Even the President-elect of the American College of Cardiology Recommends a Plant-Based Diet

Looks like it’s time to put down the hamburger and follow a plant-based diet – doctor’s orders!

Dr. Kim A. Williams, the president-elect of the American College of Cardiology, advises his clients who are suffering from conditions like hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol to follow a vegan diet. But it’s not just his recommendation; he practices what he preaches.

The doctor embraced veganism in 2003 when he was concerned that his LDL cholesterol was too high. He had a blood test which showed his LDL cholesterol to be at 170, and just a couple years earlier it had been 110. He then eliminated cholesterol from his diet by avoiding dairy and animal protein, and six weeks later, his LDL had fallen to 90! How incredible that switching from eating meat to eating plants can so drastically lower that number!

But it’s important to note that “It seems that the response to dietary cholesterol and other changes in diet are all genetically determined and quite variable,” said Williams to The New York Times. “One person might go from 170 to 150 by going to a plant-based diet. Another person might go from 170 to 90.”

Still, the key takeaway is that your cholesterol will lower in some capacity by cutting back on meat and eating more plants. The doctor says so!

“I recommend a plant-based diet because I know it’s going to lower their blood pressure, improve their insulin sensitivity and decrease their cholesterol,” he said to The New York Times. “And so I recommend it in all those conditions. Some patients are able to do it, and some are not.”

Want to lower your cholesterol? See Beans: The More You Eat, The More You Lower Bad Cholesterol or learn about clean, plant-based foods that can help lower your cholesterol.

Image source: Crunchy Curried Chickpea Tacos