Plaque, Arteries and Disease Archives - The Premiere Heart Health Education Platform

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

What’s more important, diet vs drugs, or outcome vs regression?

Can plant-forward dietary patterns protect the heart and remodel arteries through mechanisms that standard fasting ApoB measurements fail to fully capture?

August 6, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

ApoB: Longer, Higher, Worse

Is ApoB a better heart risk test than LDL? Standard tests measure cholesterol cargo, but ApoB counts the actual particles that block arteries. Learn why.

August 2, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

A disease you are born with

Is heart disease an inevitable part of aging? Discover how atherosclerosis begins before birth and why cumulative apoB exposure drives its lifelong progression.

August 2, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

What is the difference between Mediterranean and whole-food plant-based diets for heart disease?

Understand the two-ladder framework for heart health. Discover how ApoB-lowering diets, Mediterranean eating, and statins impact plaque regression.

July 21, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Can heart disease be reversed?

Is heart disease reversible? Discover the landmark primate studies proving how lipid lowering clears arterial foam cells and stabilizes advanced plaques.

July 18, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Can high cholesterol in your 20s and 30s cause a heart attack later even if you lower it?

Understand why ApoB is a more accurate predictor of heart disease than LDL, how "ApoB-years" build up over a lifetime, and how to lower your risk.

July 17, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Do endurance sports help or hurt arteries?

Can extreme fitness hide heart disease? Discover why lifelong endurance athletes develop silent coronary plaque and why lowering ApoB may protect them

July 17, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal, Specific Foods

Is Olive Oil Actually Healthy?

Separate scientific evidence from nutrition myths with a critical review of olive oil and cardiovascular disease.

July 10, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Gut and Molecular, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Is red meat killing you through your gut? The great TMAO cover up

Picture the scene: a quiet Saturday morning, the kitchen filled with the heavy, savory scent of searing ribeye and the rhythmic sizzle of butter-poached eggs. For decades, this "steak and eggs" breakfast has been cast as the ultimate dietary villain—a shortcut to a heart attack. Recently, scientists thought they had finally caught the culprit red-handed. They found a molecule in our blood called Trimethylamine N-Oxide, or TMAO.

July 7, 2026

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal, Stents and Procedures

Treating the Biology, Not the Pipes: The Radical New Approach to Heart Disease

Imagine you are sitting in a small, sterile doctor’s office. The air is cool, the paper on the exam table crinkles under you, and your heart is thumping against your ribs—not from exercise, but from fear. Your doctor looks at a scan of your chest and says the words no one wants to hear: "You have a blockage."

July 7, 2026

Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

Does The New Estrogen Patch Prevent Heart Disease? The Complex Truth Explained

For a long time, women have been told a very scary story. It was a story about menopause and the heart. If you reached the age where hot flashes started making you feel like you were standing in a furnace, you might have asked for help. But for years, many doctors would say, "No." They were afraid that taking hormones would give you a heart attack or a blood clot.

June 5, 2026

Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Peter's Journey and Records, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Fit, Fast, and Almost Dead: How a World-Class Cyclist Discovered Silent Heart Disease

Imagine a high-end sports car. It is sleek, shiny, and built to win the toughest races. On the outside, it looks perfect. People stop and stare when it drives by because it looks like it could go 200 miles per hour. But deep inside the engine, there is a hidden problem. The fuel line - the pipe that carries gas to the engine - is almost completely plugged with gunk. The car can still drive, but it cannot reach its top speed. If that gunk keeps building up, the engine will eventually stop working altogether.

May 31, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

How Being Fit Can Hide a Heart Attack

Imagine you are running on your favorite trail. You are breathing hard, and your legs feel heavy. Suddenly, a runner with gray hair and a steady stride zips right past you. They look like they could keep that pace all day. It is a common sight today - "master athletes" in their 60s and 70s who are faster and fitter than people half their age.

May 21, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Your Cells Make Their Own Cholesterol – So Why Is Your Blood Full Of It?

The average American adult carries about 5.6 grams of cholesterol circulating in plasma at any given moment — roughly the weight of a U.S. nickel. Careful mass-balance modeling of what lipoprotein particles need for structural integrity, plus what specialized tissues actually draw from the bloodstream each day, suggests the body's true circulating requirement is closer to 1.5 to 2.7 grams. The two- to four-fold surplus isn't toxic in itself.

May 19, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

The Million-Dollar Molecule: Why Your Body Pays a Fortune for Cholesterol

If your body were a blockbuster movie, cholesterol would be the character everyone loves to hate. We usually hear about it as the "villain" of the story—the bad guy responsible for heart trouble and clogged pipes. But if cholesterol is so truly "bad," why is it found in every single cell of your body? Why does your body work so hard to keep it around?

May 4, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

How Your Workout Blocks Pain: The Deadly Secret of the Athlete’s Heart

Imagine a high-end sports car. It is sleek, shiny, and built to handle the toughest races. On the outside, it looks absolutely perfect. But deep inside the engine, there is a tiny fuel line that has started to rust. Normally, a "check engine" light would flash on the dashboard to warn the driver that something is wrong. However, in this car, someone has placed a thick piece of black tape over the light. The driver keeps pushing the car to its limits, feeling invincible, totally unaware that the engine is struggling. Suddenly - at 100 miles per hour - the engine stalls.

May 4, 2026

Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

From the Womb to Reversal: Undoing a Lifetime of Arterial Damage

Most people think a heart attack is like a lightning strike. One minute you are fine, and the next, everything changes. But science shows that heart disease is not a sudden accident. It is more like a slow story that takes forty or fifty years to write.

May 2, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Exercise Doesn’t Erase Arterial Plaque – It Turns It to Stone!

Many people feel a deep fear when they hear the words "clogged arteries." We often think of our heart like the plumbing in an old house. We imagine that over time, the pipes get filled with thick gunk. In this simple view, if the pipes are clear, you are healthy. If the pipes are full of gunk, you are in big trouble. We assume that people who exercise a lot will have the cleanest pipes of all.

April 30, 2026

Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Is Heart Disease a Choice? The ‘Zero-Risk’ Secret to Stopping Plaque

Most people think that "clogged arteries" are just a normal part of getting old. We treat heart disease like grey hair or wrinkles—something that eventually happens to everyone if they live long enough. But what if that is wrong?

April 27, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Diet Comparisons, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

The Big Cholesterol Lie, Part 2

Imagine you have just started a new way of eating. You have cut out bread, pasta, and sugar. Instead, you are eating more healthy fats, like steak, eggs, and butter. You feel better than you have in years. Your "sugar levels" are great, your blood pressure is low, and you have plenty of energy. In your mind, you are "metabolically perfect." This means your body is doing a great job of handling energy and keeping you fit.

April 23, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

The Only Diet Proven to Shrink Arterial Plaque (It’s Not Mediterranean!)

For a long time, most doctors and patients believed that heart disease was a one-way street. Once your arteries started to clog up with plaque , the goal was simply to slow down the decline. We treated it like a rust problem on an old car—you can’t really get rid of the rust; you just try to paint over it or keep it from spreading too fast. It felt like an unstoppable force of aging.But what if heart disease wasn’t a life sentence? Imagine your arteries are like a garden hose .

April 22, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Why Your ‘Normal’ Cholesterol is Actually a Warning Sign

For decades, we have been told that a "normal" cholesterol level is the golden ticket to a healthy heart. But modern science has revealed a startling truth: what we once called "normal" was never actually healthy. In the 1960s, a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL was considered a standard, acceptable baseline for an adult. Today, a doctor would view that same number as an urgent health crisis.

April 17, 2026

Imaging and Detection, Imaging and Testing, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

The Heart Test Your Doctor Isn’t Ordering

A Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scan is a quick, painless CT scan — no dye required — that measures the amount of calcified, hardened plaque in the arteries around your heart. The result is your CAC score.

April 16, 2026

Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Why Belly Fat Is More Dangerous Than You Think

Not all fat is the same — and where your body stores it turns out to matter a lot more than how much you weigh. Have you ever noticed that two people can weigh exactly the same and be completely different when it comes to their health? That’s because weight alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Scientists have discovered that where your body stores fat is what really matters — and fat stored deep in your belly, called visceral fat, is in a league of its own when it comes to health risks.

April 15, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

The Athlete’s Aorta: Healthy Heart or Hidden Time Bomb?

Imagine your body is a giant, bustling city. For the city to work, it needs one massive main water pipe to carry energy and supplies to every single house. In your body, that "water main" is a giant tube called the aorta. Doctors call it the "Great Vessel" because it is the biggest and most important power line in your system.

April 14, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Peak Fitness, Hidden Calcium: The Athlete’s Paradox of Plaque Buildup

For decades, doctors and runners shared a comfortable belief: if you ran marathons, your heart was bulletproof. This was known as the "Bassler hypothesis," the idea that finishing a 26-mile race gave you a "get out of jail free" card against heart disease. However, as modern heart scans improved, doctors were met with a shock. The very people who were the fittest on the planet—lifelong marathoners and cyclists—often showed more "rust" or buildup in their heart pipes (arteries) than people who sat on the couch.

April 13, 2026

Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

You Feel Fine – That’s the Problem

If you woke up tomorrow and saw a strange mole on your skin or felt a painful lump in your neck, you probably wouldn’t ignore it. You would look at it, worry about it, and most likely call a doctor. That reaction is completely natural. As humans, we are wired to respond to things we can see and feel. Visible problems grab our attention and create urgency.

April 9, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Cholesterol: What Is It Good For?

For decades, we have been conditioned to view heart disease as a sudden catastrophe—a cardiac “lightning strike” that occurs in the sixth or seventh decade of life. In reality, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a lifelong biological process, a silent passenger that boards the vessel in our youth. Despite mountains of “low-fat” dietary advice, heart disease remains the global leader in mortality.

April 7, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Gut and Molecular, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

The Hidden Toxin in Your Steak: How Gut Bacteria Drive Heart Disease

The Molecule Linking Your Gut to Your Heart: 5 Surprising Truths About TMAO. The Invisible Metabolic Relay: A Meta-Organismal Axis. Human health was once viewed through a purely genomic lens, yet emerging research into the gut-organ axis reveals that our physiology is managed by a "meta-organismal" relay.

March 27, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Gut and Molecular, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Is Your Immune System at War With Your Steak?

A STEAK IN THE HEART. Why Losing a Gene Millions of Years Ago Might Explain the Heart Disease Epidemic. The "Hidden" Heart Disease Mystery. 15% of heart attacks strike patients without traditional risk factors like smoking or high cholesterol.

March 24, 2026

Inflammation Markers, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Which Came First – the Lipid or the Inflammation? Apolipoprotein B and the Chicken-and-Egg Problem of Atherogenesis

For decades, doctors and scientists have been locked in a "Chicken and Egg" mystery. When someone has a heart attack, their arteries are filled with two specific things: fatty buildup (lipids) and signs of a "swelling" immune response (inflammation).

March 14, 2026

Diet and Nutrition, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Specific Foods

The Glass Half-Empty: Why Science is Toasting Goodbye to “Heart-Healthy” Drinking

For decades, the public has been told that a daily glass of wine might be the secret to longevity. This belief largely stems from the so-called J-shaped curve—a statistical pattern suggesting that light drinkers experience better cardiovascular outcomes than both heavy drinkers and people who abstain entirely. The implication was comforting: a little alcohol could be protective.

March 3, 2026

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Medications and Treatments, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

The Cholesterol Breakthrough: From Daily Pills to Twice-a-Year Shots

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading global cause of mortality despite major advances in acute care. Modern preventive cardiology increasingly recognizes apolipoprotein B (ApoB)–containing lipoproteins as the necessary and causal drivers of atherosclerosis.

February 24, 2026

Imaging and Detection, Imaging and Testing, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Power of Zero: No Calcium – No Risk?

The clinical assessment of coronary artery calcium (CAC) has undergone a paradigm shift over the past three decades, evolving from a research tool to a central instrument in cardiovascular risk stratification.

February 22, 2026

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Coronary Calcium and Athletic Risk

The landscape of preventive cardiology has undergone a profound transformation with the emergence of subclinical imaging, specifically the quantification of coronary artery calcium (CAC). For decades, cardiovascular risk assessment relied almost exclusively on probabilistic models derived from population-wide observational data.

February 19, 2026

Genetics and Family Risk, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

The Genetic Lottery: Why You Can’t Count on Being “Bulletproof”

We all know the story. It’s the legend of "Uncle Joe" (or Aunt Sally, or a neighbor down the street). He smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, ate bacon and eggs for breakfast every morning, never exercised a day in his life, and yet lived to be 98 years old with the heart of a teenager.

February 11, 2026

Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

Menopause Endocrine Cardiovascular Risks

The menopausal transition is not simply a local shutdown of reproductive function; it is a far-reaching neuroendocrine reconfiguration marked by declining levels and unpredictable oscillations of ovarian steroids. For the female brain, this shift functions like a metabolic “reset.”

February 8, 2026

Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Can Heart Disease Be Cured?

Clinical Paradigms of Disease Resolution: Biological Differentiation between the Cure of Pathological Processes and the Reversal of Structural Damage The medical community has historically distinguished between the resolution of acute illness and the long-term management of chronic disease. As lifestyle medicine has matured into a formal clinical discipline, it has exposed a critical gap in medical taxonomy: the failure to clearly differentiate between the cure of an active pathological process and the reversal of structural damage produced by that process.

February 1, 2026

Emerging Threats, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

The Invisible Infarction: A Deep Research Verification of Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Management in MINOCA

Executive Summary: The Paradigm Shift in Acute Coronary Syndromes For much of modern cardiology, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been dominated by a “plumbing model”: atherosclerotic plaque accumulates over years, progressively narrows the coronary lumen, and ultimately ruptures, triggering thrombosis and an abrupt, flow-limiting occlusion.

February 1, 2026

Imaging and Detection, Imaging and Testing, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

A New Way of Looking Inside Your Heart Without Surgery – The Best Way to Predict a Heart Attack

Imagine you are driving your car down a long, quiet highway. You feel safe because you are looking at your dashboard. The gas tank is full, the engine temperature is fine, and no warning lights are blinking. To you, the car seems perfect. But deep inside the engine, out of sight, a tiny fuel line is leaking or a belt is starting to fray. You wouldn’t know there was a problem just by looking at the dashboard. You would only know if you pulled over, popped the hood, and had a mechanic look at the actual parts. The publication of the Bergström et al. study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on November 9, 2025, represents a landmark moment in the transition from population-based risk estimation to individualized, disease-based risk assessment.¹ This observational cohort study, conducted as part of the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study (SCAPIS), analyzed 24,791 individuals aged 50 to 64 years without established cardiovascular disease.

January 30, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Imaging and Detection, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

LDL “BAD” Cholesterol: Apolipoprotein B, Imaging Resolution, and the Illusion of “Normal” Coronary Arteries at Age 60

Imagine a man named John who just turned 60. John feels great. He goes for walks, eats his greens, and can still keep up with his grandkids. He recently went to his doctor for a big check-up. The doctor looked at his charts, checked his blood pressure, and gave him a "normal" report. His tests didn't show any big clogs, and his cholesterol numbers looked "fine." John left the office feeling like he had the heart of a teenager.

January 19, 2026

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Cholesterol: How Low is Too Low?

Can LDL Be Too Low? What PCSK9 Inhibitors Mean for Brain Health PCSK9 inhibitors are among the most powerful cholesterol-lowering treatments available. They can lower LDL (“bad cholesterol”) by 50–60% or more—and in some cases drive LDL below 20 mg/dL. That’s an incredible tool for preventing heart attacks and strokes. But it also raises a fair question: If the brain needs cholesterol, could LDL get “too low” and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s or dementia?

January 3, 2026

Inflammation Markers, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Integrative Dynamics of Apolipoprotein B, Lipoprotein(a), and C-Reactive Protein in Atherosclerotic Progression

Imagine a man named Sam. Sam is the kind of person we all want to be. He runs five miles every morning, he eats plenty of colorful vegetables, and he avoids junk food. When Sam went to his yearly check-up, his doctor had great news. The doctor looked at Sam’s blood test and said, "Your numbers are perfect! Your total cholesterol is low, and your LDL looks great. Your heart is in tip-top shape."

December 12, 2025

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Pathophysiological Determinants of Atherosclerotic Regression: The Criticality of Ultra-Low-Fat Whole-Food Plant-Based Nutritional Protocols

Many people live with a quiet fear. They believe that as they get older, their heart will naturally get weaker. They think that clogged arteries are a "one-way street." Most people imagine heart disease like a car rolling down a steep hill. They think the best they can do is press the brakes to slow the car down before it crashes. They hope that by being "mostly healthy," they can delay the worst from happening. The management of coronary artery disease (CAD) has traditionally been viewed through the lens of “risk management.” In this paradigm, pharmacological interventions such as statins and procedural approaches such as Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) are deployed to slow the expected progression of disease. However, these approaches primarily address late-stage manifestations—the “downstream” consequences—rather than the “upstream” cellular and molecular drivers of plaque formation and instability.

November 22, 2025

Inflammation Markers, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Inflammation, Lipoproteins, and the End of the LDL-Centric Era

For decades, preventive cardiology has been anchored by a single, powerful concept: the "lipid hypothesis." We operated under the assumption that cholesterol accumulation—specifically LDL-C—was the primary driver of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The clinical directive was straightforward: push LDL-C down, and heart attack risk will follow. While this approach, largely driven by statin therapy, has undeniably saved millions of lives, we now know it is an incomplete strategy.

November 2, 2025

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Heart Disease in Masters Athletes: How I Reversed My Artery Blockages and Set a World Record at 65

Can an elite athlete have heart disease? Short answer: yes. I’m a lifelong endurance cyclist—now 65 years old - with three national records and two world records. I once believed fitness was protection. Short answer: yes. I’m a lifelong endurance cyclist—now 65 years old—with three national records and two world records. I once believed fitness was protection. But heart disease doesn’t care how fit you are. This is how I went from five blocked arteries to another world record—and what athletes can do to protect their hearts.

October 29, 2025

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Medications and Treatments, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Nattokinase and Cardiovascular Plaque: What the Human Research Really Says

People want simple answers to complex problems. Atherosclerotic plaque—that fatty, inflammatory buildup inside artery walls—feels like something you should be able to “clean out” like a clogged pipe. That hope fuels massive interest in supplements that promise to “dissolve plaque,” “unclog arteries,” or “reverse heart disease naturally.”

October 10, 2025

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Treating heart disease with diet isn’t just a modern obsession – it’s a practice backed by millions of years of evolutionary history and the sharpest tools in modern science

To truly settle the long-running "cold war" between Dr. Loren Cordain’s Paleo camp and Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s plant-based paradigm, we have to look past the slogans and focus on the biological mechanisms of disease. For decades, we’ve been told it’s a binary choice. But the research from late 2024 and 2025 has given us a far more interesting "middle way." One side holds the crown for heart health, while the other was right to sound the alarm about food quality all along.

August 10, 2025

Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Peter's Journey and Records, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Expert Angiographic Evaluation of Coronary Artery Disease Regression: The Megdal Serial Angiogram (2014–2018)

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, progressive vascular condition traditionally managed by interventions aimed at slowing its advancement.1 The measurable reversal of this condition—defined as structural regression—is the highest therapeutic outcome in cardiovascular disease management.2 Regression is evidenced angiographically by an increase in Minimal Lumen Diameter (MLD) or a decrease in Percent Diameter Stenosis ( %DS ).

July 26, 2025

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Can Diet Really Reverse Heart Disease?

A Practical, Evidence-Based Q&A Inspired by the Ornish Debate Introduction: Why This Question Won’t Go Away Dean Ornish has claimed for decades that intensive lifestyle change—especially an almost-vegan, very low-fat diet—can not only prevent but actually reverse heart disease.

June 2, 2025

Diet and Nutrition, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Specific Foods

Q&A: Can Your Love for Red Meat Be Dangerous?

Neu5Gc, Plant-Based Protection, and Atherosclerotic Heart Disease Q1. What is Neu5Gc, and why is it linked to heart disease? Neu5Gc (N-glycolylneuraminic acid) is a type of sialic acid found on the cells of most mammals—meaning it is present in red meat (beef, pork, lamb). Humans, however, cannot make Neu5Gc because of a mutation in the CMAH gene that occurred after our lineage split from great apes.

May 18, 2025

Emerging Threats, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Q&A: Are Everyday Microplastics Fueling Heart Disease?

New research from the University of California, Riverside suggests microplastics may directly accelerate heart disease — especially in males. Here’s what the study uncovered, explained as simple Q&A. Q: What exactly are microplastics? A: Microplastics are tiny plastic particles released from: Food packaging Clothing and textiles Household plastics Industrial waste

March 21, 2025

Inflammation, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Medications and Treatments, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Can Decreasing Homocysteine with L-Methylfolate + Active B-Vitamins Help Prevent Atherosclerosis and Reduce Plaque?

Meet Sam. Sam is a person who cares deeply about staying healthy. Sam eats a big green salad every day and never touches greasy fast food. Sam walks three miles every afternoon, even when it is cold outside. When Sam goes to the doctor, the report looks pretty good. Sam’s cholesterol is in the safe zone. Sam’s blood pressure is not too high.

March 8, 2025

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Coronary Plaque Regression, the Lumen Paradox, and Vascular Remodeling in Athletes: Integrating Pharmacologic and Whole-Food, Plant-Based Strategies

Imagine a world-class runner. This person races through marathons, eats what they believe is a "perfect" diet, and feels like they are in the best shape of their life. Then, without warning, they suffer a heart attack. This is the "fit but not immune" paradox. It is a secret fear for many active people.

March 1, 2025

Aging and Heart Health, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Q and A Explainers

How Does Age Affect Atherosclerosis? A Q&A Explainer

Does the risk of atherosclerosis increase as we age? Yes. Atherosclerosis is considered a disease of aging. The likelihood and severity of plaque buildup in the arteries increase with age, even when other risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, or hypertension are controlled.

February 15, 2025

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Reversal of Coronary Atherosclerosis: Mechanistic Insights from Human and Primate Studies

Coronary atherosclerosis can regress under defined conditions. Serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) studies show that intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction via high-intensity statins, PCSK9 inhibitors, and, in selected settings, icosapent ethyl, can shrink plaque volume. Paradoxically, the arterial lumen often remains unchanged or may even narrow due to reverse or constrictive remodeling. Complementary lifestyle trials such as the Ornish study demonstrated angiographic regression driven primarily by improved endothelial and vasomotor function.

February 1, 2025

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Stents and Procedures

The Ins and Outs of Cardiac Stents

The Facts Are cardiac stents necessary? The short answer: Yes, and no. Although this is a complicated question and the answer can be even more complicated, the most accurate and most straightforward solution is this: Yes if you are having a heart attack and No, for anything else.

August 13, 2019

Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Peter's Journey and Records, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

How I Reversed My Heart Disease

Training Didn’t Help. My name is Dr. Peter Megdal, and this is my story of curing heart disease. In 2010 I noticed a steep drop in my power output during races. Racing cyclists have power meters that are attached to our bikes so we can accurately measure how strong we are in training and competitions. I was 50 years old, and my coach and my friends all told me that this was because I was getting older, but I knew a 15% drop was pretty steep and not normal especially in just one or two years.

April 11, 2019

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Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Diet and Nutrition, Diet Comparisons, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Imaging and Detection, Imaging and Testing, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Diet and Nutrition, Gut and Molecular, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Diet and Nutrition, Gut and Molecular, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Inflammation Markers, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Diet and Nutrition, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Specific Foods

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Medications and Treatments, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Imaging and Detection, Imaging and Testing, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Imaging and Detection, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Genetics and Family Risk, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Emerging Threats, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations, Special Populations

Imaging and Detection, Imaging and Testing, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

ApoB and Lipid Science, Imaging and Detection, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

ApoB and Lipid Science, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Inflammation Markers, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Inflammation Markers, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Athletes and Heart Risk, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Medications and Treatments, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Peter's Journey and Records, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Diet and Nutrition, Inflammation, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Specific Foods

Emerging Threats, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Risk Screening, Risk, Genetics and Special Populations

Inflammation, Lipids, Medications and Testing, Medications and Treatments, Plaque, Arteries and Disease

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Aging and Heart Health, Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Q and A Explainers

Diet and Nutrition, Plant-Based Diets, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Lipids, Medications and Testing, Plaque Biology, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Stents and Procedures

Exercise, Athletes and Aging, Peter's Journey and Records, Plaque, Arteries and Disease, Regression and Reversal

Heart Risk Calulator