Effortless weight loss; Is this possible?

Obesity has now reached epidemic levels in the United States.  Having been overweight and having talked to many people in that very difficult position, I have discovered that most people who are overweight aren't that way because they want to be overweight.  Rather, we feel helpless and are somewhat trapped in a food environment (A food culture of abundance; a fat producing system that promotes and sustains being overweight.) that is extremely difficult to break out of.

Most everyone knows that getting thinner is extremely important to maximize health; to lower total cholesterol and to protect yourself from heart disease and cancer.  The scientific literature makes it abundantly clear that as body fat increases, so does the risk of heart heart disease and other diseases!

As our body fat increases so does what is called "visceral fat," that intra-abdominal fat around internal organs.  So it is time to ask the question, how do we really begin to address the issue of weight loss in a way that is now just a fad, starvation diet plan that is unsustainable?

Effortless weight loss
From my personal experience, the closest thing to effortless weight loss is learning to eat a diet that is rich in nutrient-dense foods, which by the way, is the fastest way to disease proof your body.  Superior nutrition has such a powerful effect on the body's ability to defend itself against illness that even one's poor genetics take a secondary role.  Win-win!  We can recapture our health and lose weight fast just by switching to a diet that is rich in plant nutrients and low in dietary fat by avoiding animal products, dairy products and processed foods that have been artificially filled with salt, fats and sugars.

For two years now, I have been learning to eat a diet that is filled with nutrient dense foods from plant sources.  A full spectrum of fruits and every color and type, vegetables  that are green, yellow, orange, red, blue and purple - a wide variety of plant foods that can be prepared or consumed raw. Whole grains of every type (Quinoa, Wheat, brown Rice, Amaranth, Oats, Buckwheat, etc.)  Beans and legumes, of every variety, shape and color - prepared and added to dishes that are truly filling and satisfying!  Nuts and Seeds - although these are naturally high in oil and fat, a small amount in their natural packaging is important to the diet.

Effortless weight loss?  Effortless in the sense of no longer needing to measure, weight or worry about eating too much.  I just eat all I want and really fill up on the "good stuff" rather than the junk that is so abundant to all of us in this culture.

Join the revolution!  Food matters!  You will lose weight and satisfy your deepest cravings at the same time.  Let food be your medicine.

To you good health!

Steve
Books to read:
Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
The End of Heart Disease by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr.

Stevemattis @ instagram
Steven Jay Mattis @ Face Book
Steveveganheart.blogspot.com

Revisiting the Coronary Calcium Score

Recently my cardiologist asked me to retake the "Coronary Calcium Score."  It has been a full two years since my first CT Score was taken.  For those of you who are new to this test, it is basically a simple procedure that uses " Cat Scan" technology to view any calcium deposits located in the Coronary Arteries.  Plaque formation in these arteries in the chief cause of blockages requiring stints or Coronary Bypass Surgery or in many cases sudden death, as these soft, inflamed, and unstable plaque burst causing clotting in these arteries with the resultant heart attack.  Over time some of this plaque calcifies and becomes visible with the CT Scan.

My first CT Score was taken in August 2014.  I scored 900.  Anything over 400 is considered serious Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).  Although I did not have any other symptoms, I chose a new lifestyle treatment.  It was at that time that I converted to a fully vegan lifestyle for hearth reasons.

It has now been two years of not eating any meat, dairy, processed food or oil.  Research has shown that CAD can be halted and sometimes reversed on Plant based nutrition.  Now that it has been two years of eating this way, my cardiologist felt it was time to take another look.

The logic of another Scan suggests that one could have another scan taken and determine if in fact the calcification has slowed down or halted.  Well, my follow up scan showed a 256 point increase in calcification.  Needless to say, I was very discouraged.

Having visited The Cleveland Clinic and studies with Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. in the well known Wellness Institute, I decided to drop him an email and ask his advice and for his perspective on this new information related to the new CT Score.

Amazingly, and true to his style, he called my cell phone within twelve hours.  I was not available so he left a detailed message which I have transcribed.  He explained the increased Calcium score this way.

• There is nothing for you to worry about! (Since I am doing 100% Plant Based Nutrition)
• There is no diet that is more "anti-inflammatory" than plant based nutrition.
• A high number of calcified plaque also reveals a high amount of uncalcified plaque.
• It is the soft, uncalcified, unstable, inflamed plaque that causes most heart attacks.
• Plant based nutrition removes inflammation from these soft, unstable plaques and the body jumps in on the healing project by dumping calcium into these soft unstable plaques and thereby making them stable, non-inflamed and resistant to rupture.  This is how one becomes "heart attack proof," even though they have a lot of plaque build up.  
• Therefore, one who is eating a Whole foods, Plant Based, No oil diet (wfpbno) is actually converting their softer, unstable, inflamed plaque into stable, non-inflamed, calcified plaque.

A higher Coronary Calcium Score, after a couple years of eating Plant Based Nutrition, doesn't mean that your condition is worsening.  It actually means that you are stabilizing and are much safer.

Bottom line:  Continue to eat your veggies!  Oil still corrodes the coronary arteries.  Animal foods and dairy products are converted through protein synthesis to highly inflammatory compounds that cause plaque to grow.

Coronary Artery Disease is still the number one killer of men and women in America and everywhere the Standard American Diet is consumed.

Diet makes all the difference!

Check out my Instagram Food Diary at Stevemattis@instagram
Facebook at Steven Jay Mattis
Caldwell B. Esseltyne Jr. Book:  Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.