are using or if the recipe calls for animal fat or bones for flavoring, said Michael Vess, food service manager at South Asheville Earth Fare location. Earth Fare offers take-home traditional and meatless Thanksgiving dinners.

Vess substitutes olive oil for pork fat in collards and green beans. If some of his guests are big fans of greens served up Southern style, he’ll make a version using animal fat and one that doesn’t.

“No one would even know it necessarily if you didn’t tell someone that there was no chicken stock in it or pork fat in it,” Vess noted.

For stuffing, Vess will substitute nuts for turkey giblets, and cook it outside of the bird. This approach exemplifies his advice for preparing a meatless Thanksgiving: Don’t worry about producing a dish that tastes like meat; focus on providing vegetarian guests the protein the meat would provide.

Another focus: Don’t limit yourself on Thanksgiving. You don’t have to be traditional, no matter whom you are cooking for, Vess said, suggesting looking to other culture’s food traditions, such as Indian, for the holiday meal.

“There’s an infinite world of culinary options,” he said.

William Najger, vegan chef and co-owner of Veg-In-Out, a vegetarian home delivery meal service, makes a grain loaf as a main course for his company’s Thanksgiving meal.

“We always have a (main course); we don’t want to just give them sides,” he said. If you don’t want to make a vegetarian main course, consider getting meat substitute products at the grocery store, like a veggie burger, and slice and serve in a special way, Najger said.

But most importantly, cooks need to remember “the celebration is not about the turkey tradition,” Najger said. “It’s about sharing and giving thanks to the abundance that we have.”

“Don’t stress over the meal because Thanksgiving is all about family, friendship, sharing and the spreading of wealth.”

Grain loaf

2 cups of vital wheat gluten

2 cups of hot water

3 pinches of Italian seasoning

1 teaspoons of cumin

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic

Mix all ingredients and knead together so you get a very moist dough.

Bake at 375 degrees on a flat tray for 90 minutes-2 hours until the middle feels cooked. Slice and serve. Serves 4-6 people.

Source: William Najger

Vegan gravy

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup chopped onion

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons nutritional yeast

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, nutritional yeast and soy sauce to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the broth.

Season with sage, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 8- 10 minutes or until thickened.

Source: allrecipes.com

By Finlo Rohrer
BBC News Magazine

Vegetarianism used to be simple - its protagonists foreswore the flesh of any dead animal. Today there are “veggies” who eat fish, and people who eat no meat but don’t call themselves vegetarians. What happened?

The conversation usually goes something a bit like this:

“Yeah, I’m a vegetarian.”

“But that looks like fish you’re eating.”

“Oh yeah, I eat fish.”

Confusion, perplexity and occasionally heated debate can follow as the “vegetarian” and their interrogator cover the issue of what is an animal and whether fish feel pain. But the Vegetarian Society, which has acted as the custodian of British vegetarianism since 1847, has a simple definition.

The name ‘flexitarian’ is coming into use. It’s fairly meaningless really Juliet Gellately

“A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacean, or slaughter byproducts,” it says. They can make that even more pithy: “We don’t eat dead things.”

The society tackles the issue of fish-eating vegetarians with a page headed in red capitals: “VEGETARIANS DO NOT EAT FISH.”

Juliet Gellatley, director of the vegan and vegetarian group Viva, is also clear on the issue of whether fish eaters can use the term vegetarian.

“They cannot. The definition is very clear. It’s someone who doesn’t eat anything from a killed animal.

“It does cause confusion if someone who calls themselves a vegetarian goes into a restaurant and orders a prawn cocktail.”

Many of the fish-eating vegetarians will be making a dietary exception for health reasons. The government advises the consumption of at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily fish. This intake is thought to help fight heart disease. Vegetarian organisations have to counter by noting that some nutritional benefits of eating oily fish can be gained from elsewhere. They recommend things like flaxseed oil and walnuts.

There may also be a tendency among some fish-eating vegetarians to assign a different ethical equation to the consumption of fish. It is something that is vehemently rejected by vegetarians.

“There is ample evidence in peer-reviewed scientific journals that mammals experience not just pain, but also mental suffering including fear, anticipation, foreboding, anxiety, stress, terror and trauma,” says Revd Prof Andrew Linzey, director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and author of Why Animal Suffering Matters.

“The case for fish isn’t so strong, but scientific evidence at least shows that they experience pain and fear. Anyone who wants to avoid causing pain should give up eating fish.”

But there is a wider problem of identification.

“Fish don’t invoke the same compassionate response that a calf, lamb, piglet, or duck does,” says Ms Gellatley. “We are mammals, we relate much better to other mammals. When we see a pig in a factory farm and you can see that animal is in pain that has a very direct effect on people.”

Vegetarian escalator

And then there’s the issue of depleted fish stocks.

Fish-eating vegetarians used to have their own term - “pescetarian” - although it seems not to be in common use today. But, Ms Gellatley says, there is a rise in the use of a new term for the part-vegetarian.

Eschew on that - vegetarians typically start by giving up red meat

“The name ‘flexitarian’ is coming into use. It’s fairly meaningless really.”

But for vegetarian activists, anybody taking on the vegetarian badge can be a positive, even if they fall short of the strict definition, says Ms Gellately, alluding to a virtual vegetarian escalator.

“People are moving along a pathway - the positive thing is that they see vegetarianism as aspirational.”

While activists might offer anecdotal evidence for trends like fish-eating vegetarianism, concrete numbers are not easy to come by.

There is a view that after a period of healthy growth in the 1990s, classic vegetarianism is now stagnant. It rose from 0.2% of the population during World War II to 1.8% in 1980, according to the consumer research company Mintel.

The firm’s most recent survey suggested 6% concurred with the statement “I am a vegetarian”. But the Food Standards Agency’s recent Public Attitudes to Food Issues survey found just 3% of the population was strictly vegetarian, and 5% partly vegetarian.

Viva cites a survey done on behalf of the Linda McCartney vegetarian food brand which suggested a figure of 10%.

Easy label

Kate Sibley is one example of the more complex definitions of vegetarian these days.

Vegetarian food has had some powerful backers

She was raised mostly as a vegetarian, but given fish for health reasons. She became an orthodox vegetarian at university but then returned to eating fish later. It’s now the only meat that she eats.

“I was brought up as a vegetarian. We were given the choice when we were young. It was all about animal rights and how animals were factory farmed. [My parents] told us the the reasons and we agreed with them.

“We were fed fish. It’s important for your brain to have oily fish [when young]. When I became a proper vegetarian I started to get quite ill and tired.”

Her objection is mainly to the way meat is produced, not to the idea of eating an animal. She uses the term “vegetarian” almost for the sake of convenience. If she is dining with people for the first time, it makes things simpler.

One of the reasons it’s so hard to assess the level of vegetarianism is because of the multiple definitions of the term.

It is clear, however, that meat-free and meat-substitute meals make up more and more of what we eat. The marketers and the activists are dealing with new groups of people, known as meat-avoiders and meat-reducers. Outside those who have a clear philosophical platform for eschewing meat, there are increasing numbers of these people, either cutting down on meat or trying not to eat it where possible, but without necessarily ever calling themselves “vegetarian”.

Mintel categorises 23% of the population as meat-reducers, people attempting to eat less meat, probably mainly for health reasons. Another factor is climate change - livestock rearing produces methane, which is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in global warming terms, according to Lord Stern. It identifies 10% as meat-avoiders, people who plan to eat little or no meat but sometimes lapse, and who might well accept the ethical basis of vegetarianism.

“More than a quarter of people say they eat less meat than they did five years ago. There is a shifting change in the diet,” says Ms Gellatley. “A third of our membership are meat reducers.”

Many people will start by giving up red meat for health reasons, then give up white meat, and so on. Despite initially doing it for non-ethical reasons, these people can then take on the philosophical mantle, says Ms Gellatley.

But despite the health messages about certain kinds of meat, and the arguments over the amount of energy it takes to produce meat, the vast majority in the UK still eat meat. And one-fifth, according to Mintel, like to have meat every day.

By Finlo Rohrer
BBC News Magazine

by: Kathy Freston  Article from:Huffingtonpost.com 10-27-09

“If the truth be known coronary artery disease is a toothless paper tiger that need never, ever exist and if it does exist it need never, ever progress.”

So says Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who was a researcher and clinician at the Cleveland Clinic for over 35 years. In 1991, Dr. Esselstyn served as the president of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, and organized the 1st National Conference on the Elimination and Prevention of Heart Disease. In 2005, he became the 1st recipient of the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine. Dr. Esselstyn is also an Olympic gold medalist in rowing, and he was awarded the Bronze Star as an army surgeon in Vietnam.

In this series of interviews I’ve conducted with extraordinary nutritional researchers and medical doctors, I’ve sought to understand the link between diet and the most common and dreaded diseases that are prevalent in our culture. What I’m hearing over and over is that a plant based diet is both preventative and healing, whereas a diet high in animal protein is destructive to our health - this is the case with cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The great news is that there is very real hope in shifting the course of our health. What is becoming very apparent through various peer reviewed studies is that by changing our diet - eliminating that which causes havoc in the body (animal protein) and adding in plant based proteins and eating lots of vegetables, legumes, beans, and whole grains, we can not only prevent disease, but also heal from it once it is already in motion. Following is a fascinating conversation I had on diet and heart health.
KF: What exactly is coronary heart disease?

CE: Coronary heart disease is the leading killer of women and men in western civilization. It is predicted to become the #1 global disease burden by 2020.

It consists of an inflammatory buildup of blockages in arteries to the heart muscle. These blockages are made of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and inflammatory cells. Blockages can become severe enough to cause symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain (angina). When blockages suddenly become complete, the portion of heart muscle fed by that blocked artery is now deprived of oxygen and nutrients, thus it is injured or now dies. This is a heart attack. The patient may survive or succumb if the event is accompanied by a fatal heart rhythm.

KF: Who develops heart disease?

CE: Everyone eating the typical western diet. In autopsy studies of our GI’s who died in the Vietnam and Korean wars almost 80% at an average age of 20 years, had disease that could be seen without a microscope. Forty years later in 1999, a study of young persons between the ages of 16-34 years who have died of accidents, homicides and suicides, finds the disease is now ubiquitous.

KF: What is the cause of the disease?

CE: It is the typical western diet of processed oils, dairy, and meat which destroys the lifejacket of our blood vessels known as our endothelial cells. This cell layer is a one cell thick lining of all of our blood vessels. Endothelial cells manufacture a magical protective molecule of gas called nitric oxide, which protects our blood vessels. It keeps our blood flowing smoothly, it is the strongest dilator (widener), of our blood vessels, it inhibits the formation of blockages (plaques), and it inhibits inflammation.

KF: With such natural protection, why do we ever develop heart disease?

CE: Every western meal of processed vegetable oils, dairy products, and meat (including chicken and fish) injures these endothelial cells. As individuals consume theses damaging products throughout their lives, they have fewer functioning endothelial cells remaining and thus less of the protective nitric oxide. Without enough nitric oxide the plaque blockages build up and grow creating eventually heart disease and strokes.

KF: Can it be stopped or even reversed?

CE: Yes. First we must look at the lessons learned from cultures where there is a virtual absence of coronary artery heart disease such as rural China, the Papua Highlands of New Guinea, Central Africa, and the Tarahumara Indians of Northern Mexico. Their nutrition is plant based without oil.

Beginning in 1985 I initiated a study of seriously ill coronary artery disease patients. Their nutrition became plant based without oil. Their cholesterol levels plummeted. Their angina disappeared. Their weight dropped. I have reported this study at 5 years, 12 years, and 16 years, in the peer reviewed scientific literature and again beyond 20 years in my book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. In some of the patients we had follow up angiograms (x-rays) of previously blocked arteries demonstrating striking disease reversal, which is a testament to my often quoted statement “The truth be known coronary artery disease is a toothless paper tiger that need never exist and if it does exist it need never progress.” The greatest gift to these patients is the increasing recognition that they are the locus of control for their disease - not some pill or procedure. They have made themselves heart attack proof and lose the greatest fear of all heart patients and their families - when will the next heart attack occur?

KF: What about drugs, stents, and heart bypass surgery?

CE: Admittedly in the midst of a heart attack a stent or bypass may be live saving, however, for the remaining 90% studies confirm that they do not prevent future heart attacks or prolong life. They are associated with significant complications such as hemorrhage, heart attack, stroke, cognitive decline, depression, and death. The benefits erode with the passage of time as the stents and bypasses may themselves develop blockage.

Some drugs may decrease blood pressure and the heart workload. Others interfere with clotting which helps a stent remain open. Statin drugs lower cholesterol. None of these drugs or interventions addresses the basic causation of disease and not surprisingly the disease progresses with the need for more drugs, stents, and repeat bypasses.

KF: Why aren’t physicians using nutrition therapy?

CE: Most physicians have no training or understanding of the power of nutrition. In a busy practice they would not have the time for it. It is my belief that physicians must accord the plant based lifestyle transition its due. Every patient with cardiovascular disease should be referred to a physician or nurse practitioner with the knowledge and expertise in these counseling skills.

KF: But I understand physicians don’t believe patients will make this transition. How come?

CE: Nutrition counseling is a skill which physicians don’t possess. Of all the encounters a patient with cardiovascular disease experiences, perhaps the least time and lowest priority is nutritional counseling. I see many patients with heart disease who recount that nutrition was never even mentioned. It is therefore unlikely that the patient feels that nutrition is important.

KF: What is that you do differently?

CE: In an intensive 5 hour counseling session for a group of heart patients, my first priority is to eliminate the mystery of what causes their disease. It has not been stress, or genes. It is their western diet of processed oil, dairy, and meat. Hypertension, diabetes, and smoking must be controlled but food trumps all. I spend at least an hour defining the protective role of endothelial cells and nitric oxide functioning as the ultimate guardians of our blood vessels. They quickly understand that their lifetime of ingesting these harmful products has totally overwhelmed and destroyed their endothelium to an extent where it is unable to protect them. They fully grasp that they must forever eliminate ingesting foods that will further destroy their already compromised endothelium. They understand heart disease is a food borne illness.

KF: Where is the good news?

CE: The patients understand that they can halt their disease. They are presented with my scientific articles demonstrating reversal of disease. They learn that anginal chest pain may diminish or disappear within 10-14 days in some patients while others may take longer. We share our data confirming reversal of carotid artery disease to the brain, coronary artery disease of the heart, peripheral vascular disease in the extremities, and the reversal of erectile dysfunction. They are made to appreciate how rapidly and powerfully the endothelial function may be restored. The most significant message in our counseling is patient awareness that they are empowered to be the locus of control of their disease.

KF: What is your take on the present management of heart disease through drug stents and bypass surgery?

CE: It is expensive, dangerous, and ineffective. None of these approaches addresses the factors that cause the disease. A doctor would never treat poison ivy without advising the patient to avoid exposure to poison ivy plants. Sadly the usual treatment of cardiovascular disease almost never includes hours of patient counseling so they may completely eliminate the foods which are injuring their endothelium. Stents may block, bypass veins shut down, drug doses increase, and blood vessel disease worsens. The present cost of this non-treatment of heart disease is unsustainable even in our wealthy nation.

KF: Dr. Esselstyn, are you a threat to the stenting and bypass industry?

CE: Not really. Stents and bypass surgery in an emergency setting are absolutely lifesaving. However, for non-emergency situations an intensive lifestyle trial of 3-6 months would eliminate the need for most interventions. It is of interest that when physicians and some interventional cardiologists themselves develop the disease they come knocking at my door.

KF: Why do you think this information on diet and heart disease is not more widely known? Is someone or something blocking your message?

CE: The government, drug industry, and some of my own profession. The USDA every five years produces a food triangle which promotes the very foods which guarantee that millions of Americans will perish.

The drug industry has a $21 billion dollar income from statin drugs alone. The stent manufacturers make billions more. Neither of these industries would want this epidemic resolved.

Physicians who perform stents and bypass surgery earn millions and are hardly clamoring for fewer patients.

KF: Any final thoughts?

CE: When people learn to eat plant based to eliminate heart disease it could inaugurate a seismic revolution in health. Other diseases that resolve include obesity, hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, gall stones, diverticulitis, asthma, osteoporosis, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and a marked decrease in the common western cancers of breast, prostate, colon, endometrial, ovarian, and pancreatic.
For more information, go to www.HeartAttackProof.com.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/heart-disease-a-toothless_b_334285.html

Kathy Freston

Author, Health and Wellness Expert

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/heart-disease-a-toothless_b_334285.html

Ingredients

Russian dressing:

•2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

•2 teaspoons ketchup

•2 teaspoons chopped capers

•1 teaspoon chopped pickle or relish

Sandwiches:

•3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

•1 small red onion, thinly sliced

•1 cup sliced mushrooms

•5 cups baby spinach

•Freshly ground pepper to taste

•4 slices rye bread

•1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese, such as Jarlsberg Lite or Alpine Lace (2 ounces)

•1/2 cup sauerkraut

Directions

Prepare Russian dressing: Whisk mayonnaise and ketchup in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in capers and pickle (or relish).

To prepare sandwiches: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until it has wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate.

Coat the pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and return to medium heat. Add the bread; divide cheese equally among the slices. Divide sauerkraut between 2 slices and divide the spinach mixture between the other 2 slices; cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer sandwich halves to a cutting board. Divide the dressing between the spinach halves. Carefully place the sauerkraut halves on top. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

Courtesy of Eatingwell.com Wednesday, October 21, 2009