Plant-Based Diets Lower Risk Factors for Heart Failure

Plant-based diets can reverse heart failure, according to a case study published in Frontiers in Nutrition. A 54-year-old woman with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure began a whole food, plant-based diet, and researchers tracked her health outcomes. She removed all animal products, limited processed foods, and increased her intake of fruits, vegetables, dark leafy greens, grains, and legumes. In less than six months, she lost 22.7 kg (50 pounds), reduced her HbA1c by 2.4 points without medication, and improved her dyspnea. Plant-based diets offer effective treatment and prevention via reduced inflammation and blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and A1C, reduced BMI, and improved gut microbiome. The authors note that most clinicians rely on pharmacotherapy due to insufficient training in nutrition and recommend clinicians integrate plant-based diets as part of treatment to reverse systolic dysfunction and care for heart failure.