Rather that try to work through all of this again I decided to do a
Google search for criticisms of Esselstyn's work. My first hit was even
more than that, a criticism of a movie called “Forks Over Knives” which
features not only Esselstyn's work but also several other vegan
promoters.
<http://rawfoodsos.com/2011/09/22/forks-over-knives-is-the-science-legit-a-review-and-critique/>
I haven't read the entire thing (it's huge and takes a long time to
load) but it's pretty clear from the critique that, at least what's
presented in the movie, is pretty *selective* science... you just ignore
the inconvenient bits that disagree with your hypothesis. I'd had
enough after about 10 pages and there are very many more than that.
Chuck Norcutt
On 4/27/2013 2:20 PM, Brian Swale wrote:
> With replies from Charlie and Chuck, maybe this ought to be my last posting
> on this topic for a while.
>
> At the outset, I do not believe that, as Nathan put it, what Drs Prendergast
> and Esselstyn are disseminating, is snake oil.
>
> Far from it. This is all serious, science and evidence-based, information
> which can be used simply by anybody to prevent / minimise premature death
> from athersclerosis and considerable human suffering where athersclerosis
> has maimed but not yet killed outright.
>
> The messages from Drs Esselstyn and Prendergast contain very similar
> material, but each arrived at where they are by different routes.
>
> I believe that each of these men is energised by the ulterior motive of
> alleviating and avoiding where possible, human suffering through
> athersclerosis in its various forms, and have chosen two vehicles to make
> the basis of their findings available to us all.
>
> Charlie confirmed what I thought all along, having read Esselstyn's book and
> attentively listened to and watch Prendergast's short videos.
>
> This is that myocardial infarction (hope I have the spelling correct), often
> the
> phase of heart disease before death ensues, is caused by the rupture of a
> lump of plaque on the inside of an artery. The causes the body to create a
> blood CLOTt on the spot in an effort to self-heal. While this technique works
> fine on ruptured skin, inside an artery it often is fatal because the clot is
> likely to break off under hydraulic pressure, and shift to a spot where it
> totally
> blocks blood flow to vital organs such as heart muscle and the brain.
>
> That L-argenine creates nitric oxide gas in artery walls is established
> without
> question, and if it is supplied in sufficient quantity, through the supply of
> N O
> it enables the body to PREVENT the development of plaques
> (atherosclerosis), and where athersclerosis is already present, enables the
> body to SAFELY REMOVE it.
>
> It seems to me that much of the monitoring of blood make-up is rendered
> irrelevant as soon as L-argenine and nitric oxide step in and control
> athersclerosis. Correct me if my understanding is wrong, but it seems to me
> that if there is no athersclerosis, in most cases there can be no heart
> disease through blocked arteries, and no strokes through blocked arteries.
>
> I believe it is that simple.
>
> How did these two doctors arrive at the place of information dissemination
> that each now is at?
>
> Prendergast first, because in some ways his story is more powerful.
>
> He is an MD who is a practicing endocrinologist who also advises/ cares for
> hundreds of diabetics. Diabetics typically have a high rate of heart
> disease.
>
> At about the age of 37 years Prendergast submitted to a CAT scan to
> investigate some vague abdominal pain. Subsequently, the technician said
> to him " Hey, you've got other problems here - you have developed
> atherosclerosis to the degree I'd expect to see in an 80-year-old"
> This caught the immediate attention of Prendergast. His own (MD) father
> had had a heart attack at the age of 43 which made him quit working and he
> died a few short years later as a result of it. Prendergast reckoned he did
> not
> want to follow these particular footsteps ...
> He was so fortunate as to be working close to medical researchers studying
> L-argenine, NO etc, and he arranged to spend a lot of time with them.
>
> As a result of their information, he commenced taking a daily dose of
> laboratory grade L-argenine. HE ALSO PRESCRIBED THIS FOR HIS
> DIABETIC PATIENTS.
>
> Some 16 years later, Prendergast once again had an abdominal CAT scan.
> He had the same technician as he had had 16 years before.
> The technician was amazed. Comparing the scan data 16 years apart, he
> pointed out that Prendergast's arteries were now TOTALLY CLEAR of
> athersclerosis. Prendergast was also amazed, and then went and had a
> scan done of his heart arteries. Totally clear of athersclerosis. He had the
> arteries of a 17-year-old.
>
> During that 16 year period, whereas formerly his diabetic patients developed
> heart disease at such a rate that they kept three heart surgeons in business,
> NONE OF THEM developed heart disease. Five thousand (5,000) diabetics
> in 16 years totally free of athersclerosis. All as a consequence of taking L-
> argenine on a daily basis. BTW, the three heart surgeons moved to other
> locations to practice their craft.
>
> The L-arginine /NO researchers also told Prendergast that although L-
> argenine worked well, he really should also use L-citrulline. Ingestion of L-
> argenine works for ( approx?) 6 hours. L-citrulline lasts for 24 - 36 hours,
> with the same beneficial effect as L-argenine.
>
> Prendergast decided that the best way to help potential sufferers of heart
> disease was to get alongside the best business of its type he could find and
> make a diet supplement incorporating L-argenine, L-citrulline as well as
> other anti-oxidants and vitamins. Hence Proargi-9+
>
> This stuff is not patentable. Is there anything wrong with what he did? In my
> opinion, not. He has made an important scientific / medical discovery
> available to all to alleviate premature death and suffering.
> There are few of us in such a position to give effect to such an altruistic
> motive and action. He was true to his Hippocratic oath ( assuming he took
> one) and has reached out to help thousands of potential heart disease
> victims.
>
> Esselstyn, who by the way represented the USA in the Olympic games
> (rowing) is an MD who served in the Vietnam war where he performed very
> many autopsies on GIs and also their Vietnamese counterparts. He
> discovered that these young GIs already had advanced athersclerosis,
> whereas the young Vietnamese had none. Esselstyn concluded that living
> on a vegetarian diet was responsible for the difference.
> He is also well aware of the biochemical pathways in the human body which
> involve L-argenine and nitric oxide, and has text and a diagramme in his
> book dealing with this.
>
> He ran an experiment over many years involving ( 18?) heart patients who
> had been sent home by their heart specialists, to die. Their atherosclerosis
> was so bad, and they had been subject to so many surgical interventions,
> that no more were possible.
>
> He put them on a strict vegan diet, had frequent ( weekly - monthly) follow-
> ups, and with his wife developed interesting menus.
> Over 20 years not one of that group has died through athersclerosis,
> whereas the control group who decided the diet regime was too tough has
> thinned out a bit now through heart disease.
>
> Some of the active experimental group members have had their
> athersclerosis actually reverse - in other words, minimise or disappear.
>
> What his experiment has shown is that the natural concentration in the body
> of L-argenine is not sufficient to counteract the damage by free radicals (
> from meat, fat etc) which leads to atherosclerosis.
>
> Esselstyn has chosen to tell the world about his work though the printed
> word, radio programmes, and some videos. Although he must by now have
> heard of Prendergast, I'm not aware of them joining forces in any way.
>
> Well, that's about it. The 10 minute video below is worth watching if you
> haven't done that
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDqLcblMyIY
>
> Their work is not the stuff of snake oil.
> It's excellent science translated into a form to benefit all mankind.
>
> Brian Swale
>
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|