Well I’ve seen enough research to believe that as much as 80% of the risk for cardiovascular disease can be avoided through lifestyle changes – that is, changing what we eat, how we exercise (please read moderate exercise), and what environmental toxins we expose ourselves to. The search also shows that drugs such as statins and blood pressure medicines may reduce risk by 20-30% but that is not risk-adjusted for the mortality rate caused by the drug.

So if you think that the body just gets old and heart disease is a forgone conclusion and nothing you can change – please think again. The body has all the mechanisms it requires to renew cardiovascular health itself if it is unencumbered by a person stuffing it full of bagels, cream cheese, and beer.

The problem is that if you don’t make these lifestyle changes you’re sure to die a lingering death because medical science can keep you around long after you should have gone. And your family will mortgage their homes when faced with the terrible decisions brought on by your lack of attention to the only thing that could keep you from being a burden to your family.

Everyday I seem to be talking to people over 60 or 70 that basically belief that what they have eaten all their lives has kept them healthy and they’re not going to change now.

Sorry – that’s not really the truth – the truth is that your body was able to keep functioning in spite of all the things you threw at it, but after 60-70 years of dealing with those things, it gets worn out and can no longer convert crap to vitamins or eliminate toxins without complaining.

Therefore all your experience with foods and lifestyle mean nothing at this point in your life. You have no experience that applies. Time to change.