Scientists from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that a whole-food plant-based diet reversed heart failure without medications or surgeries.
The research is published in Case Reports in Cardiology and was conducted by Daniele Massera et al.
Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused when your heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The discomfort can also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, abdomen, or back, and sometimes it may even feel like indigestion.
Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease. Depending on its severity, it can be treated through lifestyle changes, medication, angioplasty, or surgery.
Angina is usually caused by the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscles becoming narrowed by a build-up of fatty substances, known as atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis occurs when fats, cholesterol, and other substances build up in and on the artery walls. This build-up, called plaque, can cause the arteries to narrow and block blood flow.
In the study, researchers reported a case involving a 60-year-old man who had typical angina symptoms and a positive stress test. He declined both drug therapy and invasive testing. Instead, he chose to adopt a whole-food plant-based diet, which mainly included vegetables, fruits, whole grains, potatoes, beans, legumes, and nuts.
Doctors found that his symptoms improved rapidly, along with his weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
The researchers suggest that a whole-food plant-based diet emphasizes fresh, whole ingredients and minimizes processed foods. It focuses on minimally processed plant foods and limits or avoids animal products. It also excludes refined foods such as added sugars, white flour, and processed oils.
The team says a plant-based diet has been linked to improved blood fats, better diabetes control, lower heart disease risk, and reduced risk of death. They suggest that adopting this form of lifestyle therapy should be considered among the first recommendations for patients with atherosclerosis.
People who want to follow a whole-food plant-based diet need to pay special attention to food quality. Many components of the diet can be sourced locally and organically.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
