A Good Short Term Heart Healthy Diet
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Dr. Esselstyn offers his own version of the Ornish diet and the Pritikin diet, but he is even stricter about avoiding all animal products, including fish and non-fat diary products.  Much recent research shows benefits from eating fish, but Esselstyn ignores that research.

It might be possible to follow this diet at home, but it's strictness makes eating at restaurants or a friend's house next to impossible.

Few people could follow this diet for years, but it would be a good six month diet to get your cholesterol level down before moving to a lifetime diet, such as the Pritikin diet.
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Although a pessimist could say that this is a low key ad for Dr. Whitaker's Wellness Institute, which in small part it is, the book provides a balanced view of just what causes heart disease and provides sobering thoughts on the fact that there is no "magic pill" or clear cut way to attack the problem.  Differing views are presented and the background for such, although not clearly articulated in the book itself, is provided via the references so that the reader can further explore if more details are desired.  The recipes section is somewhat of a waste of print but other than that I found the book very helpful in aiding in an understanding of heart disease and the array of possibilities for treating it.  The book also pretty clearly delineates between a "preventative" program and a "reversal" program, dependent on one's personal situation and goals.
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The Mediterranean diet has been touted for years as a way of eating that promotes good health. Look at the classic elements, and theres no surprise why: plenty of vegetables and fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains. The regular Mediterranean diet also includes plenty of fish and olive oil, but registered dietitian Julieanna Hever assures readers that animal products and added oils are unnecessary to reap the benefits of this healthy way of eating. With "The Vegiterranean Diet," Hever offers a fully vegan way to eat in the Mediterranean style. This book explores the elements of the Mediterranean diet that make it so healthy, discusses reasons to consider a fully vegan diet, and offers a crash course in vegan nutrition. And then, of course, there are the recipes: beverages and dips, snacks, and salads, filling entrees, and desserts. Feast on Hearty Red Lentil Stew followed by Grilled Nectarines with Amaretto Gelato. Try your hand at making a loaf of Baked Oat Bread, or delight your family with Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Pudding. The majority of the ingredients can be found at a regular grocery store, and the instructions are simple to understand. Give "The Vegiterranean Diet" a try!

Originally written for San Francisco Book Review.
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Easy, quick how-to to save your life from a heart attack.
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There are 52 tips in this self-help health manual for making small but significant changes in your way of life, one change per week for the next year. There is not a whole lot of extreme suggestions; most of them we already know as good for health and well being. But there is something about having these food, exercise, green living, mental well being and attitude changes laid out for you in chapters, with details, some scientific information,  and a lot of encouragement.

I'll keep this book for certain tips, especially on which safe products are good for cleaning,  and checking on food values and any foods that are risks for contaminants. I also like the stretching exercise tips.

A complimentary copy of this book was sent to me by Amazon Encore.
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Good enough recipes for those who like to cook.  I do not.  I use the principles of the Wheat Belly wheat-free diet and basically just eat steamed veggies, big salads, sauteed fish, steak, lamb, omelets, a few little potatoes --all in butter.  Even added occasional BACON.  Fruit and yogurt for dessert, kefir smoothies for weekday breakfasts.  Still, it was useful reading this book.  Lots of nice ideas.

I'm really an old girl at this point, but so healthy I rarely see the doc for anything.  In the 15 months I was on this diet,  my cholesterol went down 40 and  LDL went down 50 points.  No statins, no prescription meds.  My doc thinks I'm very very smart.  You can be too.
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My doctor recommended this book to ease into a vegan diet that would prevent heart disease.  Said I wouldn't like what it said...no oil, no avocado, no nuts, but the program works.
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In 2013 (at age 71) I experienced intermittent chest pain for months. In December of that year I saw a cardiologist who did a series of tests which indicated "multiple coronary ischemia," atherosclerosis, and an abnormal electrocardiogram. He summed it up by saying, "You are right on the verge of a heart attack." We made an appointment for me to go into the hospital in a few days for either stents or by-pass surgery (which option to be determined in the hospital with one more test).

I went home and began researching information about alternatives to stents/by-pass. Meanwhile I ate only salads for two days and quit coffee. (Coffee seemed to intensify the chest pain). Just those simple changes helped me to feel a little better. The internet seemed to suggest viable alternatives, so I took a chance and cancelled the hospital appointment. Eventually, after much research, I settled on Dr. Levy's approach and his protocol of nutritional supplements listed in his book, Stop America's #1 Killer. Of the 33 supplements recommended I took 30 (plus a few others of my own choosing). The most important supplement was (and still is) vitamin C, which I took as ascorbic acid powder mixed 2:1 with sodium bicarbonate to make sodium ascorbate. This I took in 3 doses daily adding up to a total of 10-12 grams/day. Also important: L-lysine and L-proline and a lot of magnesium (as magnesium glycinate). And very importantly, I STOPPED taking a calcium supplement (which I had been taking for years).

In regard to diet, I avoided milk per Dr. Levy's advice (and avoided all dairy products). And I avoided processed sugar and processed foods in general. No wheat products (gluten) and no soy. Minimal fruit (one grapefruit and one apple per day). On the plus side, lots of vegies both cooked and raw, sauerkraut, 3-4 eggs/day, lots of various nuts (no peanuts). For meat  only organic chicken and occasionally sardines. The only liquids were/are high-quality vegetable juice and lots of water (filtered). All food organic if available.

Exercise: In this book Dr Levy devotes only two pages to physical exercise. He conservatively suggests that exercise should help. I did him a step better on this score in that I gradually worked up to fairly intense aerobics plus weightlifting, every other day. (Also a brisk walk every morning). It happens that I tested high in lead, and moderately high in mercury and cadmium. Elsewhere Dr. Levy suggested that heavy metals can be sweated out using a sauna. (I read three of his books and listened to his video lectures). I used my exercise sessions to promote maximum sweating (instead of a sauna) by dressing in layers of sweat cloths and super-heating my bathroom where I did my weightlifting.

Dr Levy emphasizes the importance of eliminating dental toxicity. I've been lucky enough that I never had a root canal, but I had several amalgam fillings  replaced them last year with non-toxic material.

So now I'm cured!!! The evidence?
1 ~ Now (in a four-story apartment building) I can run many trips up and down the stairs, two steps at a time, at a relatively fast pace for 20 minutes straight with NO angina (no chest pain), and follow that up with 30 minutes of weightlifting. (In December 2013 relatively mild exercise caused chest pain.)
2 ~ My blood work is much improved. The last time my doc wrote across the top page, "Very Good!"
3 ~ My typical blood pressure is 100/65 and pulse 55-60.
4 ~  I'm back to drinking coffee again  three cups, no pain.
5 ~  I have more energy and feel better in general.

If that is not "cured," what is? Thank you, Dr. Levy!! (Also thanks to the late Dr. Linus Pauling, and the Vitamin C Foundation, and the internet.)
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The food choices are great but lean toward a diet of fairly low carbs. That said,
The author is not against tweaking your food choices to your liking  as
long as you stay within the food types.
This is a common sense approach to a healthy lifestyle and I appreciate
the premise of not stressing so much over diet.
I live in a constant 'well I failed it today' downer .
I am making lots of soups from good sources.
I have diverticulitis and cannot eat too many raw vegetables and I don't eat
a high level of insoluble fiber as it triggers an attack from the increased inflammation
those create.
I appreciate the simplicity in this book and feel that the suggestions  could be easily followed.

UPDATE: The author  does NOT advocate a low carb diet (bless you) and clarifies this in his 5/25
updated version that is much more specific about the types of food he encourages.
This book covers every aspect of eating and I  now have the feeling that  food is my friend and
I can more easily  and peacefully  continue my journey toward health and vitality.
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The book promises "10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol" and it delivers.  The first section of this book deals with what cholesterol is and what it does, and as this reader-friendly author suggests, "If science is not your cup of tea, simply cut to Part II."  Part II is the meat of the book, listing the ten simple - and they are - steps to lowering your cholesterol.  Not only simple, but affordable, too - much more so than prescribed medicine.  With each step, the good Doctor explains how each process helps us reach our medical goal, gives the medical proof that exists for each, presents case histories, and lists further options and tips on how to additionally simplify each step.  Yet, if you're not into the medical jargon, this section of the book is formated so you can skip over much of the material presented and get the basic information you need in a few short paragraphs.  She does make it easy.  The third and final section of the book offers charts to help you follow this course, if you're into such regimentation.  There are also a few dozen healthful recipes, few of which appealed to me.  Now here's the bonus part: as Brill explains, each of these steps will also help in lowering blood pressure, aiding diabetics, fighting obesity, forestalling aging, even stopping hair loss.  So, if you suffer from any of these ills and more, you can't go wrong with this basic recipe for good health.  After five weeks on this regimen, my cholesterol numbers were back to normal.  The one problem I found with this diet, it was almost too much to eat.  Well, not too much, but very filling.  I have followed a modified version of the plan, mainly keeping in the oatmeal and heart-friendly orange juice, and my numbers continue to be where they should be months later.
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If you have read the recent nutrition research on a Mediterranean diet versus a low-fat diet, you know that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest. Researchers have proven that olive oil is good for your heart. Nutritionists recommend having a tablespoon or two of olive oil a day now as it helps to prevent heart issues significantly. If you like to eat healthy, I love to mix veggies in it and oven roast them - love sweet potato fries or rounds mixed lightly in this with garlic pepper and cumin.

I also mix this olive oil with vinegar and pour it on a green salad daily. Sometimes I add a little prepared balsamic dressing with it for taste, but use this pure olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The olive oil and vinegar combination is delicious on raw vegetables. I have been very pleased with this brand. It is 120 calories per tablespoon. We also use this oil for sauteeing vegetables and meats or grease a pan with it to cook scrambled eggs and omelets. I also melt a Tablespoon of butter and add a Tablespoon of this oil and put it on popcorn for a treat. It is great to have a healthy and tasty oil to cook and bake with that is actually good for you.
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This book is a short, easy read that provides basic information about the Intermittent Fasting Diet.  It gives a run-through of what the diet is, how it works, and also details personal situations in which it might not work as well so that you can have that information and make the necessary changes before you get started.  One thing I liked was that the book gives several different options about how to go about practicing the Intermittent Fasting Diet, which can be done on a dailly basis or an every other day basis depending  on what works best for you.  The diet is flexible enough to allow you to find a way to make it fit into your life, instead of you having to follow very strict times and rules.  There is a sample 5-day meal plan included to help you get started, followed by lots of recipes that focus on fresh,natural foods.  There is nothing weird or artificial, just basic whole foods that you can find in your grocery store.  You will find some old favorites such as pancakes and pot pie, and some yummy new ideas like maple flavored sweet potato fries and nutty cucumber mango rice salad.  There are really no foods which are off-limits in this diet, which I think can make it easier for some people to stick to.  This book seems like a good, simple basic start for someone interested in trying the Intermittent Fasting Diet.  One issue I had with the book is that it really could benefit from some better editing.  The writing can be choppy at times, but the recipes are all complete and easy to follow.
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Both my husband and I have read the book and followed the program for the last six months. After three months his blood pressure dropped fifteen points(diastolic).  He hopes to be weaned from blood pressure pills eventually.  His cardiac risk went from above average to below average risk by inceasing his HDL and decreasing is LDL.  He lost fifteen pounds and has remained at his"right weight" now for the last four months with no effort.
  My cholesterol dropped 55 points in eight weeks.  I have lost only five pounds but five percent body fat. I too am at my "right" weight.
The ease of the program is simply that food is always there but hunger is not.  It is easy to order in a restaurant.
We do weights three times a week for an hour each time and walk two to three times a week.  Exercise is part of the program.
The book is a gift of new life for both of us. We hope it will be for you.
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In brief, the South Beach Diet was originally developed by a Cardiologist (DR. Agatson) in conjunction with a Nutritionist as a diet to recommend to his patients who needed a diet to help alleviate their heart problems.  It proved successful for many of its target audience.  It's a low carbohydrate diet that differentiates between "good" carbs and "bad" ones.  Simplistically speaking,  good ones are found in vegetables, some grains, etc., while those that we can categorize as "bad" are most often found in flour based products (bread, cereals, cakes, etc.) and in starchy foods such as potatoes and rice.

The diet itself is broken into three phases which I like to compare to the gears in a car:

Phase one, the two week phase, is comparable to first gear.  It gets you off to a start from a stndstill, and lasts for about two weeks.  It is the most restrictive phase, and the average dieter loses around ten to twelve pounds during this start-up phase.

Phase two, like second gear in a car, is used to get you up to full speed in automobile terms, or down to your desired weight in diet terms.  It is less restrictive than the first phase, and lasts, as I mentioned, until you are up to speed, or in dieting terms, down to goal weight.

Phase three is sort of like cruise control.  You use cruise control to maintain a steady speed on the open road, and you use the even less restrictive diet in this phase to maintain your weight loss.

Yes, as mentioned in other reviews there are daily meal plans for each phase, and some of the foods are expensive and some of the recipes are complicated.  I personally looked at these meal plans as guidelines to be followed, not as absolute requirements.  I stay away from all the forbidden foods, eat a few more of the foods I really like, particularly salads, and avoid those too complex menus, etc, and it works out very well.

A little personal background, I am diabetic, have hypertension, and was considerably overweight.  I am also not young and not particularly prone to exercise other than taking daily (or almost daily) brisk walks a half an hour or so in duration.

Last May (2004) some routine blood work indicated that my cholesterol was out of whack, and my physician said I really needed to lose weight.  He thought weight loss might handle the cholesterol problems without my taking additional medication.  After some discussion, we, together, decided that the South Beach diet was probably the best approach for me.

I got the book, read it, and started on the diet.  In the first two weeks I lost the ten pounds that are expected.  Over the next four months I lost an additional forty pounds for a total of fifty.  I have maintained this weight loss easily by avoiding those foods that are "no-nos," and I never go hungry or feeling unsatisfied.

Additional benefits are that controlling my diabetes now requires less medication, and my blood pressure has dropped considerably.  This is the only diet plan I have ever tried with which I am comfortable enough to believe that I will never return to my old eating habits.

Are there any disadvantages?  Yes.  I've had to buy a whole new wardrobe due to my six inch smaller waistline and proportionately smaller chest size, etc., and have had to have my wedding ring resized.  Other than that no complaints.

Based on my own experience, I wholeheartedly recommend __THE SOUTH BEACH DIET__.
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I downloaded this book a couple days ago and read through it quite quickly since it was an easy, pleasantly short read. I liked the different foods that it talked about, especially coconut oil. There are a lot of benefits to each of the foods mentioned and I was surprised by almonds and oats being on the list, so it was interesting to learn something new. I like that it explains why each of the five foods are healthy and beneficial to our bodies, but the only thing I DIDN'T like was that they didn't explain any warnings or reasons why NOT to consume the foods. There were not even simple warnings like "of course, as with all foods, eating too much of [insert food here] is dangerous and should be consumed in moderation." I was waiting to read something like that because I think it is a little dangerous to just throw these foods out here saying eat as much as you like! Not smart. That is the only thing I didn't like about the entire book. There were a lot of yummy sounding recipes and I liked that it has 7 tips and tricks for a longer life, one of which includes the simple "eat enough but not too much" idea. It was just a nice reminder to make wise eating choices! Overall, this was a good book, especially since I got it as a download for free.
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This diet book allows me to lose 3 to 5 pounds a week, for 3 weeks. In the first 3 week period I lost 12 pounds. I now will stop
dieting for a few weeks, while watching not to overeat. I would like to lose 25 pounds by October. I'm 6 foot tall. I weighed 225
when I started.  I will resume the diet the last week in August , for another 3 weeks. I hope to be at 200 pounds at the end of that
period. This will be a 25 pound loss overall.. I will diet again at the end of November to reach my goal of 190. I originally used this
diet in the early 1990s over an 7 month period. I went from 256 pounds to 210. This plan was promoted by Raley's Grocery Sores
back then , it was just 3 pages, available at the check out stand. The book is now a complete plan to control your weight, and follow a healthy  eating plan. This plan also allows you to maintain your metabolism by altering the menu in each 3 week period and to stop after 3 weeks. Whoops, this review was written by Gary Namisnik (not Jeanene).
The Kindle was a gift to Gary from his wife Jeanene.
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Good for heart health, easy to take every morning.  Good for other diseases also. Good for overall health.